so i want to get a bit of a clearer idea on how to read the graphs on seabreeze in regards to ideal wave conditions.
so if someone could explain the theory to me, it would be great...
cheers
Jordan
I will try me best
Ok here we have the usual graph for perth with the wave forecast in the background.
On the left there is a scale - wave height in metres - that signifies the size of swell
The blue parts show how big the swell is going to be - so on tuesday the swell is dropping then slowly picking up again - peaking on thursday then dropping off again afterwards
In order to determine why this is we go to the graphs.....
The graphs show a front coming through plus (out of pic) a deep low tracking along - that is a storm -these things combined can create waves for us.
My take is that any low pressure system to the south or west of our coast line if deep enough will create swell. The bigger and deeper the low the better the swell. Dependant on where the low pressure is situated and moving to is dependant alon the coast as to which direction the swell is travelling - often standing on the beach there are lumps on the horizon heading north and swell on the beach is nil.
Now the swell immedietly can be found here (worth highlighting on this background)
This shows you the swell height as it is now and the past few days at various buoys around the coast so you can see the general trend - which is on the way down at the mo 
Very handy
^^ like PR said..
Go to a site like Coastalwatch - swell forecast or..
2 elements - Direction and frequency (gap between the waves)
Rules of thumb..
Local waves (caused by the same weather systems that hit your coastline) come and go quickly will be the same direction as the wind with a lag of say 24 hrs if the wind changes direction by a quadrant (e.g. SW to WSW). The locally generated waves tend to be closer together. The longer the wind effects the wave for -- the more energy goes in the bigger and wider apart they become. So you have alot of good big surf on the West coast (The Pacific is big and that is where the weather patterns dominantly come from in S WA) East coast - Qld way it is mostly very local and the good stuff gets shipped up from down south (Bass straight etc) or from an occaisional cyclone.
I did a project on wind / wave generation for an Oceanography degree more years ago than I care to think - great fun ripping it up in boats - shame we did not have digitial technology available then (well we did have crude calculators - and CPU's had just graduated from being washing machine controllers ..) measurements would have been easy as...
AP
