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Bureau of Meteorology


Coastal Waters Forecast 

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IDQ11292

Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Queensland

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

Issued at 6:26 pm EST on Tuesday 5 December 2023
for the period until midnight EST Friday 8 December 2023.

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 high in the Tasman Sea will maintain a ridge over the north Queensland waters for several days. Tropical Cyclone Jasper has developed over the Solomon Sea and is slow moving. Tropical Cyclone Jasper is forecast to further develop while drifting south-southwest over the next few days. However, enhanced seas and swells could start to affect the North Queensland Waters outside the reef from Thursday this week.

Torres Strait

Forecast for Tuesday 5 December until midnight

Winds: East to southeasterly 10 to 15 knots. Seas: Around 1 metre. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Mostly clear.

Forecast for Wednesday 6 December

Winds: East to southeasterly 10 to 15 knots, reaching up to 20 knots inshore in the late morning and afternoon. Seas: Around 1 metre. Swell: East to southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny. The chance of a thunderstorm offshore west of Cape York.

Forecast for Thursday 7 December

Winds: East to southeasterly 10 to 15 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: East to southeasterly around 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Forecast for Friday 8 December

Winds: East to southeasterly 10 to 15 knots decreasing to about 10 knots during the morning. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: East to southeasterly around 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Peninsula Coast: Sharp Point to Cape Melville

Forecast for Tuesday 5 December until midnight

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots, reaching up to 25 knots inshore in the evening. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres outside the reef. Swell: East to southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Clear.

Forecast for Wednesday 6 December

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots, reaching up to 25 knots inshore in the afternoon. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres outside the reef. Swell: Southeasterly around 1 metre outside the reef. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Forecast for Thursday 7 December

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 25 knots. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres south of Cape Sidmouth. Swell: East to southeasterly 1 to 1.5 metres outside the reef. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Forecast for Friday 8 December

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres outside the reef. Swell: East to southeasterly 1 to 2 metres outside the reef. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Cooktown Coast: Cape Melville to Cape Tribulation

Forecast for Tuesday 5 December until midnight

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots, reaching up to 25 knots inshore in the evening. Seas: 1.5 metres, increasing to 1.5 to 2 metres north of Cooktown. Swell: East to southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Mostly clear.

Forecast for Wednesday 6 December

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 25 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1.5 to 2 metres outside the reef. Swell: East to southeasterly around 1 metre outside the reef, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the afternoon. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Forecast for Thursday 7 December

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 25 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1 to 2 metres south of Cooktown. Swell: East to southeasterly 1 to 1.5 metres outside the reef, increasing to 1 to 2 metres during the morning. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Forecast for Friday 8 December

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 25 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1.5 to 2 metres outside the reef during the afternoon or evening. Swell: Easterly 1.5 to 2.5 metres outside the reef. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Cairns Coast: Cape Tribulation to Cardwell

Forecast for Tuesday 5 December until midnight

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres outside the reef. Swell: Easterly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Forecast for Wednesday 6 December

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots, reaching up to 25 knots offshore north of Cairns in the late afternoon. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres. Swell: Easterly around 1 metre outside the reef, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the morning. Weather: Mostly sunny. 50% chance of showers.

Forecast for Thursday 7 December

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, decreasing to 1 metre during the morning, then increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the afternoon. Swell: Easterly 1 to 2 metres outside the reef. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Forecast for Friday 8 December

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 25 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1 to 2 metres north of Cairns during the afternoon or evening. Swell: Easterly below 1 metre, increasing to 1.5 to 2.5 metres outside the reef. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Townsville Coast: Cardwell to Bowen

Forecast for Tuesday 5 December until midnight

Winds: East to southeasterly 20 to 25 knots. Inshore afternoon northeasterly sea breezes 15 to 20 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1.5 to 2 metres outside the reef. Swell: East to northeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Clear.

Forecast for Wednesday 6 December

Winds: East to southeasterly 15 to 25 knots. Inshore afternoon northeasterly sea breezes 15 to 20 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1.5 to 2 metres outside the reef by early evening. Swell: Easterly around 1 metre outside the reef, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the morning. Weather: Sunny.

Forecast for Thursday 7 December

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 25 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1 to 2 metres during the afternoon. Swell: Easterly 1 to 1.5 metres outside the reef, increasing to 1 to 2 metres during the morning, then decreasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the afternoon. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Forecast for Friday 8 December

Winds: Southeasterly 20 to 30 knots. Seas: 1 to 2 metres. Swell: East to northeasterly below 1 metre, increasing to 1.5 to 2.5 metres outside the reef. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Mackay Coast: Bowen to St Lawrence

Forecast for Tuesday 5 December until midnight

Winds: Easterly 15 to 20 knots, reaching up to 25 knots offshore north of Hamilton Island in the evening. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1.5 metres offshore. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Clear.

Forecast for Wednesday 6 December

Winds: East to southeasterly 15 to 20 knots, reaching up to 25 knots offshore north of Hamilton Island in the evening. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres. Swell: Easterly below 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Forecast for Thursday 7 December

Winds: East to southeasterly 15 to 25 knots increasing to 20 to 30 knots in the evening then becoming easterly 20 to 25 knots in the late evening. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1 to 2 metres around midday. Swell: Easterly below 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Forecast for Friday 8 December

Winds: East to southeasterly 20 to 30 knots. Seas: 1.5 to 2 metres. Swell: Easterly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Great Barrier Reef Offshore Waters

Forecast for Tuesday 5 December until midnight

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots, reaching up to 25 knots north of Creal Reef in the evening. Winds turning easterly in the late evening. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1 to 2 metres north of Creal Reef. Swell: East to southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Clear.

Forecast for Wednesday 6 December

Winds: East to southeasterly 15 to 20 knots, reaching up to 25 knots north of Creal Reef in the evening. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1 to 2 metres north of Creal Reef. Swell: Easterly around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres north of Creal Reef during the morning. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Forecast for Thursday 7 December

Winds: East to southeasterly 15 to 25 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1 to 2 metres north of Creal Reef by early evening. Swell: Easterly 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1 to 2 metres north of Creal Reef. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Forecast for Friday 8 December

Winds: East to southeasterly 20 to 30 knots. Seas: 1 to 2 metres. Swell: Easterly 1 to 2 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy.

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.