It has been another glorious week of weather across the local region this past week, with even a very warm day thrown in on Wednesday to remind us all not to get the winter blankets out just yet.
Looking ahead to this Anzac Day long weekend, the first of two long weekends in a row, and the forecast does look quite mixed with mostly cloudy skies expected (although no real threat of any rain) and the return of those cooler or milder temperatures as well.
Both today and tomorrow are looking quite good for swimmers too with only light winds, before we see windier conditions return by Sunday afternoon and continue into Monday when they will be quite blustery.
Today will be a super day to hit the beach with 10 to 15 knots of S/SW winds early that will decrease to only 10 knots or less from the E/SE by this afternoon.
Tomorrow will then bring 10 to 15 knots of S/SE to E/SE winds that will be the same on Sunday morning, however by Sunday afternoon these winds will increase to 15 to 20 knots.
Monday’s Public Holiday will then bring 15 to 20 knots of S/SE to E/SE winds that will also likely increase to 20 to 25 knots by the afternoon.
Weekend beach swimming great for today, tomorrow
Swimming conditions have been fantastic for the past two days and look set to continue again throughout today and into tomorrow as well, before we start to see choppier and messier conditions start to develop through Sunday and into Monday.
For today and tomorrow, all beaches will provide great swimming conditions and particularly through the very early mornings, but by Sunday, and as those winds increase, we will start to see very choppy conditions on the open and exposed beaches, together with a side sweep or current pushing from right to left along these beaches as well.
For Sunday and Monday, swimmers should look for beaches that offer protection from the prevailing winds, so beaches such as Hervey Bay, Agnes Water, Moore Park Beach and Nielson Park Beach will be better options by this stage of the weekend.
For Sunday and Monday, swimmers will certainly need to hit the beach through the early mornings if they wish to find the best conditions.
Please check with the Lifeguard or Lifesavers on duty, read any safety signage or messages, AND most importantly please swim only at patrolled beaches, only between the red and yellow flags, and only during patrol times – remember, if we can’t see you, we can’t save you!
BEACH PATROLS: Saturday – 9am to 5pm at Kelly’s Beach, Nielson Park, Oaks Beach and Agnes Water; 1pm to 5pm at Elliott Heads and Moore Park Beach
SUNDAY AND MONDAY – 9am to 5pm at Elliott Heads, Kelly’s Beach, Nielson Park, Oaks Beach, Moore Park Beach and Agnes Water
WEEKDAYS – 9am to 5pm at Kelly’s Beach and Agnes Water
Surfing: Flat, calm before waves get messy
The waves have been pretty much non-existent for this past week, with only a few very small waves being found anyway around the local area.
For the next two days at least, this will also be the case, with more, flat and clam conditions expected, but by Sunday afternoon and into Sunday, once those onshore winds increase, we could just start to see a few choppy and messy waves start to provide some surfing options across the local beaches.
Don’t get too excited, but certainly keep an eye on your favourite surfing location by the latter part of the long weekend. Good Luck!
For the SUP and ocean ski/kayak paddlers, both today and tomorrow should provide more calm and gentle paddling conditions on local beaches, and particularly through the mornings.
By Sunday afternoon and more so on Monday the ocean will start to get choppy and messy once again.
Look for sheltered locations in the rivers and creeks by then – or maybe consider a downwind paddle (going from south to north) on Monday.
EVENTS: The 2021 Australian Surf Lifesaving Championships continue today and again tomorrow, being held on the Sunshine Coast, and shared between Maroochydore, Alexandra Headland and Mooloolaba Beaches.
Good luck to our local surf lifesavers that are still competing!
