Global Forecast: The Whole World Is (Or Is About to Start) Pumping

Oh it has been some time since we've published anything like this. The world is pumping right now. And that's no exaggeration, we've got one of the best swells of all time ripping across Australia, a south swell pummelling Tahiti, Hawaii, central and southern America, Indo's about to get it good, like, real good. Europe's about to be blessed by a playful pulse, North America, Jbay too. To say there's waves for everyone is kind of an understatement.

So rather than blast you eyeballs with post after post about 'here's pumping, oh here is too – look, Indo's good now!' We thought we'd wrap it all up in one place, with some links to forecasts so you can make the judgment on where you want to go, hassle free. All forecasts have been supplied by MSW's Tony Butt (who, not to bang on about it, wrote the book on Surf Science). You're in safe hands.

Australia

A squeeze of isobars is currently developing between an anticyclone situated west of Tasmania and a low over the South Island of New Zealand. This is expected to intensify big-time over the next 48 hours, with a large area of southerly winds generating some big swell for the east coast of Australia.

At southeast exposures around Sydney, for example, wave heights jump from virtually nothing to a ragged ten feet or more overnight Friday, persisting through Saturday, with fresh south or southeast winds. Things clean up a bit over the weekend and the swell shifts to a more southeast direction, with at least six to eight feet at exposed spots, and light southeast winds.

Forecast: Snapper Rocks

Indonesia

An area of strong southwest winds between a low near the French Antarctic Islands and a high southwest of Madagascar is beginning to send some good swell towards Indonesia. Over the next 24 hours the windfield is expected to move northeast and persist as the low tracks east and expands, before weakening on Friday. The large virtual fetch will generate a pulse of swell that arrives in Indonesia early Sunday and continues through till about mid-week. Wave heights will peak late Sunday at around eight feet or so before very gradually ramping down.

Where to surf: Bali

US East Coast

Not much swell on the eastern seaboard of North America, but a small disturbance is forecast to develop over the weekend, which could generate some strong northeast winds south of Nova Scotia. This means a short-lived pulse of ragged surf for areas around Cape Cod, which could reach eight feet or so late Saturday and Sunday, accompanied by strong, perhaps gale-force northeast winds.

Forecast: New Jersey

South Africa

In the South Atlantic, a complex area of low pressure way south of South Africa, and a massive area of westerly winds on its northern flank are generating some good swell for spots such as Jeffrey’s Bay. Tomorrow, Thursday, sees an increase in wave heights, hitting six feet or so by late afternoon, increasing a notch on Friday before deteriorating on Saturday. Winds are light to moderate northwest or west, which is good for J-Bay.

Forecast: JBay

North Pacific

The North Pacific is almost devoid of big storms at the moment, except for a small, tight low that is currently forming southeast of Kamchatka. This system is expected to track eastwards, expanding and weakening slightly over the next 36 hours or so, stalling south of the Aleutian Islands by Saturday.

A pulse of swell generated by strong northwest winds on its southwest flank is expected to reach Hawaii by around Sunday, and increase into early next week. Spots such as Pipeline and Backdoor might see some good quality surf around four or five feet.

Forecast: Pipeline

Central America

Yet another big swell is on the cards for Mexico and Central America, this time generated by a very large and intense area of low pressure that deepens west of Chile from Friday onwards. The swell arrives by the middle of next week, and lasts four or five days, with wave heights peaking at six feet or so, much bigger at swell-magnets such as Puerto Escondido.

Forecast: Central America

Europe

Westerly exposures in Europe will get some good small-to-medium surf over the weekend, from a squeeze of isobars between an anticyclone west of the Azores and an area of low pressure around Cape Farewell. Best bet for clean conditions will probably be Southwest Ireland, Cornwall or southwest Galicia.

Forecast: UK + Ireland