Australian Government

Bureau of Meteorology


Coastal Waters Forecast 

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IDT15123

Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Tasmania

Coastal Waters Forecast
Bass Strait and Approaches

Issued at 10:50 am EDT on Saturday 21 February 2026
for the period until midnight EDT Monday 23 February 2026.

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 weak cold front is clearing to the east of the state early this morning, as a high pressure system is expected to quickly move over the state during today. A strong cold front approaches from the west on Sunday, expected to cross Tasmania during Sunday afternoon followed by another high pressure system to move over from the west on Monday. The high is expected to move over the Tasman Sea on Tuesday as a trough and associated cold front approach the west of Tasmania.

Central Coast: Cape Otway to Wilsons Promontory

Forecast for Saturday 21 February until midnight

Winds: South to southwesterly 10 to 15 knots becoming variable about 10 knots in the morning then becoming easterly 15 to 20 knots in the late afternoon. Seas: Around 1 metre, decreasing below 0.5 metres during the morning, then increasing to below 1 metre around midday. Swell: Southwesterly 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1.5 to 2.5 metres in the west. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Forecast for Sunday 22 February

Winds: Northeasterly 15 to 20 knots shifting west to southwesterly 15 to 25 knots in the early afternoon. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres. Swell: Southwesterly 1.5 to 2 metres, decreasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the morning. Weather: Partly cloudy. 95% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the morning and afternoon.

Forecast for Monday 23 February

Winds: Southwesterly 15 to 25 knots turning south to southeasterly below 10 knots during the day then tending east to southeasterly 10 to 15 knots during the evening. Seas: 1 to 2 metres, decreasing to 1 metre during the morning. Swell: Southwesterly 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 2 to 3 metres during the morning. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Central Gippsland Coast: Wilsons Promontory to Lakes Entrance

Forecast for Saturday 21 February until midnight

Winds: Southwesterly 10 to 15 knots turning south to southeasterly below 10 knots in the late morning then tending east to northeasterly 10 to 15 knots in the late afternoon. Winds reaching up to 20 knots in the west in the late evening. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: West to southwesterly around 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Forecast for Sunday 22 February

Winds: North to northeasterly 15 to 20 knots shifting westerly in the evening. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres in the west. Swell: Southwesterly around 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 95% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the late afternoon and evening.

Forecast for Monday 23 February

Winds: Southwesterly 20 to 30 knots decreasing to 10 to 15 knots during the morning then shifting east to northeasterly during the evening. Seas: 1 to 2 metres, decreasing to 1 metre during the afternoon. Swell: Southwesterly 1 to 1.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy. The chance of a thunderstorm in the morning.

East Gippsland Coast: Lakes Entrance to 60nm east of Gabo Island

Forecast for Saturday 21 February until midnight

Winds: Northwest to southwesterly 10 to 15 knots tending southeast to southwesterly in the morning then tending east to northeasterly in the late afternoon. Seas: Below 1 metre. 1st Swell: South to southwesterly below 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres in the far east. 2nd Swell: Northeasterly around 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Forecast for Sunday 22 February

Winds: Northeasterly 15 to 20 knots turning north to northwesterly in the late morning and afternoon. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, decreasing to 1 metre by early evening. Swell: South to southwesterly around 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny morning. 90% chance of showers in the afternoon and evening. The chance of a thunderstorm in the late afternoon and evening.

Forecast for Monday 23 February

Winds: Northwest to southwesterly 15 to 20 knots becoming southwesterly 15 to 25 knots during the morning then tending northeast to southeasterly 10 to 15 knots during the evening. Seas: 1 to 2 metres, decreasing below 1 metre during the afternoon or evening. 1st Swell: Southerly below 1 metre, tending southwesterly 1 to 2 metres during the morning. 2nd Swell: East to northeasterly around 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 50% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the morning.

Far North West Coast: Sandy Cape to Stanley

Forecast for Saturday 21 February until midnight

Winds: Variable about 10 knots becoming northeasterly 15 to 20 knots in the evening. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Southwesterly 1 to 2 metres, increasing to 2.5 to 3 metres south of King Island. Weather: Sunny.

Forecast for Sunday 22 February

Strong Wind Warning for Sunday for Far North West Coast

Winds: North to northeasterly 15 to 25 knots, reaching up to 30 knots south of King Island during the morning. Winds shifting southwesterly in the late afternoon. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1.5 to 2.5 metres during the morning. Swell: Southwesterly 1.5 to 2.5 metres. Weather: Cloudy. 95% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the morning and afternoon.

Forecast for Monday 23 February

Winds: Southwesterly 15 to 25 knots becoming variable about 10 knots during the evening. Seas: 1 to 2 metres, decreasing to 1 metre during the afternoon. Swell: Southwesterly 2 to 3 metres, increasing to 2 to 4 metres during the morning. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Central North Coast: Stanley to Northern Tip of Flinders Island

Forecast for Saturday 21 February until midnight

Winds: West to southwesterly 10 to 15 knots becoming variable about 10 knots in the early afternoon then becoming east to northeasterly 15 to 20 knots in the late afternoon. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Westerly below 1 metre inshore, increasing to around 1 metre offshore. Weather: Sunny.

Forecast for Sunday 22 February

Winds: East to northeasterly 15 to 20 knots shifting west to northwesterly 15 to 25 knots in the middle of the day. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the afternoon. Swell: Westerly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 95% chance of rain. The chance of a thunderstorm in the afternoon and evening.

Forecast for Monday 23 February

Winds: West to southwesterly 20 to 30 knots tending west to northwesterly 15 to 20 knots during the afternoon then becoming variable about 10 knots during the evening. Seas: 1.5 to 2 metres, decreasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the morning. Swell: Westerly below 1 metre inshore, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres offshore during the morning. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Banks Strait and Franklin Sound

Forecast for Saturday 21 February until midnight

Winds: Variable below 10 knots becoming easterly 10 to 15 knots in the early afternoon then tending northeasterly in the evening. Winds reaching up to 20 knots about Banks Strait in the evening. Seas: Around 1 metre. Swell: Northwest to southwesterly below 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Forecast for Sunday 22 February

Winds: Northeasterly 15 to 20 knots turning northwesterly in the middle of the day. Winds reaching up to 25 knots near Eddystone Point in the late evening. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres about Banks Strait during the afternoon. Swell: Northeast to southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 95% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the evening.

Forecast for Monday 23 February

Winds: Westerly 20 to 30 knots turning north to northwesterly below 10 knots during the evening. Seas: 1 to 2 metres. Swell: East to northeasterly around 1 metre. Weather: Sunny.

The next routine forecast will be issued at 5:15 pm EDT Saturday.

* 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.