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 18 November 2025
for the period until midnight EST Thursday 20 November 2025.

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 light pressure gradient extends over northern waters, with a weak ridge building along the coast in the middle of the week.

Torres Strait

Forecast for Tuesday 18 November until midnight

Winds: Variable below 10 knots. Seas: Below 0.5 metres. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy. 70% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Wednesday 19 November

Winds: West to northwesterly about 10 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy. 90% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the morning and afternoon.

Forecast for Thursday 20 November

Winds: North to northwesterly below 10 knots becoming east to southeasterly during the evening. Seas: Below 0.5 metres. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy. 80% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the morning and afternoon.

Peninsula Coast: Sharp Point to Cape Melville

Forecast for Tuesday 18 November until midnight

Winds: Variable about 10 knots. Seas: Below 0.5 metres. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy. 80% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Wednesday 19 November

Winds: Variable about 10 knots becoming northeast to southeasterly 10 to 15 knots in the late afternoon. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: East to southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 90% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Thursday 20 November

Winds: East to southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: Around 1 metre. Swell: East to southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 80% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the morning.

Cooktown Coast: Cape Melville to Cape Tribulation

Forecast for Tuesday 18 November until midnight

Winds: Southerly below 10 knots becoming east to southeasterly in the morning. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy. 80% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm late this afternoon and evening.

Forecast for Wednesday 19 November

Winds: Easterly 10 to 15 knots turning southeasterly in the late morning and afternoon. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Easterly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 80% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the early morning.

Forecast for Thursday 20 November

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: Around 1 metre. Swell: East to southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 60% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the morning.

Cairns Coast: Cape Tribulation to Cardwell

Forecast for Tuesday 18 November until midnight

Winds: Variable about 10 knots. Seas: Below 0.5 metres. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy. 50% chance of showers offshore north of Cairns, near zero chance elsewhere.

Forecast for Wednesday 19 November

Winds: Easterly about 10 knots increasing to 10 to 15 knots in the late evening. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Northeast to southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: The chance of a thunderstorm offshore north of Cairns in the early morning. Mostly sunny day.

Forecast for Thursday 20 November

Winds: Southeasterly 10 to 15 knots. Seas: Around 1 metre. Swell: Easterly below 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Townsville Coast: Cardwell to Bowen

Forecast for Tuesday 18 November until midnight

Winds: Variable about 10 knots becoming east to northeasterly 10 to 15 knots in the early afternoon then decreasing to about 10 knots in the late evening. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Sunny.

Forecast for Wednesday 19 November

Winds: Easterly about 10 knots increasing to 10 to 15 knots in the late afternoon. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Sunny.

Forecast for Thursday 20 November

Winds: Easterly 10 to 15 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: East to northeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Sunny.

Mackay Coast: Bowen to St Lawrence

Forecast for Tuesday 18 November until midnight

Winds: Variable about 10 knots becoming southeast to southwesterly 10 to 15 knots in the morning then tending easterly in the early afternoon. Winds reaching up to 20 knots south of Mackay during the afternoon and evening. Seas: Below 1 metre, decreasing below 0.5 metres during the morning, then increasing to around 1 metre around midday. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Sunny.

Forecast for Wednesday 19 November

Winds: Easterly 10 to 15 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Easterly below 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Forecast for Thursday 20 November

Winds: Easterly 10 to 15 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Easterly below 1 metre. Weather: Sunny.

Great Barrier Reef Offshore Waters

Forecast for Tuesday 18 November until midnight

Winds: Variable about 10 knots becoming southeast to southwesterly 10 to 15 knots in the morning then tending east to southeasterly in the early afternoon. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: East to northeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Sunny.

Forecast for Wednesday 19 November

Winds: East to southeasterly 10 to 15 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: East to southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Sunny.

Forecast for Thursday 20 November

Winds: East to southeasterly 10 to 15 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: East to southeasterly below 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.