Central QLD Forecaster Notes by Steve Shearer (updated on Mon 15th Jan)

This weekend and next week (Jan15 -Jan26)

Central QLD: Small in the short run, possible cyclone in the Coral Sea next week

A few small waves over the weekend.

A SE surge currently working it’s way north now looks to stall and dissipate before it reaches water north of Fraser Island with only tiny/small surf expected for CQ.

Thus we are looking at several days of tiny, just rideable surf now in a major downgrade.

We may see a small bump later this week from a minor fetch near New Caledonia this week but only to 1ft or so.

Bigger and better news ahead though next week. 

From the weekend we’ll be watching for the formation of a tropical cyclone in the Coral Sea at the terminus of the Monsoon Trough. Both major models are suggesting by mid next week a southwards moving cyclone in the Coral Sea. That suggests high degree of confidence in a cyclone swell for the QLD coast although it’s too far away to have any confidence in specifics in size or timing. Models are suggesting an early NE swell from the system Tues. We’ll see how that looks Wed.

Certainly a large cyclone swell is a possibility later next week depending on how the system evolves. Early days though. Let's take a deeper dive Wed as we get closer to the potential event.

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