Central QLD Forecaster Notes by Steve Shearer (updated on Wed Apr 30th)

This week and next week (Apr 30-May9)

Central QLD: Plenty of surf from this weekend onwards

Nothing at the moment, plenty to come.

By the end of the week we’ll see high pressure move into the Tasman and hold a firm ridge up the sub-tropical coast. A SE surge associated with that ridge should build in Fri with surf building later Fri and supplying fun waves over the weekend.

Into next week a dominant high tracks towards New Zealand and sets up a robust E’ly tradewind fetch through the Coral Sea and South Pacific, encroaching on the northern Tasman Sea at times.

That will see E’ly tradewind surf through next week, with fun surf most days. 

We may see some more significant action from the E/SE-SE later next week if an E’ly dip expected to form SE of New Caledonia next week forms a surface low and tracks southwards into the Tasman Sea. 

Models are still flip flopping around on that prospect, with some runs suggesting the trade fetch contracts eastwards before another SE surge later next week as the new high pressure builds in a firm ridge.

We’ll see how it’s shaping up on Fri. Either way there’ll be plenty of E’ly trade swell in the water next week.

Seeya then!