"Stay happy and you'll be perfectly fine" - Jack Norris

Rainy in Sydney, clear in SB, tiny in both

Hello Friends,
Looks like a rainy old morning with only tiny, weak looking bumps scudding into the beaches of Sydney. It was around 1.6 metres at 9 seconds from the SE as of 0700, so there should be a few knee high plus bumps at optimal exposures, however the Bureau says swell could start bumping up this afternoon. I’m not seeing anything much on the ECM model, but the Wavewatch interpretation is showing 12+ sec stuff over the next 24-48 hours… so more in line with the Bureau’s advisory re swell. Looks as though tomorrow will be windy and messy for you…

Back to really small in Santa Barbara/Ventura counties as the swell that never was much, fades out.
I had a look at the beach west of Santa Barbara and it was definitely too small (see below)

Near where I surfed a few days ago… pretty, but too tiny to ride now.
This pier services the offshore oil platforms and beyond it are a few walk-in spots that can be fun in the winter months

Weather Situation
A high pressure system over the southern Tasman Sea extends a ridge along the New South Wales coast, while ex-Tropical Cyclone Esther approaches northwest New South Wales. This pattern is generating northeasterly winds along coastal waters, which are expected to freshen tonight and during Thursday as the remnants of Esther slip southeast across New South Wales. The next southerly change is expected on Friday as the remnants of Esther reach the Tasman Sea, and a cold front moves to the south of the state. By the weekend, a high pressure ridge will extend along the New South Wales coast from a high centred near Tasmania.

Forecast for Wednesday until midnight
Winds
Easterly 15 to 20 knots turning northeasterly during the morning and increasing to 15 to 25 knots by evening.
Seas
1 to 1.5 metres.
Swell
Southerly around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the morning.
Weather
Cloudy. 70% chance of rain.
Caution
Surf conditions in the afternoon and evening 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.
Thursday 5 March
Strong Wind Warning for Thursday for Sydney Coast
Winds
Northeasterly 15 to 25 knots, reaching up to 30 knots in the late morning and early afternoon.
Seas
1.5 to 2.5 metres.
Swell
Southerly 1 to 1.5 metres.
Weather
Cloudy. 90% chance of rain. The chance of a thunderstorm.
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.
Friday 6 March
Winds
Northwest to northeasterly 15 to 20 knots tending west to northwesterly 10 to 15 knots during the morning then shifting southerly during the day.
Seas
1 to 1.5 metres, decreasing to 1 metre during the morning.
1st Swell
East to northeasterly around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 2 metres during the morning.
2nd Swell
Southerly 1.5 metres, decreasing to around 1 metre during the morning.
Weather
Partly cloudy.