Central QLD Forecaster Notes by Steve Shearer (issued on Mon 18th July)

This weekend and next week (July18-July29)

Central QLD: Coral Sea low brings mid-winter blast of surf this week

Peaceful now, much more action from mid week

Typical winter set-up gets shunted aside by a very La Niña looking synoptic pattern this week, more reminiscent of Feb/Mar than July. This will see a very strong south-wards located high pressure system set up a strong ridge along most of the Eastern seaboard, acting as an anvil for a tropical low to push against later in the week. The low forms as an upper trough across inland QLD enters the Coral Sea on Thurs, with a surface trough in the Coral Sea deepening into a surface low forming gales adjacent to the CQ/Fraser Coast, before the system moves towards the North Island over the weekend.

The low forms gales off the CQ coast in the Capricorn channel from Wed/Thurs, seeing large surf develop later Thurs into Fri.

Very summer-y looking pattern with low in the Coral Sea= plenty of surf for CQ

Tomorrow should see some small fun surf in the 2ft range, holding Wed. Later Thurs size should ramp up into the 3-4ft range, peaking further in the 4ft+ range Fri morning before easing as the low moves south away from the CQ swell window.

Expect SE-ESE winds to freshen during Wed, and tend more SE through Thurs/Fri.

Small leftovers should hold surfable size into and over the weekend with lighter SSE-SE winds on offer.

Check back Fri for an update.