Australian Government

Bureau of Meteorology


Coastal Waters Forecast 

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IDW11120

Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Western Australia

Updated Coastal Waters Forecast for Western Australia
Northern Zones: NT-WA Border to North West Cape

Issued at 7:45 am WST on Tuesday 5 December 2023
for the period until midnight WST Thursday 7 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 broad area of low pressure will persist over the northern districts for most of the week, maintaining day time coastal sea breezes.

North Kimberley Coast: WA-NT Border to Kuri Bay

Forecast for Tuesday 5 December until midnight

Winds: Variable about 10 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Westerly below 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Wednesday 6 December

Winds: West to northwesterly about 10 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Westerly below 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Thursday 7 December

Winds: West to northwesterly about 10 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Westerly below 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny. The chance of a thunderstorm.

West Kimberley Coast: Kuri Bay to Wallal

Forecast for Tuesday 5 December until midnight

Winds: Southwesterly 10 to 15 knots turning westerly in the middle of the day. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Westerly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. The chance of a thunderstorm inshore in the afternoon and evening.

Forecast for Wednesday 6 December

Winds: Variable about 10 knots, reaching up to 20 knots inshore in the late afternoon. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Westerly around 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny morning. The chance of a thunderstorm inshore in the afternoon and evening.

Forecast for Thursday 7 December

Winds: West to northwesterly about 10 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Westerly below 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Pilbara Coast East: Wallal to Cape Preston

Forecast for Tuesday 5 December until midnight

Winds: Westerly 10 to 15 knots, reaching up to 20 knots inshore in the afternoon. Seas: Around 1 metre. Swell: Westerly below 1 metre. Weather: Cloud clearing.

Forecast for Wednesday 6 December

Winds: Westerly 10 to 15 knots. Seas: Around 1 metre. Swell: Westerly below 1 metre. Weather: Sunny.

Forecast for Thursday 7 December

Winds: West to northwesterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres west of Port Hedland. Swell: Westerly below 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Pilbara Coast West: Cape Preston to North West Cape

Forecast for Tuesday 5 December until midnight

Winds: West to southwesterly 10 to 15 knots, reaching up to 20 knots west of Barrow Island in the afternoon. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres west of Onslow during the afternoon. Swell: West to southwesterly below 1 metre inshore, increasing to 1 to 2 metres offshore. Weather: Cloud clearing.

Forecast for Wednesday 6 December

Winds: Southwesterly 15 to 20 knots, reaching up to 25 knots in Exmouth Gulf during the afternoon and evening. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres around midday. Swell: West to southwesterly around 1 metre inshore, increasing to 1 to 2 metres about offshore western waters. Weather: Sunny.

Forecast for Thursday 7 December

Winds: Southwesterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1 to 2 metres inshore during the afternoon or evening. Swell: West to southwesterly around 1 metre offshore. Weather: Sunny.

The next routine forecast will be issued at 4:00 pm WST Tuesday.

* 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