E’ly to ESE’ly Tradewinds build through the Coral Sea over the weekend with a a very broad coverage of 20knot+ winds expected.
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That spells a bit of surf ahead. Firstly, from the high pressure ridge as it strengthens and generates a broad windfield of 20knot+ SE winds through the Coral Sea, adjacent to the CQ coastline.
The tradewind flow through the Central/Southern Coral Sea gets a boost later this week and into the weekend as a tropical low forms between Vanuatu and New Caledonia.
An active sea state has now developed as 20-30 knot SE winds blanket the Central Coral Sea and that will see surf in the 2ft range continue through Sat, with slightly bigger 2-3ft surf on offer at the more exposed breaks with open Capricorn Channel exposure.
The ridge really starts to build along the CQ coast later Thurs, reaching peak strength of 20-30 knot winds through Friday.
By Fri an extensive coverage of 20-25knot SE winds through the lower Coral Sea should rebuild wave heights into the 1-2ft range across the region, with surf holding into the weekend before slowly easing next week as the trade flow weakens.
The slowed movement and enlargement of the wind field as it approaches the North Island are on track to deliver more powerful long period E-E/SE swell, right on the edge of the Southern CQ swell window.
Breaks with exposed access to the east will see better quality E swell through Thurs and Fri from TC Cody as it drifts south from Fiji towards the North Island.
Fri should see better quality E swell coming around the corner from Fraser Island, generated by a long fetch of E’ly winds through the South Pacific as a tropical low drifts down towards New Zealand
This sets up a good coverage of tradewinds through the Southern and Central Coral Sea, extending out to New Caledonia, where a tropical low located between Fiji and Vanuatu is located.