Australian Government

Bureau of Meteorology


Coastal Waters Forecast 

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IDS11072

Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
South Australia

Coastal Waters Forecast for South Australia

Issued at 9:30 am CDT on Wednesday 14 January 2026
for the period until midnight CDT Friday 16 January 2026.

Please be aware
Wind and wave forecasts are averages. Wind gusts can be 40 per cent stronger than the forecast, and stronger still in squalls and thunderstorms. Maximum waves can be twice the forecast height.

Warning Information

For latest warnings go to www.bom.gov.au, subscribe to RSS feeds, call 1300 659 210* or listen for warnings on relevant TV and radio broadcasts.

Weather Situation

A ridge of high pressure south of SA will persist over the coming days, with the high centre moving to the south of the Bight on Thursday. The high will continue moving eastwards into the Tasman Sea later over the weekend.

Far West Coast: WA-SA Border to Fowlers Bay

Forecast for Wednesday 14 January until midnight

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 25 knots. Seas: 1.5 to 2 metres, decreasing to 1.5 metres during the afternoon, then increasing to 2 metres by early evening. Swell: Southwesterly 1.5 metres. Weather: Becoming cloudy.

Forecast for Thursday 15 January

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 25 knots. Seas: 1.5 to 2 metres. 1st Swell: Southwesterly 1.5 metres. 2nd Swell: Southeasterly around 1 metre. Weather: Cloudy.

Forecast for Friday 16 January

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 25 knots. Seas: 1.5 to 2 metres, decreasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the morning. 1st Swell: Southwesterly 1 to 1.5 metres, decreasing to around 1 metre during the afternoon. 2nd Swell: Southeasterly around 1 metre inshore, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres offshore. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Upper West Coast: Fowlers Bay to Elliston

Forecast for Wednesday 14 January until midnight

Winds: South to southeasterly 15 to 20 knots increasing to 20 to 25 knots in the evening. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1.5 to 2 metres during the afternoon. Swell: Southwesterly 1.5 metres. Weather: Sunny.

Forecast for Thursday 15 January

Strong Wind Warning for Thursday for Upper West Coast

Winds: Southeasterly 20 to 25 knots, reaching up to 30 knots during the afternoon and evening. Seas: 1.5 to 2.5 metres. Swell: Southwesterly 1.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Forecast for Friday 16 January

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 25 knots. Seas: 1 to 2 metres. 1st Swell: Southwesterly 1 to 1.5 metres. 2nd Swell: Southeasterly around 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Lower West Coast: Elliston to Cape Carnot

Forecast for Wednesday 14 January until midnight

Winds: Southeasterly 10 to 15 knots turning southerly 15 to 25 knots in the late morning and early afternoon. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 2 metres during the afternoon. Swell: Southwesterly 1.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Forecast for Thursday 15 January

Strong Wind Warning for Thursday for Lower West Coast

Winds: Southerly 20 to 25 knots turning southeasterly before dawn. Winds reaching up to 30 knots during the afternoon and evening. Seas: 1.5 to 2.5 metres. Swell: Southwesterly 1.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Forecast for Friday 16 January

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 25 knots. Seas: 1.5 to 2 metres. 1st Swell: Southwesterly 1.5 metres. 2nd Swell: Southeasterly around 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Central Coast

Forecast for Wednesday 14 January until midnight

Winds: Southeasterly 10 to 15 knots turning southerly 15 to 25 knots in the late morning and early afternoon. Seas: Below 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 2 metres during the afternoon. 1st Swell: Southwesterly 1.5 to 2 metres, decreasing to 1.5 metres during the afternoon. 2nd Swell: Southeasterly around 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Forecast for Thursday 15 January

Winds: Southerly 20 to 25 knots turning southeasterly during the day. Seas: 1.5 to 2 metres. 1st Swell: Southwesterly 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1.5 to 2 metres in the west. 2nd Swell: Southeasterly around 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Forecast for Friday 16 January

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 25 knots. Seas: 1 to 2 metres. 1st Swell: Southwesterly 1.5 metres. 2nd Swell: Southeasterly 1 to 1.5 metres, decreasing to around 1 metre during the morning. Weather: Cloudy.

South Central Coast

Forecast for Wednesday 14 January until midnight

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots turning southerly in the evening. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, decreasing to 1 metre around midday, then increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres by early evening. Swell: Southwesterly 1.5 to 2 metres. Weather: Cloudy.

Forecast for Thursday 15 January

Strong Wind Warning for Thursday for South Central Coast

Winds: Southerly 20 to 25 knots, reaching up to 30 knots during the afternoon and evening. Winds turning southeasterly in the evening. Seas: 1.5 to 2.5 metres. 1st Swell: Southwesterly 1.5 to 2 metres, decreasing to 1.5 metres during the morning. 2nd Swell: South to southeasterly around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres around midday, then decreasing to around 1 metre by early evening. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Forecast for Friday 16 January

Winds: Southeasterly 20 to 30 knots. Seas: 1.5 to 2.5 metres. 1st Swell: Southwesterly 1.5 metres. 2nd Swell: Southeasterly 1 to 1.5 metres, decreasing to around 1 metre during the morning. Weather: Cloudy.

Upper South East Coast: Murray Mouth to Cape Jaffa

Forecast for Wednesday 14 January until midnight

Strong Wind Warning for Wednesday for Upper South East Coast

Winds: Southeasterly 10 to 15 knots turning southerly 15 to 25 knots in the middle of the day. Winds reaching up to 30 knots offshore in the evening. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the afternoon, then increasing to 1.5 to 2 metres by early evening. Swell: Southwesterly 1.5 to 2 metres, decreasing to 1.5 metres later in the evening. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Forecast for Thursday 15 January

Strong Wind Warning for Thursday for Upper South East Coast

Winds: Southerly 20 to 25 knots, reaching up to 30 knots during the day. Seas: 2 metres, increasing to 2 to 3 metres around midday. 1st Swell: Southwesterly 1.5 metres. 2nd Swell: Southerly around 1 metre. Weather: Cloudy.

Forecast for Friday 16 January

Winds: Southerly 20 to 30 knots turning southeasterly 20 to 25 knots during the evening. Seas: 2 to 3 metres. 1st Swell: Southwesterly 1.5 metres. 2nd Swell: Southerly around 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Lower South East Coast: Cape Jaffa to SA-VIC Border

Forecast for Wednesday 14 January until midnight

Strong Wind Warning for Wednesday for Lower South East Coast

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 25 knots, reaching up to 30 knots north of Beachport in the evening. Seas: 1.5 metres, increasing to 1.5 to 2 metres by early evening. Swell: Southwesterly 2 metres. Weather: Cloudy.

Forecast for Thursday 15 January

Strong Wind Warning for Thursday for Lower South East Coast

Winds: Southerly 20 to 25 knots, reaching up to 30 knots during the day. Winds turning southeasterly in the late evening. Seas: 2 to 2.5 metres. 1st Swell: Southwesterly 1.5 to 2 metres, decreasing to 1.5 metres during the morning. 2nd Swell: Southerly around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres north of Beachport during the morning. Weather: Cloudy.

Forecast for Friday 16 January

Winds: Southeasterly 20 to 30 knots. Seas: 1.5 to 2 metres. 1st Swell: Southwesterly 1.5 metres. 2nd Swell: Southeasterly 1 to 1.5 metres, decreasing to around 1 metre during the morning. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Spencer Gulf

Forecast for Wednesday 14 January until midnight

Strong Wind Warning for Wednesday for Spencer Gulf

Winds: South to southeasterly 10 to 15 knots tending south to southwesterly 15 to 25 knots in the late morning. Winds reaching up to 30 knots north of Cowell to Wallaroo during the afternoon and evening. Seas: Below 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 2 metres during the afternoon. Swell: South to southwesterly around 1 metre. Weather: Sunny.

Forecast for Thursday 15 January

Strong Wind Warning for Thursday for Spencer Gulf

Winds: Southerly 20 to 25 knots, reaching up to 30 knots during the afternoon and evening. Winds turning southeasterly in the late evening. Seas: 1.5 to 2 metres, increasing to 2 to 3 metres during the afternoon. Swell: South to southwesterly around 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Forecast for Friday 16 January

Winds: South to southeasterly 20 to 30 knots. Seas: 1.5 to 2.5 metres. Swell: South to southwesterly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Gulf St Vincent

Forecast for Wednesday 14 January until midnight

Strong Wind Warning for Wednesday for Gulf St Vincent

Winds: Variable about 10 knots becoming southerly 15 to 25 knots in the middle of the day. Winds reaching up to 30 knots north of Port Vincent to Brighton in the evening. Seas: Below 1 metre, increasing to 1.5 metres during the afternoon, then increasing to 2 metres by early evening. Swell: Southeast to southwesterly below 0.5 metres. Weather: Sunny.

Forecast for Thursday 15 January

Strong Wind Warning for Thursday for Gulf St Vincent

Winds: Southerly 20 to 25 knots, reaching up to 30 knots during the afternoon and evening. Seas: 1.5 to 2.5 metres. Swell: Southeast to southwesterly below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Forecast for Friday 16 January

Winds: South to southeasterly 20 to 30 knots. Seas: 1.5 to 2.5 metres. Swell: Southeast to southwesterly below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Investigator Strait

Forecast for Wednesday 14 January until midnight

Winds: Southeasterly 10 to 15 knots turning southerly 15 to 25 knots in the middle of the day. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1 to 2 metres by early evening. Swell: West to southwesterly below 1 metre, increasing to around 1 metre through the Backstairs Passage. Weather: Sunny.

Forecast for Thursday 15 January

Strong Wind Warning for Thursday for Investigator Strait

Winds: Southerly 15 to 25 knots, reaching up to 30 knots during the afternoon and evening. Winds turning southeasterly 20 to 25 knots in the evening. Seas: 1.5 to 2.5 metres. Swell: Southerly around 1 metre through the Backstairs Passage. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Forecast for Friday 16 January

Winds: Southeasterly 20 to 30 knots. Seas: 1.5 to 2.5 metres. Swell: South to southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy.

The next routine forecast will be issued at 3:30 pm CDT Wednesday.

* Calls to 1300 numbers cost around 27.5c incl. GST, higher from mobiles or public phones. Marine forecasts are also available on VHF and HF radio. View the radio schedule on www.bom.gov.au/marine

Check the latest Coastal Waters Forecasts for information on wind, wave and weather conditions for neighbouring coastal zones.