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

Sunday bumpy with possible tsunami surges early

Hello Friends,

There was a tsunami alert for the Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands this morning and along the coast lifesavers were keeping an eye out for an unusual surges that could complicate an already challenging day. The Bureau has a hazardous surf warning up from the Illawara coast to Byron.

As the picture above shows, there were definitely places like Surfrider Gardens seeing powerful sets in amongst the generally messy windswell junk. Around at Dee Why it looked to be mostly smaller and quite choppy and disorganised as the SSW wind tangled with 1.6 metres of 12 second east swell. There were a fair number of hopefuls out in front of the SLSC and even one or two real optimists at the point, but quality, well, you can see from the pic below.

The wind’s set to go southerly tomorrow and we’ll have a swampy 1.75 metre high tide at 0850, but the easterly swell should still be around and if the models are right, it’ll have a bit more oomph. So, the first session of the day could potentially be interesting in the south corners. And by interesting, I don’t mean suitable for beginners or even slightly wobbly intermediates. Know your limits.

Tuesday looks a possibility for the early as well, but beyond that, the models are saying we could have several days of steady southerly wind. The swell generally looks like sticking around into the weekend on current reckoning.

Go well, stay safe and mask up indoors.

Weather Situation

A high pressure system over the Tasman Sea is directing fresh north to northeasterly winds along the north coast, ahead of a southerly change moving along central waters. Northeasterly winds return to most of the coast on Monday. Another southerly change is expected to develop along the southern coast on Monday or Tuesday as a high pressure system strengthens to the south of the Bight.

Forecast for Sunday until midnight

Winds
Northwest to northeasterly 10 to 15 knots tending south to southwesterly early in the morning then tending south to southeasterly in the late afternoon.
Seas
Around 1 metre.
Swell
Northeasterly 2 metres, tending easterly 2 metres during the afternoon.
Weather
Partly cloudy. The chance of a thunderstorm offshore this morning.
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.

Monday 17 January

Winds
Southerly about 10 knots becoming northeasterly 10 to 15 knots during the afternoon then tending northerly during the evening.
Seas
Below 1 metre.
Swell
Easterly 1.5 to 2 metres.
Weather
Partly cloudy.

Tuesday 18 January

Winds
North to northeasterly 10 to 15 knots shifting southerly 15 to 20 knots during the morning.
Seas
Around 1 metre.
Swell
Easterly 2 metres.
Weather
Cloudy. 70% chance of showers.