Strong conditions forecast for the NSW coastline have prompted surf lifesavers and the Bureau of Meteorology to issue a warning for all Mid North Coast beachgoers and rock fishers to exercise caution when entering the water for the remainder of this week.
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A low pressure system developing over the Tasman Sea will result in potentially dangerous surf conditions along the New South Wales coast over the next few days. The main swell direction is predicted to be from the south with a period of 10-12 seconds.
Swells of between 3-5 metres will hit the the Mid North Coast Friday morning before moving offshore.
South facing beaches are likely to encounter the worst of the conditions as the swell travels up the coast with beach closures to be determined on a case by case basis by lifeguard services.
The warning is timely particularly given surf lifesavers have lowered the flags for the 2016/17 season.
NSW Operations Manager Andy Kent has urged the public to take the warnings seriously.
“We’ve unfortunately had a number of drownings in the last few weeks and this highlights the need for people visiting our coastline to exercise extreme caution at all times. The best advice we can give people is to be aware of their environment and always pay attention to the conditions,” Mr Kent said.
“South facing beaches and exposed headlands will experience the worst of the conditions with rock fishers advised to reconsider their plans for a few days.”
With the 2016/17 volunteer patrol season ending on April 25, Mr Kent says despite this, surf lifesavers and callout teams are on standby to respond to emergency situations.
“Our lifesavers did an outstanding job on the beach this season with over 4000 rescues since July 2016. From now until patrols begin on September 23, 2017, we have over 100 volunteer Duty Officers across the State who are ready to respond if required,” Mr Kent concluded.
