Southern Tasmania Surf Forecast by Craig Brokensha (issued Monday 6th May)

Best Days: Wednesday at south-east swell magnets, Sunday morning, Monday

Recap

Average conditions over the weekend with a windswell building through Saturday and onshore small bumpy 1-2ft waves yesterday, tiny and still onshore today.

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This week and weekend (May 7 - 12)

Tomorrow will be tiny and with variable winds again through the morning, while our small pulse of S/SE groundswell for Wednesday is still on track.

This was generated over the weekend by a significant fetch of polar severe-gale to storm-force SE winds, with Clifton hopefully seeing inconsistent 2ft+ sets through the day, fading Thursday.

Winds look favourable and offshore out of the N/NW, tending more W/NW through the day ahead of a late gusty W/SW change as a cold front moves across us.

No swell is due off this front, but a secondary system firing up on its tail looks to generate a better W/SW groundswell for Friday. A fetch of strong to near gale-force W/SW winds will be aimed through our western swell window, with an increase in size to 2ft due into Friday afternoon, tiny early.

Unfortunately it looks like a deepening low forming late while moving across us will bring onshore winds and poor conditions.

Saturday looks to remain onshore as a secondary front moves in and brings SW winds, while from Sunday and more so early next week we've got a better mix of groundswells and back to back energy on the cads.

The first in a progression of strong polar fronts will fire up in our swell window south of WA later this week, with an initial fetch of severe-gale W/SW followed by a broader and more elongated fetch of W/SW gales.

We should see an increase in size Sunday morning ahead of a larger groundswell later in the day, easing Monday.

Size wise Clifton should build from 2-3ft to 3ft+ later in the day Sunday with with NW tending W/SW winds, easing from 3ft Monday with NW winds.

Behind this we'll see further fronts firing up, but more on this Wednesday.