Cooktown Coastal Waters Forecast: Cape Melville to Cape Tribulation

View the current warnings for Queensland

Forecast updated at 10:17 am EST on Monday 16 March 2026.

Weather Situation

A high in the Tasman Sea extends a firm ridge over the east of the state and directs fresh southeasterly winds along the tropical east coast. A trough in the Coral Sea may extend across the far northern Peninsula and Torres Strait early this week. An embedded tropical low [1008 hPa] in the far northeastern Coral Sea is forecast to move westward over the next few days and may approaching the Far North Queensland Coast later this week.

Forecast for Monday until midnight

Winds
Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots, reaching up to 25 knots offshore south of Cooktown in the evening.
Seas
1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1.5 to 2 metres south of Cooktown.
Swell
East to southeasterly below 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 2 metres outside the reef.
Weather
Partly cloudy. 80% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Tuesday 17 March

Winds
Southeasterly 15 to 25 knots.
Seas
1 to 1.5 metres.
Swell
Southeasterly 1 to 1.5 metres outside the reef.
Weather
Mostly sunny. 50% chance of showers.

Wednesday 18 March

Winds
Southeasterly 20 to 25 knots.
Seas
1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1.5 to 2 metres outside the reef.
Swell
Southeasterly 1 to 1.5 metres outside the reef.
Weather
Partly cloudy. 60% chance of showers.

Please be awareWind 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.

Nearby Coastal Waters

Great Barrier Reef Offshore Waters Forecast NT - Roper Groote Coast Forecast NSW - Byron Coast - Coastal Waters Forecast NT - Gove Peninsula Coast Forecast Gold Coast Waters Forecast Moreton Bay Forecast Sunshine Coast Waters Forecast Fraser Island Coast Forecast Hervey Bay Waters Forecast Capricornia Coast Forecast Mackay Coast Forecast Townsville Coast Forecast Cairns Coast Forecast Cooktown Coast Forecast Peninsula Coast Forecast Torres Strait Forecast North East Gulf of Carpentaria Forecast South East Gulf of Carpentaria Forecast

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

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