Australian Government

Bureau of Meteorology


Coastal Waters Forecast 

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IDQ10860

Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Queensland

Great Barrier Reef Offshore Waters Forecast: Bowen to Yeppoon

Issued at 9:00 pm EST on Wednesday 20 May 2026
for the period until midnight EST Saturday 23 May 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 firm ridge extends across northern Queensland from a large high [1030 hPa] drifting slowly east across southern Australia. The ridge will persist for several days, weakening a little by the weekend.

Forecast for Wednesday 20 May until midnight

Winds: Southerly 20 to 25 knots. Seas: 1.5 to 2 metres. Swell: East to southeasterly below 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres through the Capricorn Channel. Weather: Clear.

Forecast for Thursday 21 May

Winds: South to southeasterly 20 to 25 knots. Seas: 1.5 to 2 metres. 1st Swell: Southeasterly around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 2 metres through the Capricorn Channel. 2nd Swell: Below 0.5 metres, tending southeasterly 1 to 1.5 metres during the morning. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Forecast for Friday 22 May

Winds: South to southeasterly 15 to 25 knots. Seas: 1.5 to 2 metres, decreasing to 1 to 1.5 metres around midday. Swell: Southeasterly 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1.5 to 2.5 metres through the Capricorn Channel. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Forecast for Saturday 23 May

Winds: Southerly 15 to 20 knots turning southeasterly 15 to 25 knots during the evening. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1.5 to 2 metres through the Capricorn Channel. Swell: Southeasterly 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 2 to 4 metres through the Capricorn Channel. Weather: Partly cloudy.

The next routine forecast will be issued at 3:00 am EST Thursday.

* 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.