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 9:08 pm EST on Tuesday 18 November 2025
for the period until midnight EST Friday 21 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 weak trough over the Peninsula waters will contract northward and weakening later this week. A weak ridge will extend over the North Queensland waters to the south of trough from Wednesday, before extending northward throughout the northern waters from Friday.

Torres Strait

Forecast for Tuesday 18 November until midnight

Winds: West to northwesterly below 10 knots. Seas: Below 0.5 metres. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Wednesday 19 November

Winds: West to northwesterly about 10 knots increasing to 10 to 15 knots before dawn then becoming west to southwesterly about 10 knots in the early afternoon. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy. 80% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the morning.

Forecast for Thursday 20 November

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 in the morning and afternoon.

Forecast for Friday 21 November

Winds: Variable about 10 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy. 70% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the morning.

Peninsula Coast: Sharp Point to Cape Melville

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. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Wednesday 19 November

Winds: Variable about 10 knots becoming easterly 10 to 15 knots in the middle of the day. Winds reaching up to 20 knots inshore 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: Easterly 15 to 20 knots turning southeasterly in the late afternoon. Seas: Below 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres outside the reef by early evening. Swell: East to southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 80% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the morning and afternoon.

Forecast for Friday 21 November

Winds: East to southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres outside the reef. Swell: Southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 60% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the morning and afternoon.

Cooktown Coast: Cape Melville to Cape Tribulation

Forecast for Tuesday 18 November until midnight

Winds: East to southeasterly about 10 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Wednesday 19 November

Winds: Easterly about 10 knots increasing to 10 to 15 knots in the middle of the day. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Easterly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 70% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm north of Cooktown.

Forecast for Thursday 20 November

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres outside the reef during the morning. Swell: East to southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 60% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm north of Cooktown in the early morning.

Forecast for Friday 21 November

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres outside the reef. Swell: East to southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Cairns Coast: Cape Tribulation to Cardwell

Forecast for Tuesday 18 November until midnight

Winds: East to northeasterly about 10 knots. Seas: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Mostly clear.

Forecast for Wednesday 19 November

Winds: East to northeasterly 10 to 15 knots tending east to southeasterly in the evening. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Northeast to southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Forecast for Thursday 20 November

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

Forecast for Friday 21 November

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

Townsville Coast: Cardwell to Bowen

Forecast for Tuesday 18 November until midnight

Winds: East to northeasterly 10 to 15 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Clear.

Forecast for Wednesday 19 November

Winds: East to northeasterly 10 to 15 knots. 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.

Forecast for Friday 21 November

Winds: Southeasterly 10 to 15 knots turning easterly 15 to 20 knots during the day. Seas: Around 1 metre. Swell: East to northeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Mackay Coast: Bowen to St Lawrence

Forecast for Tuesday 18 November until midnight

Winds: Easterly 10 to 15 knots. Seas: Around 1 metre. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Clear.

Forecast for Wednesday 19 November

Winds: Easterly 10 to 15 knots decreasing to about 10 knots in the late evening. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Easterly below 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny. The chance of a thunderstorm inshore in the afternoon.

Forecast for Thursday 20 November

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

Forecast for Friday 21 November

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

Great Barrier Reef Offshore Waters

Forecast for Tuesday 18 November until midnight

Winds: Easterly 10 to 15 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Clear.

Forecast for Wednesday 19 November

Winds: East to southeasterly 10 to 15 knots decreasing to about 10 knots in the late evening. 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 decreasing to about 10 knots in the late evening. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: East to southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Sunny.

Forecast for Friday 21 November

Winds: Southeasterly 10 to 15 knots decreasing to about 10 knots during the morning then increasing to 15 to 20 knots during the day. Seas: Around 1 metre. Swell: Easterly around 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny.

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