North Ward tides today
- Tide now 7.5 ft ↑ rising · high 11:19 am (9.8 ft)
- Best time to fish 5:50–6:40 pm average day · 6/10
- Beach day 2:00–6:00 pm Perfect beach day · 10/10
- Waves · water 0.9 ft · 83 °F smooth · 4.5 s from the northeast
- Wind · air 6 mph · 82 °F from the NE, gusts 14 · mainly clear
- Sun 5:34 am–6:19 pm 12 h 45 min of daylight
- Moon 88% · 9:45 pm waning gibbous · rises at 9:45 pm
- Best time to dive 10:20 am–12:30 pm great day · 10/10
Today in North Ward there are high tides at 11:19 am (9.8 ft) and 10:39 pm (6.7 ft) and low tides at 4:08 am and 6:29 pm. Tide coefficient 63. Right now the tide is rising toward the high tide at 11:19 am. The sun rises at 5:34 am and sets at 6:19 pm: 12 h 45 min of daylight. The moon is 88% illuminated (waning gibbous) and rises at 9:45 pm. Major solunar periods run from 1:12 am to 3:12 am and from 1:44 pm to 3:44 pm. The next spring tides arrive from October 27 to 29. The sea is smooth, with 0.9 ft waves. There's a light breeze from the northeast (6 mph). Mainly clear, 82 °F.
Fishing in North Ward today
Best time to fish
Solunar activity today: medium- Low tide at 6:29 pm
- Sunset at 6:19 pm, golden hour from 5:50 pm
- Steady pressure (30.03 inHg), light onshore wind (6 mph) and calm sea (0.9 ft waves)
- Waning gibbous: a bit more activity than at the quarters
- Highest tide coefficient today: 63 (small tides)
Your day at a glance
The best window, 5:50 pm to 6:40 pm, combines the 6:29 pm low tide, sunset and a light onshore breeze. Also good from 9:40 pm to 10:20 pm, with the 10:39 pm high tide, moonrise and a light onshore breeze. Also good from 10:20 am to 12:20 pm, with the 11:19 am high tide and a light onshore breeze.
Species with the most records nearby: leopard coral grouper, barramundi, orange-spotted grouper and cobia. October is one of the months when these are seen most: cobia. What you can catch
Beach day in North Ward
Is it a beach day?
11 good hours- Sunny
- Feels like 92 °F: hot
- Onshore breeze (8 mph)
- Calm for swimming: 0.9 ft waves
- Water at 83 °F (very warm)
- Low tide at 6:29 pm: more sand
Today, hour by hour
- Swimming Calm · 0.9 ft
0.9 ft waves: calm for swimming. Low rip current risk. Always follow the lifeguard's flags.
- Water 83 °F
Very warm: barely refreshing.
- Sun & sunscreen UV 13 · SPF 50
Max UV 13 (extreme): SPF 50 sunscreen, reapplied every 2 hours. Seek shade 10:00 am–3:00 pm (very high UV).
- Wind 8 mph
Onshore breeze (8 mph).
- Tide & sand 6:29 pm
Low tide at 4:08 am and 6:29 pm: that's when there's the most sand. High tide at 11:19 am and 10:39 pm.
The best window, 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm, brings sunshine, beach weather, little wind, a calm sea, water at 83 °F and low tide at 6:29 pm, though with very high UV. 7:00 am to 12:00 pm can also work, with sunshine, beach weather, little wind, a calm sea and water at 83 °F, though with very high UV.
We don't have data on jellyfish, sargassum or beach closures: ask the lifeguard or check with the local beach authority. How it works · The next 7 days
Beaches near North Ward
Map: OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles · © OpenStreetMap contributors
- Secret Beach 1.8 mi · SE
- Rowes Bay 3.0 mi · NW
- Pallarenda 3.2 mi · NW
- Restrooms
- Showers
- Parking
- Cleveland Bay 4.2 mi · NW
- Picnic Bay 5.1 mi · N
- Lifeguard
- Restrooms
- Parking
- Shelly Cove 5.3 mi · NW
- Rocky Bay 5.5 mi · N
- Parking
- Nudity allowed
- Nelly Bay 6.2 mi · N
- Restrooms
- Parking
Named beaches within 6.2 mi, nearest first. Amenities from OpenStreetMap: some may be missing or out of date. View on OpenStreetMap · Add or fix on OpenStreetMap
Beaches and amenities: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Webcams near North Ward
Webcams provided by windy.com — add a webcam
Tides in North Ward
Today's high and low tides
- ▼ Low tide 4:08 am 2.1 ft
- ▲ Next high tide 11:19 am 9.8 ft · coef. 63
- ▼ Low tide 6:29 pm 4.9 ft
- ▲ High tide 10:39 pm 6.7 ft · coef. 55
↑ Rising The tide is rising. 2 h 28 min to high tide at 11:19 am.
Tide coefficient 63 for the 11:19 am high tide and 55 for the 10:39 pm high tide. Low coefficient. The water rises and falls 7.7 ft between the highest high and the lowest low: a large range for this place. 70 is an average tide here; 90 and above means spring tides; below 45, neap tides. What is the tide coefficient?
2026 extremes: the highest tide of the year is on February 1 (12.8 ft) and the lowest, on August 12 (0.3 ft).
Mixed: two high and two low tides a day, but of quite different heights.
Heights above chart datum: the lowest astronomical tide (LAT), the zero of nautical charts in Europe. Astronomical prediction: wind and air pressure can raise or lower the water by a few inches, and more in a storm. Not for navigation. chart datum (LAT)
Tide coefficient and range in October
The biggest tides of the month came from October 7 to 9 (coefficient 104, 9.7 ft range). The smallest, on October 16 (coefficient 20, 3.5 ft).
Tide and solunar table · this week
| Day | Sun | Tide 1 | Tide 2 | Tide 3 | Tide 4 | Coef. | Moon | Major periods | Activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today, Thu 29 | 5:34 am · 6:19 pm | Low tide 4:08 am · 2.1 ft | High tide 11:19 am · 9.8 ft | Low tide 6:29 pm · 4.9 ft | High tide 10:39 pm · 6.7 ft | Coef. 63 | 88% | Major periods 1:12 am · 1:44 pm | Medium |
| Fri 30 | 5:33 am · 6:20 pm | Low tide 5:20 am · 2.9 ft | High tide 12:39 pm · 9.4 ft | Low tide 8:22 pm · 4.7 ft | — | Coef. 48 | 80% | Major periods 2:16 am · 2:49 pm | Medium |
| Sat 31 | 5:33 am · 6:20 pm | High tide 12:12 am · 5.8 ft | Low tide 7:22 am · 3.5 ft | High tide 2:13 pm · 9.4 ft | Low tide 9:53 pm · 4.0 ft | Coef. 47 | 70% | Major periods 3:20 am · 3:51 pm | Medium |
| Sun 1 | 5:32 am · 6:21 pm | High tide 3:08 am · 5.8 ft | Low tide 9:04 am · 3.4 ft | High tide 3:42 pm · 9.8 ft | Low tide 10:54 pm · 3.2 ft | Coef. 60 | 59% | Major periods 4:21 am · 4:50 pm | Medium |
| Mon 2 | 5:32 am · 6:21 pm | High tide 4:44 am · 6.8 ft | Low tide 10:22 am · 3.1 ft | High tide 4:44 pm · 10.2 ft | Low tide 11:39 pm · 2.5 ft | Coef. 74 | Last quarter | Major periods 5:17 am · 5:43 pm | Medium |
| Tue 3 | 5:31 am · 6:22 pm | High tide 5:31 am · 7.7 ft | Low tide 11:22 am · 2.8 ft | High tide 5:28 pm · 10.5 ft | — | Coef. 84 | 37% | Major periods 6:08 am · 6:32 pm | Medium |
| Wed 4 | 5:31 am · 6:22 pm | Low tide 12:17 am · 2.0 ft | High tide 6:10 am · 8.5 ft | Low tide 12:12 pm · 2.6 ft | High tide 6:04 pm · 10.5 ft | Coef. 91 | 27% | Major periods 6:56 am · 7:18 pm | Low |
▲ high tide · ▼ low tide · heights above chart datum (LAT). Major periods: start time; they last 2 hours. Activity: based on the moon phase and the solunar periods.
Where this tide comes from
Tides from the Townsville station (TICON-4), 1.2 mi from North Ward. Times and heights are its predictions.
Station data attribution: Slackwater database (https://github.com/openwatersio/slackwater-database). Source: Hart-Davis, M., Dettmering, D., Seitz, F. (2025), TICON-4: TIdal CONstants based on GESLA-4 sea-level records, SEANOE, https://doi.org/10.17882/109129. Licensed CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Modified: see https://github.com/openwatersio/slackwater-database#modifications-to-source-data
The sea at North Ward
Sea stateSea state: smooth
The waves you may find
- Most commonMost common0.4 ft
- Significant0.9 ft
- Highest expectedHighest1.8 ft
One wave in seven is higher than the significant height, and about 3 times a day one reaches 1.8 ft. Before heading out, expect waves of up to 1.8 ft.
Wind on the coast and offshore
Onshore wind. The coast faces northeast and the wind blows straight in from the sea: more surf and backwash at the shore, and bait and boats drift toward land.
Wave height, next 7 daysWaves, next 7 days
Waves build over the next few days. The biggest waves arrive on Saturday 31: 3.0 ft with a period of 4 s, from the east (slight).
Water temperature
Water temperature →Water temperature changes how fish behave: in very cold or very warm water they feed less. The water warms over the next few days: about 84.4 °F by Wednesday 4.
Water warmer than normal for late October (+2.8 °F).
Satellite: NASA MUR (JPL MUR MEaSUREs, PO.DAAC), doi:10.5067/GHGMR-4FJ04. Sources and licenses
Water temperature →Forecast from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0) with models from ECMWF, NOAA, Météo-France, DWD, Copernicus Marine and CAMS. Updated at 8:51 am (local time).
Nearest buoy
This is a real measurement of the sea, not a forecast. Data from Department of Environment and Science Queensland Government, via the E.U. Copernicus Marine Service. Generated using E.U. Copernicus Marine Service Information (doi:10.48670/moi-00036).
Diving in North Ward today
Diving and snorkeling today
Likely visibility: good- Slack water around high tide (11:19 am): little current from 10:50 am to 11:50 am
- 0.8 ft swell at 4 s from the northeast: barely any surge
- Light onshore wind (8 mph)
- 0.1 mph current toward the south, weak (model)
- Sun high: more light underwater
- Slack water today: low tide 4:08 am (3:20–4:50 am), high tide 11:19 am (10:50–11:50 am), low tide 6:29 pm (5:10–7:20 pm) and high tide 10:39 pm (9:50–11:20 pm)
- Likely visibility: good. The sea has been calm and there's been little rain. Based on the last 24 hours of data.
- Water at 82.6–83.5 °F: a shorty or a rash guard.
- Snorkeling: good, calm sea and light wind.
- Night dive: dark from 6:42 pm. Waning gibbous (88%), rising at 9:45 pm: a bright night.
Your diving day at a glance
The best window, 10:20 am to 12:30 pm, combines slack water at high tide, little swell, light wind, weak current and the sun high. Also good from 4:00 pm to 6:20 pm, with slack water at low tide, little swell, light wind and weak current.
Slack water comes from the tide: in inlets, channels and between islands the water can keep running for an hour or two after. Ask the local dive shop.
Never dive alone and check with the local dive shop: this rating is a guide, not a substitute for a professional.
Dive sites, wrecks and dive shops nearby
Map: OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles · © OpenStreetMap contributors
- Cleveland Bay - Magnetic Island Dugong Protection Area 2.0 mi
- K-Rov 0.5 mi
- Kalinda 0.6 mi
- Adrenalin Snorkel & Dive 0.8 mi
- Adrenalin Snorkel and Dive 1.0 mi
- Townsville Dive Services 3.6 mi
- Paradise Dive 5.8 mi
- Pro Dive Magnetic Island 6.5 mi
- Pleasure Divers 7.7 mi
Within 12 mi. Some may be missing or closed; marine reserves usually need a permit. Open the map on OpenStreetMap · Missing one? Add it to OpenStreetMap
Sites: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Weather in North Ward
Now in North Ward
- Low / high
- 78 / 83 °F
- Rain
- 0.00 in · 8%
- Clouds
- 27%
- Humidity
- 73%
- Dew pointDew point
- 72 °F
- Visibility
- 15 mi
- UV indexUV
- 5 · moderate
- Air qualityAir
- Fair · 24
- Saharan dust
- No
Pressure and fishing
- ↗ RisingRising · now Anglers say fish bite less for a while
- → SteadySteady Anglers expect normal activity
- ↘ FallingFalling Anglers say fish feed more before the change
Rising now (+0.04 inHg in 3 hours). It barely changes over the next 48 hours. Rising pressure: anglers say fish bite less for a while. Fast changes, either way, tend to affect fishing.
Today, hour by hourHour by hour
Bars: mean wind. Dashed line: gusts. Arrows point where the wind blows to.
| Time | 12:00 am | 3:00 am | 6:00 am | 9:00 am | 12:00 pm | 3:00 pm | 6:00 pm | 9:00 pm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sky | Clear | Clear | Mainly clear | Mainly clear | Clear sky | Clear sky | Mainly clear | Mainly clear |
| Temperature | 80° | 78° | 79° | 82° | 83° | 82° | 80° | 79° |
| Wind (mph) | 7 NNE | 4 NE | 4 ENE | 7 NE | 8 NE | 8 NNE | 6 NE | 7 ENE |
| Gusts | 14 | 9 | 9 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 13 |
| Waves | 0.9 ft | 0.9 ft | 0.9 ft | 0.9 ft | 0.8 ft | 0.8 ft | 0.9 ft | 1.0 ft |
| Rain | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in |
- 9:00 am 82° 7 NE 0.9 ft
- 12:00 pm 83° 8 NE 0.8 ft
- 3:00 pm 82° 8 NNE 0.8 ft
- 6:00 pm 80° 6 NE 0.9 ft
- 9:00 pm 79° 7 ENE 1.0 ft
- 12:00 am 78° 7 ENE 1.2 ft
- 3:00 am 77° 7 E 1.4 ft
- 6:00 am 79° 7 ENE 1.5 ft
Next 14 daysComing days
| Day | Sky | Low / high | Max wind | Max wave | High tides |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today · 29 | 78 / 83 °F | 8 mph NE | 1.2 ft | 11:19 am · 10:39 pm | |
| Fri 30 | 77 / 83 °F | 10 mph ENE | 2.2 ft | 12:39 pm | |
| Sat 31 | 77 / 82 °F | 9 mph ENE | 3.0 ft | 12:12 am · 2:13 pm | |
| Sun 1 | 76 / 81 °F | 10 mph ENE | 2.6 ft | 3:08 am · 3:42 pm | |
| Mon 2 | 77 / 82 °F | 8 mph NE | 1.2 ft | 4:44 am · 4:44 pm | |
| Tue 3 | 78 / 82 °F | 9 mph NNE | 0.7 ft | 5:31 am · 5:28 pm | |
| Wed 4 | 78 / 83 °F | 11 mph NNE | 0.5 ft | 6:10 am · 6:04 pm | |
| Thu 5 | 78 / 83 °F | 11 mph N | 0.9 ft | 6:45 am · 6:36 pm | |
| Fri 6 | 79 / 83 °F | 9 mph N | 1.0 ft | 7:19 am · 7:06 pm | |
| Sat 7 | 78 / 84 °F | 9 mph NNE | 1.1 ft | 7:53 am · 7:34 pm | |
| Sun 8 | 79 / 85 °F | 8 mph NE | 1.0 ft | 8:26 am · 8:00 pm | |
| Mon 9 | 78 / 85 °F | 14 mph E | 2.0 ft | 9:00 am · 8:25 pm | |
| Tue 10 | 76 / 83 °F | 16 mph E | 2.3 ft | 9:35 am · 8:48 pm | |
| Wed 11 | 75 / 81 °F | 13 mph E | 2.0 ft | 10:11 am · 9:10 pm |
- Fri 30 Drizzle 77° / 83° 2.2 ft
- Sat 31 Drizzle 77° / 82° 3.0 ft
- Sun 1 Light drizzle 76° / 81° 2.6 ft
- Mon 2 Light drizzle 77° / 82° 1.2 ft
- Tue 3 Light drizzle 78° / 82° 0.7 ft
- Wed 4 Mainly clear 78° / 83° 0.5 ft
- Thu 5 Overcast 78° / 83° 0.9 ft
Each day comes from the best model covering this spot: regional ones first (HRRR and NBM in the U.S., AROME, ICON-EU), then ECMWF; day 16, NOAA GFS. Waves: Météo-France up to day 10, then ECMWF WAM, coarser and further offshore. High tides: our own tide calculation.
- The models Partly agree · medium confidence: unsure about temperature today. See the models →
- Outlook Next few weeks, compared with normal: a bit warmer, normal rain and a slightly warmer sea. See the outlook →
- Normal Today, cooler than normal for late October (−2.5 °F; normal high: 85 °F). Climate by month →
Forecast from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0) with models from ECMWF, NOAA, Météo-France, DWD, Copernicus Marine and CAMS. Updated at 8:51 am (local time).
The sun in North Ward
Sunrise and sunset
- First light 4:45 am
- Full dark 7:09 pm
- Civil dawn 5:11 am
- Civil dusk 6:42 pm
- Solar noon 11:56 am (84° high)
- Daylight 12 h 45 min (+1 min)
- Evening golden hour 5:50 pm
- Full dark 7:09 pm
Golden hour and the day-night map
Today the sun is 92,345,430 mi away and looks 32′ 11″ across.
The moon in North Ward
Moon phase and position
Today the moon is 226,469 mi away and looks 32′ 47″ across.
Solunar periods
Today's activity: medium- 1:12–3:12 am Major · the moon passes overhead · high activity
- 1:44–3:44 pm Major · the moon passes underfoot · high activity
- 7:14–8:14 am Minor · moonset · medium activity
- 9:15–10:15 pm Minor · moonrise · medium activity
According to solunar theory, fish feed more when the moon passes overhead or underfoot (major periods, about 2 h) and when it rises or sets (minor periods, 1 h). It works best around new and full moon.
Upcoming moon phases
2026 moon calendar →- Last quarter Mon, Nov 2 · 6:29 amNov 2 in 4 days
- New moon Mon, Nov 9 · 5:03 pmNov 9 in 11 days
- First quarter Tue, Nov 17 · 9:48 pmNov 17 in 19 days
- Full moon Wed, Nov 25 · 12:54 amNov 25 in 27 days
Perigee on October 29, 226,426 mi away, coinciding with the spring tides from October 27 to 29: they will be stronger than usual.
Where to fish in North Ward
Piers, ramps and tackle shops nearby
Map: OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles · © OpenStreetMap contributors
- Strand Pier 0.5 mi
- Police 0.9 mi
- Jetty 0.5 mi
- Jetty 0.8 mi
- Jetty 1.1 mi
- Boat ramp 0.8 mi
- Boat ramp 0.9 mi
- Boat ramp 0.9 mi
- Breakwater Marina 0.6 mi
- Townsville Recreational Boating Park 1.9 mi
- Higgo's Bait & Tackle 1.6 mi
- Tackle World Townsville 2.5 mi
Within 9.3 mi. A spot may be missing or closed. Open the map on OpenStreetMap · Missing one? Add it to OpenStreetMap
Spots: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps.
Nearest lighthouse
Wharton Reef Light 0.8 mi southeast
- Light
- A white flash every 3 s · Fl W 3s
- Range
- 13 nautical miles (15 mi)
- Light height
- 184 ft above sea level
- Tower height
- 98 ft
- Built
- 1915
Other lighthouses nearby: Bay Rock Light (0.9 mi southeast).
Data from Wikidata. For reference only: not for navigation. Wikipedia · Wikidata · Sources and licenses
Tides near North WardTides nearby
- Castle Hill1.1 mi
- Townsville Harbour1.2 mi
- Townsville1.3 mi
- West End1.8 mi
- Arcadia7.7 mi
- Bushland Beach9.9 mi
- Balgal Beach31 mi
- Jerona31 mi
- Forrest Beach50 mi
North Ward at a glance
- Town or city of about 5,541 people. Coordinates: 19.250° S, 146.815° E.
- It is 691 mi northwest of Brisbane, the main place in Queensland. The sun rises 34 min later and sets 15 min later than in Brisbane.
- The nearest tide station, Townsville, is 1.2 mi to the east.
- Its coast faces northeast.
- Beaches and harbors nearby: Strand Pier, Townsville (0.4 mi), Townsville Railway Pier (historical) (1.1 mi), Townsville Harbour (1.2 mi), Rowes Bay (3.0 mi).
Questions about North WardQuestions
What time is high tide today in North Ward?
Today in North Ward there are high tides at 11:19 am (9.8 ft) and 10:39 pm (6.7 ft) and low tides at 4:08 am and 6:29 pm. Tide coefficient 63.
What time is sunset today in North Ward?
At 6:19 pm. There is light until the end of civil twilight, at 6:42 pm.
What time is sunrise tomorrow in North Ward?
At 5:33 am. First light comes at 4:44 am.
What phase is the moon today?
Waning gibbous, 88% illuminated. New moon on Mon, Nov 9 · 5:03 pm.
When are the next spring tides?
From October 27 to 29, together with the lunar perigee: they will be stronger than usual.
What are today's solunar periods?
Major 1:12–3:12 am, Minor 7:14–8:14 am, Major 1:44–3:44 pm, Minor 9:15–10:15 pm. Today's activity is medium.
What's the weather like today in North Ward?
Mainly clear, from 78 °F to 83 °F, with a light breeze from the northeast (6 mph) and a 8% chance of rain.
How is the sea today in North Ward?
Smooth (Douglas 2): 0.9 ft waves with a period of 4.5 s from the northeast. The water is 82.8 °F.
When is the best time to visit North Ward?
The best time to visit North Ward is from June to October: highs of 77 °F to 84 °F, about 2 rainy days a month and 9 hours of sunshine a day.
Can I use this data for navigation?
No. These are predictions for fishing and leisure; for navigation, use the official publications.
Where this data comes from
Tide: Townsville station, with constants from TICON-4 (Hart-Davis, Dettmering and Seitz, 2025, SEANOE), licensed CC BY 4.0, via Slackwater database (changes). Sun and moon: our own calculation with astronomy-engine. Places: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Coastline: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).