Well, it has been another very hot and very humid week across the local region, with another stinker expected today before we get some relief across the weekend as temperatures return to around average for this time of year.
The weekend forecast is a little mixed too, with a sunny but breezy day today, before the chance of showers increases tomorrow, and also for Sunday, but then mostly sunny skies should return for Monday.
Winds will also be quite variable and mixed as well, with quite different conditions expected across three days of the long weekend.
Today will bring gusty N/NW winds at around 20 to 25 knots, before we see a dramatic change for tomorrow with W/NW to E/NE winds forecast at 5 to 10 knots through the morning and then increase to 10+ knots through the afternoon.
Sunday will be quite similar too, with E/NE winds at 5 to 10 knots through the morning and then 10 to 15 knots in the afternoon.
But Monday should then see an E/SE wind change at 10 to 15 knots, increasing to 15+ knots through the afternoon.
Swimming
Swimming conditions have been varied through this past week, mostly gentle conditions through the first few days of the week that have been replaced by choppy conditions since about Wednesday afternoon, and particularly on those beaches that face in a more northerly direction.
These choppy and messy conditions will continue into today, along with a side sweep pushing from north to south on those beaches exposed to the northerly winds.
However, swimming conditions will improve across the weekend, with Saturday (all day) and Sunday morning looking like being great days for swimmers with mild and gentle conditions expected as the winds ease.
Monday will then bring a wind change and associated choppy conditions for those beaches that are exposed to the E/SE winds, so keep this in mind.
Best beaches for swimmers from today to Sunday will certainly be Elliott Heads and Kelly’s Beach.
Although all beaches will be quite OK through both Saturday and Sunday morning.
For Monday though, the better options will then be Agnes Water, Hervey Bay, Nielson Park and Moore Park beaches.
The bets time for a swim will be from early to mid-morning or again from mid to late afternoon.
Please check with the Lifesavers or Lifeguard on duty, read any safety signage or messages, and most importantly please swim only at patrolled beaches, only between the red and yellow flags, and only during patrol times – remember, if we can’t see you, we can’t save you!
Beach Patrols
Weekdays – 9 am to 5 pm at Elliott Heads, Kelly’s Beach, Nielson Park, Oaks Beach, Moore Park Beach and Agnes Water, plus a rove lifeguard in the Bundaberg Region.
Weekends and public holidays – 9 am to 5 pm at Elliott Heads, Kelly’s Beach, Nielson Park, Oaks Beach, Moore Park Beach and Agnes Water, plus a rove lifeguard in the Bundaberg Region.
Note: These are minimum patrol times – some beaches may have longer hours.
Surfing
Once again, the local beaches have been pretty much devoid of much wave action, although small, choppy and messy waves did start to whip up through yesterday.
Today will be very windy with gusty N/NW winds, so maybe consider trying your luck at Elliott Heads or Kelly’s Beach for a cleaner, fun-sized mal-wave whipped up by the gusty winds.
If not, tomorrow morning early may provide some smaller, cleaner, residual waves leftover from today’s gusty NW winds at your favourite local break.
Apart from that, it probably does not appear like there will be too much on offer across the remainder of the long weekend, but as per usual keep an eye on conditions. Good Luck.
For the SUP and Ocean Ski paddlers chasing a downwind paddle, today should provide super-fast conditions for a north to south run.
For those chasing a more relaxed and gentler paddle though, try both tomorrow and Sunday mornings at Kelly’s Beach and Elliott Heads.
Events
The Great Australian Bites 2025 is being held on Sunday (Australia Day) from 11 am at Nielson Park, Bargara.
Good luck to local surf lifesavers competing in various carnivals on Saturday, including the WBC Branch Board Riding Championships (Agnes Water), WBC Branch North v South Teams Challenge (Agnes Water), and the Murphy Homes Maroochy Surf Classic (Maroochydore).
Other news: Feel the Beat at Australia Day celebrations
