Heavy rain and gale-force winds expected within 48 hours, as severe cyclone forecast to hit Queensland Thursday (2024)

A Coral Sea storm is highly likely to intensify into a cyclone by "late Tuesday", the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has warned, bringing with it heavy rain and a potential storm surge as it crosses the Queensland coast.

On Monday afternoon, senior forecaster Laura Boekel said the system's impacts would be felt from Ayr to St Lawrence within 48 hours.

"It will continue intensifying once it becomes a tropical cyclone and the most likely scenario is that it could be a severe tropical cyclone [category 3] before it crosses the coast later in the week," Ms Boekel said.

A cyclone watch zone extends south of Cairns to St Lawrence, including Townsville, Mackay and the Whitsunday Islands.

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The system is currently expected to cross somewhere between Innisfail and Airlie Beach on Thursday.

She warned that heavy rainfall and flash flooding would also be a "very likely possibility" through northern and central Queensland.

"Gales with damaging wind gusts of up to 120kph may develop about coastal and island communities between Ayr and St Lawrence, and that's from as early as Wednesday morning."

On Monday afternoon, BOM issued a watch and act flood warning for coastal catchments between Tully and St Lawrence.

Widespread rainfall is likely in the flood watch area from Wednesday night into Thursday, with the heaviest rainfall expected on Thursday and Friday.

From Friday, the system will become a tropical low, bringing heavy rain to large parts of Queensland.

"That is around areas in central and southern inland Queensland, so quite large areas could see rainfall and flooding from this event," Ms Boekel said.

The warning comes more than a month after ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper crossed the Queensland Coast near Wujal Wujal, which resulted indevastating flooding throughout the region.

"We are expecting catchments to respond reasonably quickly, especially in areas that have already seen flooding this season," Ms Boekel said.

"In terms of the rainfall we're expecting from this system, we can say with a bit more certainty as this system does cross the coast that we will see higher amounts of rainfall in the area where we are issuing the watches and warnings."

Queensland Disaster Coordinator and Deputy Police Commissioner Shane Chelepy said authorities were also preparing for the possibility of flooding in central and southern Queensland as early as this weekend.

"Quite large areas could see rainfall and flooding from this event," he said.

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Deputy Commissioner Chelepy said those in the path of the incoming cyclone should ensure they have "sufficient long-life food for 72 hours post Thursday".

"Keep your car topped up with petrol, make sure you have a power pack for your phone, as when we see events like this that do cross the coast, it's up to 72 hours sometimes before emergency services can get out and assist you," he said.

"Anyone from Innisfail right through to the Gold Coast border needs to stay connected, including out west."

Where is the cyclone now?

For now, the system is still a slow-moving tropical low in the Coral Sea.

Late on Monday, it was about 860 kilometres east-north-east of Cairns and Townsville.

"As the system does cross the coast and move inland, there's still a range of scenarios that indicate what that low pressure will do … that's certainly an area that we're expecting to evolve in the coming days," Ms Boekel said.

Townsville City Council Mayor Jenny Hill said many residents were beginning to prepare for the potential cyclone.

"We just want people to prepare," she said.

"There's no need to panic, it's well off to sea at the moment.

"We don't need you to get excited, we don't need you to panic — we just need you to prepare."

Cr Hill said residents had been clearing their homes of green waste materials that could pose a danger in strong winds.

"It's a constant education of community to ensure that they understand that you can't expect government or government agencies to always be there to help you," she said.

"You need to show a certain amount of resilience, and the first thing you can do is look after your own home.

"Governments can't go around and mow every home, can't clear every gutter, can't pick up every bit of waste.

"If you want to protect yourself and your neighbours, it's up to you."

Cr Hill said North Queensland residents tended to take more precautions as the forecast became clearer.

"You'll see people either dismantle or tie down things like trampolines," she said.

"They're the sorts of things I saw during the recent event on the Gold Coast. I had a friend of mine who had a trampoline go through their neighbour's roof.

"Those sorts of items … become missiles. We need people to ensure that they're tied down or they're safely put away."

'You need a plan of action'

Mackay Regional Council Mayor Greg Williamson said the city's disaster control centre has not yet been activated, but the council is checking sandbag stockpiles.

Mr Williamson said residents in the region should take early steps such as charging power banks and ensuring there is enough fuel in generators.

"At this stage what we need to think about is what you need to do as a family, what you need to do as a business, what your business continuity plans are, what your family plans are," he said.

"You need a plan of action if you are on Thursday night or Friday night told you need to evacuate [and know] where are you going to go."

Mr Williamson said heavy rainfall was the biggest concern.

"They're expecting somewhere between 800 millimetres to a metre of rain in the Clarke Ranges and the ranges west of Mackay.

"That's what Tropical Cyclone Debbie did and … we had flooding that we'd never seen, so it could be the same this time around."

Residents are encouraged to visit the Mackay Regional Council emergency website for more information and to download an emergency management plan, Mr Williamson said.

Queensland Police Minister Mark Ryan said residents should pay close attention to warnings in the coming days.

He said parts of the state could be vulnerable to flooding following recent wet weather.

"Listen to the authorities. You might have to make some decisions about staying at home if the authorities say that the system is going to bring a lot of rain and, of course, then bring flash flooding," Mr Ryan said.

"We know right across the state there are wet catchments already. Those areas are more prone to flash flooding."

Heatwave on first day of school

Queensland is also in the middle of a heatwave with high humidity.By Monday afternoon, Brisbane and parts of the state's south were sweltering.

At 1:30pm, Archerfield and Amberley topped 37 degrees Celsius, but with high humidity it felt like 42.5C.

Gatton recorded a top temperature of 38.4C, whileBrisbane CBD reached 35.7C. Further west, Goondiwindi reached 40.2C.

Heatwave conditions should begin to ease along the coast from Tuesday.

Queensland Energy Minister Mick de Brenni said the state was expected to set a new record for peak electricity demand on Monday evening.

But he urged Queenslanders not to be concerned about electricity supply.

"We can assure Queenslanders there remains adequate supply of power," he said, adding itwould be "very, very tight".

Queensland Ambulance Service has reported an increase in calls related to heat stress.

"We've had a fairly long run of [warm weather] now over the last couple of weeks, and it's not just the heat — it's the humidity," Metro North senior operations supervisor Matthew Hannabery said.

"There has definitely been an increase [in calls] across the board in recent weeks."

He said people should be wary of symptoms of heat stress, which can include dizziness, dry eyes and throat and nausea, particularly as school resumes after the summer break.

"With kids going back to school if parents can keep that in mind, ensure they have access to water," Mr Hannabery said.

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