Surf forecasts for beaches all round Australia, this Week 2nd-7th January, 2022

For conditions at a beach near you see the drop down boxes at Gone Surfing.

breaking….

Outlook Update: Tropical Cyclone Seth

Seth likely to peak somewhere off southern Qld on Sunday.

On Saturday morning Tropical Cyclone Seth remained about 720km ESE of Mackay. Over the next 24 hours Seth is forecast to track SSE with further intensification, bringing the storm to a likely peak over the northern Tasman Sea later Saturday through early Sunday morning. This will bring easterly gales within closer range of Qld and northern NSW surf zones. Projected maximum seas and swell of 25-30ft will generate a large and consistent, mid period easterly groundswell, rising across southern QLD and northern NSW throughout Sunday and likely peaking on Monday morning.

Into early next week, TC Seth is forecast to drift southwest and weaken. Ex-TC Seth is likely to become slow-moving, somewhere around 300 to 400km east of the QLD/NSW border on Monday, maintaining large and powerful surf across the East Coast early to mid next week.

The models suggest this storm’s track will remain some way off the coast once it’s in open waters in the southern Coral Sea and northern Tasman, which would mean the magical pointbreak double-up: east swell and moderate southerly winds from everywhere from Noosa to Yamba and some way south.

…and for 5am January 2, as it builds as easterly fetch directly off the Sunny Coast….

Down toward Newcastle and Sydney, the swell energy may be a little less muscular and angled more from the NE, with lighter and more localised winds playing a role in conditions.

…and 5am January 3, as the fetch continues to shift SSE and slightly away from the coast…

Again: it’s worth noting the uncertainty in all this. The storm is only just now starting as a weak depression over the Northern Territory. It’s got to survive crossing the land in northern Queensland, make it to the Coral Sea and then re-intensify before moving on a southward track.

Also: a word of warning. At this holiday time, a strong swell event can pose risks to many people, surfers or otherwise. Please, keep an eye on your fellow water-lovers, and use your knowledge of your own skill level to help you decide when and where to surf.

…and finally 5am January 5, as it begins to slip away and merge into a front approaching from the SW. There’s a few “ifs” and “buts” here, so check in as we update this Outlook.

There are absolutely heaps of things that could change between today and the weekend, so stay tuned to the Premium Forecasts for a full assessment. We’ll update this Outlook daily from Friday as well.

Surfline…