Australian Government

Bureau of Meteorology


Coastal Waters Forecast 

Marine (lite) Home

IDQ11292

Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Queensland

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

Issued at 9:00 pm EST on Monday 27 October 2025
for the period until midnight EST Thursday 30 October 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 ridge and easterly winds persist over northern Queensland waters, extending from a high northeast of New Zealand. A trough is forecast to approach the Mackay coast from the west on Tuesday, with winds tending northerly as a result.

Torres Strait

Forecast for Monday 27 October until midnight

Winds: East to southeasterly about 10 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: East to southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Mostly clear.

Forecast for Tuesday 28 October

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

Forecast for Wednesday 29 October

Winds: East to southeasterly below 10 knots. Seas: Below 0.5 metres. Swell: East to southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Forecast for Thursday 30 October

Winds: East to southeasterly about 10 knots increasing to 10 to 15 knots during the evening. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Peninsula Coast: Sharp Point to Cape Melville

Forecast for Monday 27 October until midnight

Winds: Variable about 10 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Easterly below 1 metre. Weather: Clear.

Forecast for Tuesday 28 October

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

Forecast for Wednesday 29 October

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

Forecast for Thursday 30 October

Winds: Easterly about 10 knots increasing to 10 to 15 knots during the afternoon. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: East to southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Sunny.

Cooktown Coast: Cape Melville to Cape Tribulation

Forecast for Monday 27 October until midnight

Winds: Northeasterly below 10 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Easterly below 1 metre. Weather: Mostly clear.

Forecast for Tuesday 28 October

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

Forecast for Wednesday 29 October

Winds: East to southeasterly about 10 knots. Seas: Below 0.5 metres. Swell: Easterly below 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny. The chance of a thunderstorm inshore in the afternoon.

Forecast for Thursday 30 October

Winds: Easterly about 10 knots increasing to 10 to 15 knots during the evening. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Easterly below 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Cairns Coast: Cape Tribulation to Cardwell

Forecast for Monday 27 October until midnight

Winds: Northerly 10 to 15 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: East to northeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Mostly clear.

Forecast for Tuesday 28 October

Winds: North to northwesterly 10 to 15 knots tending north to northeasterly below 10 knots in the late morning and afternoon. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: East to northeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Sunny day. The chance of a thunderstorm in the late afternoon and evening.

Forecast for Wednesday 29 October

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

Forecast for Thursday 30 October

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

Townsville Coast: Cardwell to Bowen

Forecast for Monday 27 October until midnight

Winds: Northerly 10 to 15 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Mostly clear. The chance of a thunderstorm inshore.

Forecast for Tuesday 28 October

Winds: North to northwesterly 10 to 15 knots decreasing to about 10 knots in the evening. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Northeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 90% chance of showers inshore, 60% chance elsewhere. The chance of a thunderstorm in the afternoon and evening.

Forecast for Wednesday 29 October

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

Forecast for Thursday 30 October

Winds: Variable about 10 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Northeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Sunny.

Mackay Coast: Bowen to St Lawrence

Forecast for Monday 27 October until midnight

Winds: Northerly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres offshore south of Mackay. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy. The chance of a thunderstorm inshore.

Forecast for Tuesday 28 October

Winds: Northwesterly 15 to 20 knots turning northerly 10 to 15 knots during the afternoon and evening. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, decreasing to 1 metre during the morning. Swell: East to southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 90% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Wednesday 29 October

Winds: Northwesterly 10 to 15 knots becoming northerly about 10 knots in the middle of the day. Seas: Around 1 metre. Swell: East to southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 80% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Thursday 30 October

Winds: North to northwesterly about 10 knots tending northeasterly 10 to 15 knots during the afternoon then decreasing to about 10 knots during the evening. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Easterly below 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Great Barrier Reef Offshore Waters

Forecast for Monday 27 October until midnight

Winds: North to northwesterly 10 to 15 knots. Seas: Around 1 metre. Swell: Northeast to southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Mostly clear.

Forecast for Tuesday 28 October

Winds: Northerly 10 to 15 knots, reaching up to 20 knots between Creal Reef and Gannett Cay early in the morning. Winds tending northwesterly before dawn. Seas: Around 1 metre. Swell: Northeast to southeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 90% chance of showers through the Capricorn Channel, 60% chance elsewhere. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Wednesday 29 October

Winds: Northerly 10 to 15 knots tending northwesterly before dawn then becoming variable below 10 knots in the early afternoon. Seas: Around 1 metre. Swell: East to southeasterly around 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 80% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the early morning.

Forecast for Thursday 30 October

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

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