Central QLD Forecaster Notes by Steve Shearer (issued on Wed 29 Dec)

This week and next (Dec 29 – Jan7)

Central QLD: Waves to end the year as tropical low slides down QLD Coast, biggest NYE, easing over the New Years weekend.

The action in the tropics is hot and heavy with a tropical low (Invest 97S) located just south of Mornington Island in the western Gulf of Carpenteria. This low is expected to  track quickly across Cape York Peninsula, reforming in the Coral Sea within the next 24 hrs. It’s still a chance of then forming into a tropical cyclone, although it’s far more likely to remain a tropical low. Surf prospects from this low are now confirmed as excellent with major weather models expecting the system to track parallel to the East Coast, possibly reforming as a significant extra-tropical storm in the lower Tasman Sea next week.

Models have brought forwards the peak of the swell for CQ as the system tracks south along the QLD coast. 

Surfers in the Mackay area will want to get out there Thursday as the low begins to track south through the area, with strong SE winds whipping up rideable 2ft+ of windswell. This size should extend southwards during Thurs, to fill in the Burnett coast through the a’noon. Expect fresh/strong SE winds.

Friday looks to be the best day from Yeppoon southwards. The low will be intensifying as it drifts level with the Capricorn Coast, generating 2-3ft surf accompanied by fresh SE winds. Size will build further into the 3ft range on the Burnett, bigger 3-4ft through the a’noon along the Agnes stretch.

The weekend will see surf easing through the region as the low drifts south out of the region, dragging swell generating winds with it.

Expect some good 2-3ft surf New Years morning in the Agnes region, smaller 2ft on the Capricorn coast and tiny north of Cape Manifold. 

By Sunday it’ll be back to tiny leftovers at Agnes, flat elsewhere with light winds.

Long term and tiny surf extends through next week. There are tropical developments on the radar but at this stage not favourable to the CQ coast.