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 Saturday 7 February 2026
for the period until midnight EST Monday 9 February 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 weak trough extends across the northern Peninsula waters. A ridge of high pressure extends over remaining northern Queensland waters, and will persist over coming days as a high [1024 hPa] over the Tasman Sea moves slowly east.

Torres Strait

Forecast for Saturday 7 February until midnight

Winds: Variable below 10 knots. Seas: Below 0.5 metres. Swell: East to southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny. The chance of a thunderstorm in the late morning and afternoon.

Forecast for Sunday 8 February

Winds: South to southeasterly below 10 knots becoming west to southwesterly before dawn. Seas: Below 0.5 metres. Swell: East to southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 60% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the morning.

Forecast for Monday 9 February

Winds: West to northwesterly about 10 knots. Seas: Below 0.5 metres. Swell: East to southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 70% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the morning.

Peninsula Coast: Sharp Point to Cape Melville

Forecast for Saturday 7 February until midnight

Winds: Easterly 10 to 15 knots turning southeasterly in the late afternoon. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 50% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Sunday 8 February

Winds: Southeasterly 10 to 15 knots becoming variable about 10 knots in the morning. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Southeasterly around 1 metre outside the reef. Weather: Partly cloudy. 80% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm from the late morning.

Forecast for Monday 9 February

Winds: Variable about 10 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Southeasterly around 1 metre outside the reef. Weather: Partly cloudy. 70% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Cooktown Coast: Cape Melville to Cape Tribulation

Forecast for Saturday 7 February 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. 80% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Sunday 8 February

Winds: Southeasterly 10 to 15 knots, reaching up to 20 knots south of Cooktown early in the morning. Seas: Around 1 metre. Swell: Southeasterly around 1 metre outside the reef. Weather: Partly cloudy. 90% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the afternoon and evening.

Forecast for Monday 9 February

Winds: East to southeasterly 10 to 15 knots. Seas: Around 1 metre. Swell: Southeasterly around 1 metre outside the reef. Weather: Partly cloudy. 80% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the morning and afternoon.

Cairns Coast: Cape Tribulation to Cardwell

Forecast for Saturday 7 February until midnight

Winds: Southeasterly 10 to 15 knots, reaching up to 20 knots north of Cairns during the afternoon and evening. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres north of Cairns. Swell: Southeasterly 1 to 1.5 metres outside the reef, decreasing to around 1 metre during the afternoon. Weather: Partly cloudy. 80% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the afternoon and evening.

Forecast for Sunday 8 February

Winds: Southeasterly 10 to 15 knots, reaching up to 20 knots inshore during the morning. Seas: Around 1 metre. Swell: Southeasterly around 1 metre outside the reef. Weather: Partly cloudy. 80% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the morning and afternoon.

Forecast for Monday 9 February

Winds: Southeasterly 10 to 15 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Southeasterly around 1 metre outside the reef. Weather: Partly cloudy. 70% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the morning and afternoon.

Townsville Coast: Cardwell to Bowen

Forecast for Saturday 7 February until midnight

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres. Swell: Easterly around 1 metre outside the reef. Weather: Partly cloudy. The chance of a thunderstorm inshore in the afternoon.

Forecast for Sunday 8 February

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots turning easterly during the morning. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres outside the reef. Swell: Easterly around 1 metre outside the reef. Weather: Partly cloudy. 50% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the morning and afternoon.

Forecast for Monday 9 February

Winds: East to southeasterly 10 to 15 knots. Seas: Around 1 metre. Swell: Easterly around 1 metre outside the reef. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Mackay Coast: Bowen to St Lawrence

Forecast for Saturday 7 February until midnight

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres offshore. Swell: Easterly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 50% chance of showers.

Forecast for Sunday 8 February

Winds: Easterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres. Swell: Easterly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 50% chance of showers.

Forecast for Monday 9 February

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 Saturday 7 February until midnight

Winds: East to southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres. Swell: Easterly around 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Forecast for Sunday 8 February

Winds: Easterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres. Swell: Easterly around 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Forecast for Monday 9 February

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

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

* 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.