Australian Government

Bureau of Meteorology


Coastal Waters Forecast 

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IDW11120

Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Western Australia

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

Issued at 4:00 pm WST on Tuesday 14 January 2025
for the period until midnight WST Friday 17 January 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 broad low pressure trough lies inland from the coast while a ridge to the southwest brings a fresh south to southwesterly flow to far western Pilbara waters. The monsoon may develop in the Timor Sea towards the end of the week, with the chance of a tropical low developing in the vicinity of the Kimberley coast or Pilbara coast.

North Kimberley Coast: WA-NT Border to Kuri Bay

Forecast for Tuesday 14 January until midnight

Winds: Westerly 10 to 15 knots decreasing to about 10 knots in the evening. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Wednesday 15 January

Winds: Westerly 10 to 15 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Westerly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 80% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Thursday 16 January

Winds: Westerly about 10 knots increasing to 10 to 15 knots in the late afternoon. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Westerly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 80% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Friday 17 January

Winds: Westerly 10 to 15 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Westerly around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres west of Kalumburu. Weather: Cloudy. 90% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm.

West Kimberley Coast: Kuri Bay to Wallal

Forecast for Tuesday 14 January until midnight

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

Forecast for Wednesday 15 January

Winds: West to southwesterly about 10 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Westerly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 80% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Thursday 16 January

Winds: West to southwesterly about 10 knots. Seas: Below 0.5 metres. Swell: Westerly around 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 80% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Friday 17 January

Winds: Variable about 10 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Westerly around 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 80% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Pilbara Coast East: Wallal to Cape Preston

Forecast for Tuesday 14 January until midnight

Winds: West to northwesterly below 10 knots. Seas: Below 0.5 metres. Swell: Westerly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. The chance of a thunderstorm, possibly severe.

Forecast for Wednesday 15 January

Winds: West to northwesterly about 10 knots. Seas: Below 0.5 metres. Swell: Westerly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 50% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Thursday 16 January

Winds: Variable about 10 knots. Seas: Below 0.5 metres. Swell: Westerly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 70% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Friday 17 January

Winds: Variable about 10 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Westerly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 80% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Pilbara Coast West: Cape Preston to North West Cape

Forecast for Tuesday 14 January until midnight

Winds: North to northwesterly 10 to 15 knots tending northwest to southwesterly in the late evening. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: West to southwesterly around 1 metre inshore, increasing to 1.5 to 2.5 metres about offshore western waters. Weather: Partly cloudy. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Wednesday 15 January

Winds: South to southwesterly 10 to 15 knots becoming variable about 10 knots in the morning then becoming northwesterly 10 to 15 knots in the late afternoon. Seas: Below 1 metre, increasing to around 1 metre west of Onslow. Swell: West to southwesterly below 1 metre inshore, increasing to 1 to 2 metres offshore. Weather: Partly cloudy. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Thursday 16 January

Winds: Variable about 10 knots becoming northerly 10 to 15 knots in the middle of the day then becoming variable about 10 knots in the evening. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: West to southwesterly around 1 metre inshore, increasing to 1 to 2 metres about offshore western waters. Weather: Partly cloudy. 50% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Friday 17 January

Winds: Variable about 10 knots becoming west to southwesterly 15 to 20 knots during the afternoon then tending south to southwesterly during the evening. Seas: Below 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres west of Onslow during the evening. Swell: West to southwesterly 1 to 1.5 metres offshore, decreasing to around 1 metre during the morning. Weather: Partly cloudy. 60% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm.

The next routine forecast will be issued at 4:00 am WST 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