Australian Government

Bureau of Meteorology


Coastal Waters Forecast 

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IDQ11292

Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Queensland

Coastal Waters Forecast for Queensland
Northern Zones: Torres Strait to St Lawrence

Issued at 9:00 am EST on Wednesday 20 May 2026
for the period until midnight EST Friday 22 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 and persist for the next few days, as a new high [1027 hPa] moves east across southern Australia.

Torres Strait

Forecast for Wednesday 20 May until midnight

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres. Swell: Southeast to southwesterly below 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Forecast for Thursday 21 May

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots, reaching up to 25 knots offshore east of Cape York in the late evening. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, decreasing to 1 metre during the morning, then increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres around midday. Swell: Southeast to southwesterly around 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 70% chance of showers.

Forecast for Friday 22 May

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 25 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1.5 to 2 metres outside the reef. Swell: East to southeasterly below 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres outside the reef. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Peninsula Coast: Sharp Point to Cape Melville

Forecast for Wednesday 20 May until midnight

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 25 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1.5 to 2 metres outside the reef during the afternoon. Swell: Southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Forecast for Thursday 21 May

Strong Wind Warning for Thursday for Peninsula Coast

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 25 knots, reaching up to 30 knots in the late morning and afternoon. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1.5 to 2.5 metres outside the reef. Swell: Southeasterly below 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres outside the reef. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Forecast for Friday 22 May

Winds: Southeasterly 20 to 25 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1.5 to 2 metres outside the reef. Swell: Southeasterly below 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres outside the reef. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Cooktown Coast: Cape Melville to Cape Tribulation

Forecast for Wednesday 20 May until midnight

Strong Wind Warning for Wednesday for Cooktown Coast

Winds: Southeasterly 20 to 25 knots, reaching up to 30 knots in the late morning and afternoon. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1.5 to 2.5 metres outside the reef. Swell: Southeasterly around 1 metre outside the reef, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres by early evening. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Forecast for Thursday 21 May

Strong Wind Warning for Thursday for Cooktown Coast

Winds: Southeasterly 20 to 25 knots, reaching up to 30 knots during the day. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 2 to 2.5 metres outside the reef. Swell: Southeasterly 1 to 1.5 metres outside the reef. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Forecast for Friday 22 May

Winds: Southeasterly 20 to 25 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1.5 to 2 metres outside the reef. Swell: Southeasterly 1 to 1.5 metres outside the reef. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Cairns Coast: Cape Tribulation to Cardwell

Forecast for Wednesday 20 May until midnight

Strong Wind Warning for Wednesday for Cairns Coast

Winds: Southerly 20 to 25 knots, reaching up to 30 knots offshore in the late morning and early afternoon. Winds turning southeasterly 15 to 25 knots in the late afternoon. Seas: 1.5 to 2.5 metres. Swell: Southeasterly around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres later in the evening. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Forecast for Thursday 21 May

Strong Wind Warning for Thursday for Cairns Coast

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 25 knots, reaching up to 30 knots offshore north of Cairns during the morning. Seas: 1.5 to 2.5 metres. Swell: Southeasterly below 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres outside the reef. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Forecast for Friday 22 May

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 25 knots. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 2 metres outside the reef. Swell: Southeasterly below 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres outside the reef. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Townsville Coast: Cardwell to Bowen

Forecast for Wednesday 20 May until midnight

Winds: South to southeasterly 15 to 20 knots, reaching up to 30 knots offshore in the late morning. Seas: 1 to 2 metres, decreasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the afternoon. Swell: Easterly below 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres outside the reef during the afternoon. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Forecast for Thursday 21 May

Strong Wind Warning for Thursday for Townsville Coast

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 25 knots, reaching up to 30 knots offshore south of Cape Bowling Green early in the morning. Seas: 1 to 2 metres. Swell: Easterly below 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres outside the reef. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Forecast for Friday 22 May

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 25 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, decreasing to 1 metre during the evening. Swell: Easterly below 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres outside the reef. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Mackay Coast: Bowen to St Lawrence

Forecast for Wednesday 20 May until midnight

Strong Wind Warning for Wednesday for Mackay Coast

Winds: Southerly 15 to 25 knots, reaching up to 30 knots offshore north of Hamilton Island in the late morning and early afternoon and again in the late evening. Seas: 1 to 2 metres, decreasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the afternoon. Swell: Easterly around 1 metre offshore. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Forecast for Thursday 21 May

Strong Wind Warning for Thursday for Mackay Coast

Winds: Southerly 20 to 25 knots, reaching up to 30 knots offshore during the morning. Winds turning southeasterly 15 to 25 knots in the late morning. Seas: 1 to 2 metres, decreasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the afternoon. Swell: Easterly below 1 metre inshore, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres offshore by early evening. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Forecast for Friday 22 May

Winds: South to southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, decreasing to 1 metre during the afternoon or evening. Swell: Easterly below 1 metre inshore, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres offshore. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Great Barrier Reef Offshore Waters

Forecast for Wednesday 20 May until midnight

Winds: Southerly 20 to 25 knots. Seas: 1 to 2 metres. Swell: Easterly around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres through the Capricorn Channel. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Forecast for Thursday 21 May

Winds: South to southeasterly 20 to 25 knots. Seas: 1.5 to 2 metres. Swell: East to southeasterly around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 2 metres through the Capricorn Channel. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Forecast for Friday 22 May

Winds: South to southeasterly 15 to 25 knots. Seas: 1 to 2 metres, decreasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the morning. Swell: Southeasterly around 1 metre, increasing to 1.5 to 2 metres through the Capricorn Channel. Weather: Partly cloudy.

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