Cyclone Narelle gains steam as Queenslanders brace for impact
Tropical Cyclone Narelle has been upgraded to a category 4 system as it approaches within 500km of the Australian coast, and residents of Far North Queensland have been told to prepare for the worst.
Bureau of Meteorology Senior Meteorologist Christy Johnson said residents in the Lockhart River and Cape Tribulation areas were likely to experience “storm-force winds and damaging and destructive winds” before the end of Thursday.
“As the hurricane crosses the coast, we could see a peak of very destructive winds in excess of 130 mph near the core of the system. Larger areas of destructive winds will reach up to 100 mph between the Lockhart River and Cooktown,” Ms Johnson said.
“This tropical cyclone warning area will experience heavy to heavy rainfall starting today, likely continuing Thursday night into Friday morning. Flash flooding will become an increasing concern as the cyclone approaches.”
“As Narelle approaches, abnormally high tides are expected to develop along the Far North Queensland coast, which could lead to flooding in low-lying areas.”
The bureau expects the hurricane to make landfall as a Category 4 storm Friday morning between the Lockhart River and Cape Melville.
It will then weaken and move westward, downgrading to a category 2 system when it passes the western tip of the Cape York Peninsula on Friday night.
The system is expected to regain momentum as it passes over the Gulf of Carpentaria into the Northern Territory and heads west across the Top End over the weekend.
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said it was time for people living between the Lockhart River and Cape Tribulation to prepare for severe weather on Thursday morning.
“People in the northernmost part of the state are tough, resilient and know how to deal with things, but this is one of the biggest events we’ve seen in a while,” he said.
“We’re just asking people to do the little things. Have a plan, make sure you’re yelling at your neighbor to have a plan. We’ve worked hard to get emergency services on the ground, they’re going door to door to make sure people are aware and taking this seriously.”
More to come
