Well, it has a very warm and muggy week this week, with a real summer feel creeping into our weather pattern at present.
The winds have been from the north and the skies have been blue, and this is also what we can expect for the coming days as well – moderate northerly winds, blue skies and warm temperatures (and maybe the chance of a thunderstorm as well).
Today’s winds are forecast to be moderate to strong, as we can expect 15 to 20+ knots of N/NW winds, but they should ease gradually across the weekend.
Tomorrow will bring N/NW to N/NE winds at 15+ knots, before Sunday has a little more respite with only 10+ knots of N/NE winds forecast for most of the day, but still a little stronger through the afternoon.
Swimming
Swimming conditions haven’t been too bad during this past week, well at least through the start of the week anyway, but choppy conditions have set-in over the past day or so as the northerly winds have increased and brought choppy conditions to those beaches that are exposed to these winds.
Now, today and then across the weekend, we are expecting much of the same as the moderate northerly winds persist – they will actually be quite strong today before they gradually ease through tomorrow and even further into Sunday.
This means that Elliott Heads and Kelly’s Beach will provide the best swimming conditions, with all other beaches expected to be quite choppy with a side sweep running from north to south as well.
The best time for a swim will either be through the very early mornings, or again around early to mid-afternoon.
Keep an eye out for blue bottles too with the northerly winds and be mindful of the algae that has been present across some beaches as well.
Please check with the lifesavers or lifeguard 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!
Saturday: 9 am to 5 pm at Kelly’s Beach, Nielson Park Beach, Oaks Beach and Agnes Water, 1 to 5 pm Elliott Heads and Moore Park Beach
Sunday: 9 am to 5 pm at Elliott Heads, Kelly’s Beach, Nielson Park Beach and Agnes Water
Weekdays (including today): 9 am to 5 pm at Kelly’s Beach and Agnes Water only
Surfing
The surf conditions have not been great during the past week with mostly choppy conditions across most beaches, but as per usual there were a few small waves to be found at those beaches offering some shelter from the northerly winds.
For today and then across the weekend, we are expecting more northerly winds, and they will be quite moderate through today and tomorrow, so this does not indicate much joy for board-riders!
Try your luck at Kelly’s Beach or Elliott Heads for a few small, clean waves while the northerly winds are gusty, or maybe think about Sunday morning if the wind drops out.
Good Luck.
For the SUP and Ocean Ski paddlers chasing a downwind paddle, today should provide you with endless fun and some super-fast north to south downwind runs, and then similar for tomorrow as well.
For those chasing a more relaxed and gentler paddle though, you will need to wait until Sunday, and head to Kelly’s Beach or Elliott Heads.
Events
Good luck to our local junior surf lifesavers heading to Hervey Bay on Sunday to compete in the first local junior surf lifesaving carnival for this season!
Last week’s beach report: Mornings the best for a weekend swim
