Watching graphs and charts has become a bit of an obsession, 10 years ago all I looked at was the ABC weather forecast and surface charts in the paper. Now we have a huge range of forcast and real time info available.

Have noticed last couple of years that 1m swell forecast in winter can translate head high sets on the beachies where as 1m in summer wont be as big.

I am dreaming? maybe !

Anyone else noticed this?

^^^
Are you talking Rotto or Cott swell bouys?

1m on the Cott bouy is generally out of control at the bigger beachies... but 1m on the Rotto bouy like yesterday and it can be small as...

You just gotta keep an eye on it and know what it is has been like lately and then apply the charts and other forecasts to local knowledge. It's a bit of a black art...

Yep good points raised above.

I always watch the rotto bouy for the perth metro beachies and cape nat for down south.

Has been a few sneaky days of late in perth where the rotto bouy has been reading around 1m and there is quite good size waves (head high).

Same bouy readings in summer dont seem to be the same hight or strength!

Possibly the other variable comming into play swell direction and period.

Just thought there was a pattern there!

crusher said...
Have noticed last couple of years that 1m swell forecast in winter can translate head high sets on the beachies where as 1m in summer wont be as big.

Most probably would be the period I reckon. 1m at 14 seconds in winter is a whole lot more fun than 1m at 7 seconds in summer.

more so what swalkington said, a 7 sec period will be more so "bunched up swell" and a 14sec period will be long clean lines with the right wind. as winter moves in swells generally start to push slightly more from the west and the higher tides help swells travel around corners and into protected areas, meaning they get into not so swell magnets more regularly thus more waves for all.

Period can certainly affect surf, but the flaw in this argue meant is that we get long period swells in both summer and winter.

It all comes down to tides and swell direction and swell period in Perth.

Perth summers have typically weak swell pulses, ssw swell with lower tides during daylight hours. Winter has stronger swell pulses, more westerly direction swells and mid to high tides.

The stronger swell pulses in winter make faster, bigger waves. A more westerly swell pulse also means the swell doesn't have to refract as much when it bends past the outer reefs into the Perth beaches and so it looses less energy. The low tides during daylight hours in summer means not as much swell can get through to the beaches past the outer reefs.

Not to sure about 1m swells = head high in winter, but the same swell height in winter and summer can produce very different results.

www.surfline.com/surfology/surfology_forecast2.cfm

Come on Crush,u know its all about how many boogie have been sacrificed!

fuall said...

Come on Crush,u know its all about how many boogie have been sacrificed!

At the end of each winter we all stand around and bask in the burning glow of hanni's latest boogyboard and surf mat collection. Still a summer in perth remains the crap surf that we have to endure untill the following winter!

WINDY MILLER said...

Derby day was Close to 2m down here according to the seabreeze swellometer, went for a watch, should have taken the camera, guns galore, monster clean ups, amazing display. Extra couple of seconds seemed to turn it on to the max.

I got some photos

Greenroom said...

WINDY MILLER said...

Derby day was Close to 2m down here according to the seabreeze swellometer, went for a watch, should have taken the camera, guns galore, monster clean ups, amazing display. Extra couple of seconds seemed to turn it on to the max.

I got some photos


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