Australian Government

Bureau of Meteorology


Coastal Waters Forecast 

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IDQ11292

Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Queensland

Coastal Waters Forecast for Queensland
Northern Zones: Torres Strait to St Lawrence

Issued at 3:50 pm EST on Tuesday 29 April 2025
for the period until midnight EST Friday 2 May 2025.

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 will persist over the north Queensland waters for several days.

Torres Strait

Forecast for Tuesday 29 April until midnight

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres outside the reef. Swell: Southeasterly around 1 metre outside the reef. Weather: Cloudy. 70% chance of showers.

Forecast for Wednesday 30 April

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres. Swell: East to southeasterly around 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 80% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Thursday 1 May

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres. Swell: East to southeasterly below 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres outside the reef. Weather: Partly cloudy. 80% chance of showers.

Forecast for Friday 2 May

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres west of Cape York. Swell: East to southeasterly below 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres outside the reef. Weather: Partly cloudy. 80% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Peninsula Coast: Sharp Point to Cape Melville

Forecast for Tuesday 29 April until midnight

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots, reaching up to 25 knots offshore in the evening. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1.5 to 2 metres outside the reef. Swell: Southeasterly around 1 metre outside the reef. Weather: Partly cloudy. 60% chance of showers north of Cape Grenville, near zero chance elsewhere.

Forecast for Wednesday 30 April

Winds: Southeasterly 20 to 25 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1.5 to 2 metres outside the reef. Swell: Southeasterly around 1 metre outside the reef. Weather: Partly cloudy. 70% chance of showers north of Cape Grenville, near zero chance elsewhere.

Forecast for Thursday 1 May

Winds: Southeasterly 20 to 25 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1.5 to 2 metres outside the reef. Swell: Southeasterly around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the afternoon. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Forecast for Friday 2 May

Winds: Southeasterly 20 to 25 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1.5 to 2 metres outside the reef. Swell: Southeasterly below 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres outside the reef. Weather: Partly cloudy. 70% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Cooktown Coast: Cape Melville to Cape Tribulation

Forecast for Tuesday 29 April until midnight

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres outside the reef. Swell: East to southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Mostly clear.

Forecast for Wednesday 30 April

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots, reaching up to 25 knots offshore north of Cooktown early in the morning and again in the late evening. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1 to 2 metres north of Cooktown. Swell: Southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Forecast for Thursday 1 May

Winds: Southeasterly 20 to 25 knots. Seas: 1.5 metres, increasing to 1 to 2 metres north of Cooktown. Swell: Southeasterly around 1 metre outside the reef. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Forecast for Friday 2 May

Winds: Southeasterly 20 to 25 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1.5 to 2 metres outside the reef. Swell: Southeasterly around 1 metre outside the reef, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the evening. Weather: Partly cloudy. 50% chance of showers.

Cairns Coast: Cape Tribulation to Cardwell

Forecast for Tuesday 29 April until midnight

Winds: Southeasterly 10 to 15 knots, reaching up to 20 knots offshore north of Cairns in the late evening. Seas: Around 1 metre. Swell: East to southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Mostly clear.

Forecast for Wednesday 30 April

Winds: Southeasterly 10 to 15 knots, reaching up to 20 knots north of Cairns during the day. Seas: Below 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres outside the reef during the morning. Swell: East to southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Forecast for Thursday 1 May

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres north of Cairns. Swell: Southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 50% chance of showers.

Forecast for Friday 2 May

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 25 knots. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 2 metres outside the reef. Swell: Southeasterly around 1 metre outside the reef, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the afternoon or evening. Weather: Partly cloudy. 70% chance of showers.

Townsville Coast: Cardwell to Bowen

Forecast for Tuesday 29 April until midnight

Winds: East to southeasterly about 10 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Easterly below 1 metre. Weather: Clear.

Forecast for Wednesday 30 April

Winds: Southeasterly about 10 knots increasing to 10 to 15 knots before dawn. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Easterly below 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Forecast for Thursday 1 May

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the morning. Swell: Easterly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 60% chance of showers.

Forecast for Friday 2 May

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 25 knots. Seas: 1 to 2 metres. Swell: Easterly around 1 metre outside the reef. Weather: Cloudy. 70% chance of showers.

Mackay Coast: Bowen to St Lawrence

Forecast for Tuesday 29 April until midnight

Winds: East to southeasterly about 10 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Easterly below 1 metre. Weather: Clear.

Forecast for Wednesday 30 April

Winds: Southeasterly 10 to 15 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Easterly below 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Forecast for Thursday 1 May

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres offshore during the morning. Swell: Easterly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 60% chance of showers.

Forecast for Friday 2 May

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 25 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1.5 to 2 metres during the morning. Swell: Easterly around 1 metre offshore. Weather: Partly cloudy. 60% chance of showers.

Great Barrier Reef Offshore Waters

Forecast for Tuesday 29 April until midnight

Winds: South to southeasterly about 10 knots. Seas: Below 0.5 metres. Swell: Southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Mostly clear.

Forecast for Wednesday 30 April

Winds: Southeasterly about 10 knots increasing to 10 to 15 knots in the morning. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: East to southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 50% chance of showers.

Forecast for Thursday 1 May

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the morning. Swell: Southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 60% chance of showers.

Forecast for Friday 2 May

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 25 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1 to 2 metres north of Creal Reef. Swell: Southeasterly below 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 2 metres through the Capricorn Channel during the afternoon or evening. Weather: Partly cloudy. 60% chance of showers.

The next routine forecast will be issued at 4:45 am EST 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.