24/03/2017
** TC WATCH NOW INCLUDES MACKAY, ST LAWRENCE**
TROPICAL CYCLONE ADVICE NUMBER 2
Issued at 4:46 pm EST on Friday 24 March 2017
Headline:
Coral Sea tropical low should develop into a tropical cyclone and move west towards the coast over the weekend.
Areas Affected:
Warning Zone
None.
Watch Zone
Cape Tribulation to St Lawrence including Cairns, Townsville and Mackay.
Cancelled Zone
None.
Details of Tropical Low at 4:00 pm AEST:
Intensity: Tropical Low, sustained winds near the centre of 45 kilometres per hour with wind gusts to 85 kilometres per hour.
Location: within 95 kilometres of 16.7 degrees South 151.8 degrees East, estimated to be 650 kilometres east of Cairns and 610 kilometres east northeast of Townsville.
Movement: southeast at 13 kilometres per hour.
The tropical low has been showing signs of strengthening and has been moving towards the south-southeast during today. On Saturday, the low is expected to develop into a tropical cyclone and adopt a west-southwesterly track, bringing it towards the north Queensland coast. Conditions are expected to favour the continued intensification of the system as it approaches the coast over the weekend and early next week.
Hazards:
GALES are not expected along the coast in the next 24 hours.
However, given the expected intensification of the low and the forecast track towards the coast, coastal and island communities between Cape Tribulation and St Lawrence, including the Whitsunday Islands, may begin to be affected by this expected tropical cyclone during Saturday evening or Sunday morning.
Recommended Action:
People between Cape Tribulation and St Lawrence should consider what action they will need to take if the cyclone threat increases.
- Information is available from your local government
- For cyclone preparedness and safety advice, visit Queensland's Disaster Management
Services website (www.disaster.qld.gov.au)
- For emergency assistance call the Queensland State Emergency Service (SES) on
132 500 (for assistance with storm damage, rising flood water, fallen trees on buildings
or roof damage).
Next Advice:
The next advice will be issued by 11:00 pm AEST Friday 24 March.
This warning is also available through TV and Radio Broadcasts; the Bureau's website at www.bom.gov.au or call 1300 659 212. The Bureau and the State Emergency Service would appreciate this warning being broadcast regularly.
A map showing the track of the cyclone is available at: http://www.bom.gov.au/cyclone