Central QLD Forecaster Notes by Steve Shearer (issued on Wed 21st Dec)

This week and next week (Dec21-Dec30)

Central QLD: Plenty of fun days ahead as Tradewinds and monsoon trough become active

A high SE of Tasmania and a Tasman Low now drifting near the North Island have combined to generate 20kt SE winds through the Capricorn Channel, which is seeing some fun 1-2ft surf at exposed breaks on the Burnett Coast.

Size should linger in the 1-1.5ft range through Thurs and Fri before the SE winds break down and surf goes tiny/flat into the Xmas weekend. 

Next week is looking pretty fun as a monsoon trough off the QLD Coast and a large high moving into the Tasman reset the SE flow through the Southern Coral Sea, favouring the Capricorn Channel.

Plenty of SE wind in the swell window next week from Boxing Day

This should see surf rebuild through Boxing Day into the 1-2ft range, building into the 2ft, 2-3ft at exposed breaks on Tues and holding into Wed, with mod/fresh SE winds expected.

Models then show the tradewind fetch and SE surge weakening later next week, suggesting a decline in surf from Thurs next week into the weekend.

Longer term and the monsoon trough remains active, with active potential for more low pressure development into the New Year- possibly even as early as the New Years weekend as a trough and front enter the Tasman and the lingering remnants of a low off the QLD coast combine. We’ll keep tabs on that and report back Fri. Another strong high pushing through the Bight suggests a SE surge in the first week of Jan so a flat spell looks unlikely to begin 2023.

Check back Fri for the latest.