Central QLD Forecaster Notes by Steve Shearer (issued on Wed 18th Jan)

This week and next week (Jan18-Jan27)

Central QLD: Rideable surf continues into the weekend as Tradewinds and monsoon trough combine.

No great change to the outlook with plenty of rideable surf expected. High pressure remains anchored in places at Tasmanian latitudes with reinforcing cells maintaining a high pressure ridge along the QLD coast.

Abutting this ridge is a series of monsoonal lows, which are enhancing windspeeds through the CQ swell window.

The slow moving low tracks through the Coral Sea this week to be located near New Caledonia over the weekend. Expect surf to hold in the 2-3ft range through this week, tending smaller 2ft on the weekend as swell direction tends more ESE-SE.

Slow moving monsoonal low supplies fun waves all week

Winds will remain SE-ESE a mod/fresh strength through this week and over the weekend.

Into next week and surf will be on an easing trend. We should see some rideable surf Mon as the last of the monsoon low swell fades out. 1-2ft surf at exposed breaks, easing through the day.

By Tues, we’ll see surf drop back further and from mid-week we’re looking at a run of tiny surf extending into next weekend 28/29 Jan.

Check back Fri and we’ll see how it’s shaping up.