Banks Strait and Franklin Forecast

View the current warnings for Tasmania

Forecast issued at 10:00 pm EDT on Tuesday 27 January 2026.

Weather Situation

A high pressure system positioned over the Tasman Sea is bringing a northerly flow over Tasmania, ahead of a trough and cold front expected to cross the state this evening. On Wednesday a high pressure system south of the Bight will extend a ridge over Tasmania, with the high centre to cross the state on Thursday and linger over the Tasman Sea into Friday. A trough is expected to approach Tasmania from the west during Saturday.

Forecast for Tuesday until midnight

Winds
Northeasterly 10 to 15 knots, reaching up to 20 knots offshore.
Seas
Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres about Franklin Sound.
Swell
Southeasterly below 1 metre.
Weather
Mostly clear.

Wednesday 28 January

Winds
Northwest to northeasterly 10 to 15 knots tending west to southwesterly in the early morning then shifting east to southeasterly 15 to 20 knots in the late morning and early afternoon.
Seas
1 to 1.5 metres, decreasing below 1 metre during the morning.
1st Swell
Northerly below 1 metre, tending northeasterly 1 to 1.5 metres during the morning, then tending east to northeasterly around 1 metre around midday.
2nd Swell
Southeasterly around 1 metre.
Weather
Partly cloudy.

Thursday 29 January

Winds
Easterly 15 to 20 knots.
Seas
1 to 1.5 metres.
Swell
Northwest to southwesterly around 1 metre.
Weather
Partly cloudy.

Friday 30 January

Winds
Easterly 10 to 15 knots turning northeasterly during the evening.
Seas
Around 1 metre.
Swell
South to southeasterly below 1 metre.
Weather
Partly cloudy.

Please be awareWind 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.

Nearby Coastal Waters

Tas - BANKS STRAIGHT AND FRANKLIN SOUND Tas - CENTRAL NORTH COAST, Stanley to the Northern Tip of Flinders Is Tas - EAST OF FLINDERS ISLAND, Northern Tip of Flinders Is to St Helens Pt Tas - UPPER EAST COAST, St Helens Pt to Wineglass Bay Tas - LOWER EAST COAST, Wineglass Bay to Tasman Island Tas - SOUTHEAST COAST, Tasman Is to South East Cape Tas - SOUTHWEST COAST, South East Cape to Low Rocky Pt Tas - CENTRAL WEST COAST, Low Rocky Pt to Sandy Cape Tas - FAR NORTHWEST COAST, Sandy Cape to Stanley and King Island Vic - East Gippsland Coast - Coastal Waters Forecast Vic - Central Gippsland Coast - Coastal Waters Forecast Vic - Central Coast - Coastal Waters Forecast Vic - West Coast - Coastal Waters Forecast

The next routine forecast will be issued at 4:00 am EDT Wednesday.

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