Central QLD Forecaster Notes by Steve Shearer (issued on Wed 30th Mar)

This weekend and next week (Apr1-Apr 8)

Central QLD: More action ahead with a potential cyclone swell next week

Not much action with tiny/flat surf since the last f/cast notes on Wed. 

Light winds and tiny surf continue through the weekend, so keep the fishing gear handy.

Into next week and things get a bit more juicy. A high pressure ridge and weak but long tradewind fetch extends out through the Coral Sea towards New Caledonia later this weekend and into Mon.

That should see surf start to build a notch through Mon into Tues as winds become established from the SE/ESE. That will see surf up into the 1-1.5ft range, tiny but surfable through later Mon and into Tues, with another slight increase into Wed.

Whilst this is occurring a potential Tropical Cyclone is expected to track in a S’ly direction through the Eastern edge of the Coral Sea (see below). Models have been shifting the track around in recent runs so that is still unclear, although it seems most likely the system will slide off the sub-tropical ridge to the SE, past New Zealand. The so-called “graveyard”.

TC right on the edge of the CQ swell window next week

Models are hinting at a spike in E/NE swell from this cyclone Thurs next week, but I think its too early to have any confidence in this call.

More likely is a continuation of tradewind swell, from the E’ly fetch expected to cradle the cyclone.

We’ll monitor this upcoming system over the weekend and dial in the specifics on Mon as we get more accurate information.

Until then, have a great weekend!