South Australian Forecast by Craig Brokensha (issued Monday April 1st)

Best Days: Wednesday morning for the keen both coasts, Saturday morning South Coast, early Sunday South Coast

Features of the Forecast (tl;dr)

• Strong SW winds tomorrow with a building windswell
• Easing windswell with some new mid-period S/SW swell for Wed with early S/SE winds on the Mid, W/NW down South, shifting W/SW-SW later AM
• Fresh SE winds Thu with a reinforcing mid-period S/SW swell
• Stronger S/SW swell Fri AM with light-mod E/SE tending strong S/SE winds
• Easing swell Sat AM, ahead of a new S/SW groundswell into the PM, easing Sun
• Variable winds Sat AM ahead of mod-fresh S sea breezes, W/NW early Sun, shifting fresh SW during the day

Recap

Fun waves across the South Coast all weekend with small to moderate levels of swell from the S/SW along with favourable morning winds and relatively weak sea breezes. The Mid Coast saw a tiny pulse W/SW energy yesterday to an inconsistent 1-1.5ft, best for beginners and logs.

This morning the surf is smaller and with less favourable winds and conditions on both coasts.

This week and weekend (Apr 2 - 7)

The coming week looks generally poor for surf, not due to the lack of swell but mostly thanks to the poor local winds due across the South Coast.

The swells will come from the south-western quadrant, with the Mid Coast not expected to offer much at all surf wise besides a weak windswelly wave Wednesday.

Increasing Southern Ocean frontal activity, along the polar shelf will generate building levels of mid-period S/SW swells from Wednesday through Friday, with a stronger groundswell on the cards for the weekend.

Looking at tomorrow, and a trough moving through this evening will bring a strong SW change right on dawn, kicking up some weak windswell across both coasts but with no quality.

Winds will ease into Wednesday morning and likely tend light W/NW across the Victor Harbor region with S/SE winds on the Mid Coast along with our first pulse of mid-period swell.

This swell is being generated by strong W/NW winds to the south of Western Australia and should provide 2-3ft sets across Middleton, with 1-1.5ft of easing windswell across the Mid Coast. While not great, both coasts should offer a wave for the keen.

A high will move in behind the trough on Thursday, swinging winds around to the SE, fresh in strength, creating average to poor conditions down South. The Mid will be clean but tiny and fading from 1ft max.

Winds looks to persist out of the E/SE Friday morning down South, though lighter in strength, with fresh S/SE sea breezes to follow.

Swell wise, a slightly stronger pulse of mid-period S/SW swell is due, generated by a stronger, near gale-force fetch of W/NW winds firing up south of Western Australia tomorrow.

Better 3-4ft sets should be seen across Middleton Friday, tiny on the Mid Coast, easing into Saturday from the 3ft range.

Conditions should become cleaner Saturday with variable offshore winds, possibly W/NW early Sunday as well ahead of a trough and fresh SW change later morning.

Swell wise, we've got a good pulse of S/SW groundswell due into Saturday afternoon, generated by another frontal system firing up south of Western Australia, but with stronger gale-force W/NW winds due to be generated.

This should produce 4ft sets across Middleton into the afternoon/evening Saturday, easing back from 3ft to possibly 4ft Sunday morning.

Following this troughy weather, we're looking at a more active westerly stormy track for next week but with winds from the south to south-east across the South Australian region. The models diverge regarding this though so check back here Wednesday for the latest.