In this week’s beach report, Craig Holden advises that we can expect mixed weather over the weekend, with milder temperatures, moderate onshore winds and the slight chance of scattered showers.
Weather
Well, it has been a mixed week of weather conditions during this past week, with a return to milder temperatures after last week’s winter blast, along with a day or two of overcast skies and light drizzle.
As we look ahead to today and then across the weekend, the temperatures will remain quite mild for winter, but we are set for moderate onshore winds to kick-in from today onwards.
There is also a slight chance of a scattered shower, along with partly cloudy skies.
This morning’s winds will be from the South at around 15 knots, before they increase to 15 to 20 knots from the S/SE later in the day.
Tomorrow will be very similar again, with 15 to 20 knots of S/SE to E/SE winds forecast, before Sunday brings a slight drop in wind speed, with the forecast suggesting 10 to 15 knots of S/SE to E/SE winds.
Swimming
Swimming conditions have been not too bad during this week, with clam and clear conditions through the mornings before slightly choppier conditions developed during the afternoons.
Looking ahead to today and across the weekend, we can expect swimming conditions to get a little choppy and messy over the coming days – especially on those open and exposed beaches that will have a slight current pushing from south to north and will be impacted by the onshore winds.
The general trend will be to have better swimming conditions through the early mornings while the winds are lighter and from the south, before choppier and messier conditions develop throughout the day.
Best beaches for swimmers will be Hervey Bay and Agnes Water, followed by Nielson Park and Moore Park beaches locally – with the best times for a swim being in the early mornings or again around mid-afternoon.
Please check with the 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!
Beach patrols
Today and weekdays – 9 am to 5 pm at Agnes Water only
Saturday and Sunday – 9 am to 5 pm at Kelly’s Beach and Agnes Water only
Surfing
The waves have once again been pretty much non-existent across local beaches for the most part this week, BUT there has been a slight increase in wave heights developing since about Wednesday.
These waves have still been small, but they should increase a little more through today and tomorrow – although they will be impacted by the onshore winds and likely to be a little messy and sloppy.
Hopefully the size grows enough to entice the board-riders out, and if so, the better spots should be Agnes Water, Nielson Park, Mon Repos and Moore Park. Good Luck.
For the SUP and Ocean Ski paddlers, there will be plenty of wind about today and tomorrow to jump in to a south to north downwind run, but for those looking for calm and gentle conditions to enjoy on the ocean you will have to get there very early in the morning, or else head to the protected inland waterways.
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