James Casey, 13 Apr 2015, 2:28 AM UTC
Ground swell set to sweep across the east coast
A southerly ground swell will make its way along the New South Wales coast today reaching Queensland tomorrow morning.
Offshore swell heights have begun to increase across the east coast with Eden already building to 3.5 metres with a 12 second period. Sydney will start to show signs of the new swell this afternoon while QLD will see the swell increase early tomorrow morning.
The swell is set to peak overnight for Sydney reaching 3.8 metres offshore with a 16 second period. This translates to 6-8ft waves at exposed south facing beaches this afternoon with 3-4ft waves at protected southern corners. Southeasterly winds will make conditions a bit bumpy this afternoon for a surf, although tomorrow light winds will swing to the northeast providing groomed lines for wave riders.
Surfers on the Gold Coast will be able to enjoy the peak of the swell as the swell peaks just below 4 metres in the middle of the day on Tuesday. Southerly winds will tend to the southeast meaning the best option for a wave will be on the point breaks where waves will be around 4ft. At exposed locations the swell will exceed 8ft but winds will make conditions far from desirable.
This swell will be more powerful than the swell last week due to a longer period. The longer period means the swell has a longer fetch or has travelled a longer distance, originating from a front in the Southern Ocean rather than a more localised east coast low in the Tasman.
These more powerful swells means that if you are entering the ocean make sure you use caution and consult the lifeguard on duty.
This swell will linger over the NSW coast until late on Wednesday while Queensland will see the swell stick around until Thursday afternoon.
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