Clean and due to build later
Hello Friends,
Started my morning with 40 others doing democracy together in the rain (see below). After the sign-waving, I rode over to Northy for a quick look at how the swell was doing. Amazingly, despite some clean looking chest-plusses rolling in, there was not a single person in the water at one of the surfing world’s most fabled beach breaks.
Wind was WSW 9-16 kts by 0900 and the swell at sea was 2.7 metres from the south – but only 7 seconds apart. First tide of the daylight hours is the modest 1.3 metre high at 1055.
The showery stuff will be pretty much confined to the coast today as Sydney heads to a high of 24.
Although the swell will build through the day, the more powerful, 12-second component is likely to arrive overnight. Tomorrow should see 3-4 metres of 12 sec east swell all day along with sunny skies and weakening SW wind. Should be lots of great wave watching for those who aren’t fit or experienced enough to get amongst it. There might even be rideable stuff at some of the inner harbour spots.
I’m looking forward to seeing the Goat’s take on the weekend’s prospects.
Go well, have fun and stay safe!
Forecast issued at 4:10 am EST on Thursday 17 April 2025.
Weather Situation
Ex-Tropical Cyclone Tam, currently over the Tasman Sea, will continue south as a low pressure system, driving fresh to strong south to southwesterly winds to the Coastal Waters. This system is forecast to move southeast later in the week. Winds will shift northwesterly ahead of a front and its associated trough. It will bring southwesterly change in its wake as it crosses the southern waters on Sunday.
Forecast for Thursday until midnight
- Winds
- Southerly 20 to 25 knots.
- Seas
- 1.5 to 2 metres.
- Swell
- Southeasterly 1.5 to 2 metres, increasing to 2 to 3 metres during the afternoon.
- Weather
- Partly cloudy. 70% chance of showers.
- Caution
- Large and powerful surf conditions are expected to be hazardous for coastal activities such as crossing bars by boat and rock fishing.
Friday 18 April
- Winds
- South to southwesterly 15 to 25 knots decreasing to about 10 knots in the evening.
- Seas
- 1.5 to 2 metres, decreasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the morning, then decreasing below 1 metre by early evening.
- Swell
- Southeasterly 3 to 4 metres.
- Weather
- Partly cloudy.
- Caution
- Large and powerful surf conditions are expected to be hazardous for coastal activities such as crossing bars by boat and rock fishing.
Saturday 19 April
- Winds
- Northwest to southwesterly 10 to 15 knots tending northwesterly during the morning then tending northerly during the afternoon.
- Seas
- Below 1 metre.
- Swell
- Southeasterly 2.5 to 3 metres, decreasing to 2 metres during the evening.
- Weather
- Sunny.
- Caution
- Large and powerful surf conditions are expected to be hazardous for coastal activities such as crossing bars by boat and rock fishing.