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 3:00 am EST on Tuesday 25 August 2026
for the period until midnight EST Thursday 27 August 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 ridge extends over the north Queensland waters. A trough will cross the Mackay waters on Wednesday, followed by a new ridge.

Torres Strait

Forecast for Tuesday 25 August until midnight

Winds: Southeasterly 10 to 15 knots, reaching up to 20 knots offshore east of Cape York early in the morning and again in the evening. Seas: Around 1 metre. Swell: East to southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Forecast for Wednesday 26 August

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres. Swell: Southeasterly around 1 metre outside the reef. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Forecast for Thursday 27 August

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1.5 to 2 metres outside the reef. Swell: East to southeasterly around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the afternoon. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Peninsula Coast: Sharp Point to Cape Melville

Forecast for Tuesday 25 August until midnight

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres outside the reef by early evening. Swell: Southeasterly around 1 metre outside the reef. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Forecast for Wednesday 26 August

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots, reaching up to 25 knots offshore south of Cape Sidmouth in the late evening. Seas: 1 to 2 metres. Swell: Southeasterly around 1 metre outside the reef. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Forecast for Thursday 27 August

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 25 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1.5 to 2 metres outside the reef. Swell: Southeasterly around 1 metre outside the reef, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the morning. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Cooktown Coast: Cape Melville to Cape Tribulation

Forecast for Tuesday 25 August until midnight

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres outside the reef. Swell: East to southeasterly around 1 metre outside the reef. Weather: Partly cloudy. 60% chance of showers.

Forecast for Wednesday 26 August

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres outside the reef. Swell: East to southeasterly around 1 metre outside the reef. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Forecast for Thursday 27 August

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 25 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1.5 to 2 metres during the afternoon. Swell: East to southeasterly around 1 metre outside the reef. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Cairns Coast: Cape Tribulation to Cardwell

Forecast for Tuesday 25 August until midnight

Winds: Southeasterly 10 to 15 knots. Seas: Around 1 metre. Swell: Easterly 1 to 1.5 metres outside the reef, decreasing to around 1 metre by early evening. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Forecast for Wednesday 26 August

Winds: South to southeasterly 10 to 15 knots, reaching up to 20 knots offshore north of Cairns during the day. Winds tending east to southeasterly during the afternoon and evening. Seas: Below 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres north of Cairns around midday. Swell: East to southeasterly around 1 metre outside the reef. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Forecast for Thursday 27 August

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres north of Cairns during the morning. Swell: East to southeasterly around 1 metre outside the reef. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Townsville Coast: Cardwell to Bowen

Forecast for Tuesday 25 August until midnight

Winds: East to southeasterly 10 to 15 knots decreasing to about 10 knots in the middle of the day then increasing to 10 to 15 knots in the late afternoon. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Easterly around 1 metre outside the reef, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the morning, then decreasing to around 1 metre around midday. Weather: Sunny.

Forecast for Wednesday 26 August

Winds: Variable about 10 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Easterly around 1 metre outside the reef. Weather: Cloud clearing.

Forecast for Thursday 27 August

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the afternoon. Swell: Easterly around 1 metre outside the reef. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Mackay Coast: Bowen to St Lawrence

Forecast for Tuesday 25 August until midnight

Winds: East to southeasterly about 10 knots increasing to 10 to 15 knots in the late afternoon then decreasing to about 10 knots in the late evening. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Forecast for Wednesday 26 August

Winds: Variable about 10 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Forecast for Thursday 27 August

Winds: Variable about 10 knots becoming southeasterly 15 to 20 knots during the morning. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres offshore during the afternoon. Swell: East to northeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Great Barrier Reef Offshore Waters

Forecast for Tuesday 25 August until midnight

Winds: Easterly 10 to 15 knots decreasing to about 10 knots in the early morning. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Easterly around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres through the Capricorn Channel. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Forecast for Wednesday 26 August

Winds: Variable about 10 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: East to northeasterly around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres through the Capricorn Channel. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Forecast for Thursday 27 August

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the afternoon. Swell: East to northeasterly around 1 metre. Weather: Sunny.

The next routine forecast will be issued at 9:00 am EST Tuesday.

* 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.