Great Barrier Reef Offshore Waters Forecast for Queensland

IDQ10860

Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Queensland

Great Barrier Reef Offshore Waters Forecast: Bowen to Yeppoon

Issued at 3:51 pm EST on Thursday 5 December 2013
for the period until midnight EST Sunday 8 December 2013.

Please be aware
Wind gusts can be 40 percent stronger than the averages given here, and maximum waves may be up to twice the height. Wind warnings are issued for today and tomorrow and describe the highest category of wind warning for that day.

Warning Information

For latest warnings go to www.bom.gov.au, subscribe to RSS feeds, call 1300 360 427* and 1300 659 219* or listen for warnings on relevant TV and radio broadcasts.

Weather Situation

A southerly change is expected to extend up the Queensland coast from early tomorrow as a trough over land moves eastwards over the water, and is expected to enter Great Barrier Reef Waters during Friday. A ridge will then begin to build along the Queensland coast from late Friday and strengthen during Saturday.

Forecast for Thursday 5 December until midnight

Winds: NE to NW 10 to 15 knots, reaching 15 to 20 knots in the south.

Seas: 1.2 to 1.7 metres in the Capricorn Channel.

Swell: Less than 1.5 metres.

Forecast for Friday 6 December

Winds: NE to NW 10 to 15 knots, becoming variable 5 to 10 knots during the morning. Winds shifting S to SE 15 to 20 knots from the south from late morning.

Seas: 0.7 to 1.2 metres in the Capricorn Channel during the morning, increasing to 1.7 metres from the south in the afternoon.

Swell: Less than 1.5 metres.

Forecast for Saturday 7 December

Winds: SE 20 to 25 knots.

Seas: 2.2 metres in the Capricorn Channel.

Swell: Less than 1.5 metres.

Weather: Isolated showers.

Forecast for Sunday 8 December

Winds: SE 20 to 25 knots.

Seas: 2.2 metres in the Capricorn Channel.

Swell: Less than 1.5 metres.

Weather: Isolated showers in the north.

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

* 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.