South Australian Forecast by Craig Brokensha (issued Friday May 23rd)

Best Days: Today both coasts, tomorrow South Coast, protected spots South Coast for the keen Monday, possibly Mid Coast Wednesday morning

Features of the Forecast (tl;dr)

• Easing SW groundswell tomorrow with strengthening N-N/NW winds (N/NE early on the Mid Coast)
• Moderate sized W/SW swell Sun along with some building NW windswell with strenthening N/NW winds
• Large, stormy swell Mon with strong NW tending W/NW-W winds
• Moderate + sized SW groundswell building down South during Mon
• Large stormy S/SW swell Tue with strong SW winds, easing and tending S/SW
• Easing surf Wed with S/SE winds
• Moderate sized S/SW swell pulses Thu through Sat AM with morning E/NE-NE winds down South ahead of sea breezes

Recap

Our strong pulse of W/SW swell pulsed later Wednesday but yesterday was the pick of it with all day offshore winds and consistent 2-3ft waves all day.

Later in the day some new, long-period SW groundswell start to show and this is peaking today with waves holding 2-3ft inside the gulf with slightly less favourable conditions (still really fun), while the South Coast is offering inconsistent, clean 4-6ft sets. Winds are due to tend variable NW this afternoon, keeping conditions good across both regions.

Pumping yesterday morning!

This weekend and next week (May 23 - 30)

Today’s peak in large SW groundswell is due to ease through tomorrow with 3-4ft sets expected off Middleton, smaller through the day with the Mid Coast easing back from 1-2ft (2ft magnets).

Local winds will quickly strengthen out of the N/NW, shifting more NW into the afternoon. The Mid may see early N/NE winds but it will be wind affected and quickly deteriorate.

Into Sunday, we’ve got a new pulse of moderate + sized W/SW swell, generated by a healthy mid-latitude low that’s currently just under Western Australia.

A fetch of strong to gale-force winds should produce a good pulse of W/SW swell energy to 2-3ft on the Mid Coast again with 3ft waves across Middleton, but strengthening N/NW winds ahead of a significant cold outbreak will likely kick up similar levels of N/NW windswell.

Now, as touched on in Wednesday’s outlook, we’re set to see a strong polar front projecting northwards, towards the Bight today and tomorrow.

We’ll see a great fetch of gale to severe-gale SW-S/SW winds projected north, obliquely to our swell window before the low then slowly moves east and across us through Sunday/Monday.

With fetches of gale to severe-gale W/SW winds pushing slowly east towards us we’re looking at a significant increase in large W/SW groundswell and localised stormy swell through Monday, likely peaking to 4-6ft across the Mid Coast with plenty of metro options under strong NW tending W/NW-W winds. This will hopefully mix up the gulf enough to kill off the algal blooms (fingers crossed).

The South Coast should see building levels of SW groundswell from the earlier stages of the polar frontal system, with the localised windswell likely being blocked by Kangaroo Island. Building surf to 4-5ft is due through the day, if not a little stronger later but with those, strong, tricky winds, while come Tuesday as the low moves east across us, larger 4-6ft waves are due but with strong SW tending weaker S/SW winds.

The Mid Coast will start to ease in size but still likely be 4ft or so, smaller Wednesday and easing from 1-2ft as winds shift S/SE.

Winds should slowly improve for the South Coast from Thursday onwards as high pressure slowly shifts in from the west, and swell wise, persistent polar frontal activity behind the mid-latitude low early week should generate moderate sized pulses of energy. Morning E/NE-NE winds are due with the best pulse due Friday afternoon/Saturday morning, but more on this Monday. Have a great weekend!