Central QLD Forecaster Notes by Steve Shearer (issued on Mon 20th June)

This weekend and next week (June21-July1)

Central QLD: Long period E/SE swell this week with more surf next week

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We’ve got a nice chunky 1033 hPa High slow moving at very southerly latitude, roughly triangulated between Tasmania and the South Island. As well as a precursor SE fetch adjacent to the South Island it is now squeezing pressure gradients with a compact, but deep low, which is currently forming gale force fetches out of Cook Strait and just north of the North Island. Compared to Fridays model runs the fetch now is a little more mobile, weaker and rotates faster out of the swell producing phase, which will see a bit of a downgrade. 

The fetch is located on the edge of the CQ swell window so is likely to produce some E/SE groundswell at spots open to swell through the Capricorn Channel and north of the Breaksea Spit.

Expect tiny surf to continue until Thursday with SE winds on offer. Thurs a’noon sees sets from the long period source provide surf in the 1-2ft range. 

Through Friday 2ft sets continue before easing into Sat.

Into next week and E to SE winds feeding into a broad trough of low pressure off the Fraser Coast are likely to generate surf through Mon and Tues. 

Models are offering very divergent takes on the synoptic set-up but we should see surf in the 2-3ft range through Mon, and into Tues, with SE winds.

This swell then eases from Wed, likely supplying small, rideable surf through Thurs before becoming tiny/flat into next weekend.

Check back Fri for an update.