Hello Friends,
As of 0800 the breeze was coming faintly from the west, but surface conditions were still a little ragged looking when I took the pictures. The MHL buoy was seeing 2.1 metres of 15-second energy from 156° (SSE) at 0500, but I didn’t see anything substantial at the point. Given where the crowd was sitting, I probably should have waited for a set to turn up before taking my pics. My guess given the numbers and their position that sets are into the head high range. Tide is coming into a swampy 1.98 m high at 1100. By that point, the wind should be coming from the east, so expect textured to junky surface conditions. Beachwatch says the ocean’s still 20C.
The long period energy means that sets will typically be intermittent and the Bureau has posted cautions for today and tomorrow. The long period stuff can be problematic for Sydney beaches (lots of shutdowns) so the rocky bits will probably be the best bet.
Outlook is for the juicy stuff to be around for another 24 hours or so and then if the models have it right, we’ll drift back into the more usual summertime short period stuff .
Good luck on your wave hunt!
Weather Situation
A high pressure system over the southwestern Tasman Sea extends a ridge along the New South Wales coast and slowly moves east, while a trough of low pressure over the northern Tasman Sea slowly moves westwards and weakens. This will bring a gradual shift of winds from southeasterly to northeasterly during the first half of the week. A front may bring a southerly change to southern parts later in the week.
Forecast for Monday until midnight
Winds
Easterly 10 to 15 knots.
Seas
Below 1 metre.
1st Swell
Southerly 1.5 to 2 metres.
2nd Swell
Easterly around 1 metre.
Weather
Cloudy.
Caution
Surf conditions may be more powerful than they appear and are expected to be hazardous for coastal activities such as crossing bars by boat and rock fishing.
Tuesday 14 January
Winds
Northeast to southeasterly about 10 knots.
Seas
Below 1 metre.
1st Swell
Southerly 1.5 to 2 metres, decreasing to around 1 metre during the afternoon.
2nd Swell
Easterly around 1 metre, increasing to 1.5 metres during the morning.
Weather
Mostly sunny.
Caution
Surf conditions in the morning may be more powerful than they appear and are expected to be hazardous for coastal activities such as crossing bars by boat and rock fishing.
Wednesday 15 January
Winds
Variable below 10 knots becoming northeasterly 15 to 20 knots during the morning.
Seas
Below 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the afternoon or evening.
1st Swell
Easterly around 1 metre.
2nd Swell
Southerly around 1 metre.
Weather
Partly cloudy. The chance of a thunderstorm in the morning and afternoon
