It’s on
Hello Friends,
The swell started to fill in around midnight and by this morning 4-7 metres of 15 second interval E by ENE swell was thundering into Sydney’s beaches. This is absolutely not a morning for beginners to even think about getting in (well, Balmoral might be okay – but watch first!). There are a few places for the confident, experienced and very fit riders who will know their limits, but the rest of us can enjoy the show from dry land.
As is often the case with a quickly rising swell, the fade is likely to be relatively quick too. So, tomorrow should be noticeably smaller, but still solidly overhead and suitable only for experienced riders. By Sunday it should be more accessible and on Monday the beginners should be finding something suitable. By then we look like being back into the showery weather which, if the models have it right, could persist into the start of May. Yikes.
Have a good one and yes, I hope to get a few more pictures to share – so check back later.
Forecast issued at 4:10 am EST on Friday 18 April 2025.
Weather Situation
Ex-Tropical Cyclone Tam has transitioned into a deep Tasman low pressure system, driving fresh southerly winds and large powerful waves to the coastal waters. Winds should shift north to northwesterly during the weekend as the low continues to move towards New Zealand while a cold front and its associated trough approaches to the coast from the west. These systems will cross the coastal waters on Monday, and a low pressure system is forecast to develop off the south coast in its wake. Winds and surf will increase from Tuesday as the low deepens and heads northeastwards.
Forecast for Friday until midnight
- Winds
- South to southwesterly 15 to 25 knots decreasing to about 10 knots in the evening.
- Seas
- 1 to 1.5 metres, decreasing below 1 metre during the afternoon.
- 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
- Variable below 10 knots becoming northwesterly 10 to 15 knots in the early morning then tending northerly in the middle of the day.
- Seas
- Below 1 metre.
- Swell
- Southeasterly 2 to 3 metres, decreasing to 1.5 to 2 metres by early evening.
- Weather
- Mostly sunny.
- Caution
- Large and powerful surf conditions are expected to be hazardous for coastal activities such as crossing bars by boat and rock fishing.
Sunday 20 April
- Winds
- North to northwesterly 10 to 15 knots tending north to northeasterly during the afternoon.
- Seas
- Around 1 metre.
- Swell
- Southeasterly 1.5 to 2 metres, decreasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the morning.
- Weather
- Sunny.