Central QLD Forecaster Notes by Steve Shearer (updated on Mon Dec 30th)

This week and next week (Dec30-Jan9)

Central QLD: Small waves on the radar

Nothing at the moment.

Very weak pressure gradients in the Tasman and Coral Seas as we count down 2024. Weak high pressure occupies most of the Tasman with a broad troughy area off the sub-tropical QLD coast directing a mod SE flow across SEQLD, not really affecting CQ. Nothing happening in the South Pacific this week with a weak front and trough Thurs in the Tasman not reaching the sub-tropics. 

Trades looks to develop later in the weekend and early next week, although major models are still divergent over how strong they are. Under an optimistic scenario we should start to see small E’ly tradeswell build in this weekend and persist at low levels next week. 

In the tropics we’ll be watching a weak low off the QLD coast early next week forming in the monsoon trough and a low forming in the South Pacific well to the NE of Fiji. No concrete surf potential off either of them at this stage- apart from small tradeswell for the QLD low- but we’ll flag them for now and see how they look on Wed. Weak pressure gradients in the South Pacific have been a feature of this summer so far, but at some point we’ll see something spin up. 

Let's hope it’s soon.

Seeya Wed for the latest f/cast notes.