Australia news live: Tropical Cyclone Narelle dips below category-five strength hours before hitting Queensland coast | Australia news

Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle is on track to make landfall at Cape York this morning, likely as a “high-end” category four storm.

The Bureau of Meteorology’s latest update suggests the system, which is being tracked as a category five tropical cyclone, has weakened slightly overnight but remains a significant danger to some communities in northern Queensland.

Sustained winds of 195 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 270 kilometers per hour were recorded.

Emergency warnings have been issued for Lockhart River, Port Stewart and Coen.

Narelle is expected to make landfall between 07:00 and 10:00 Queensland time (AEDT). Tracking maps show the tornado heading directly toward the small town of Coen.

It remains approximately 110 km from the community and is moving at approximately 21 km per hour

Hurricanes usually weaken by the time they reach land, but Narelle’s intensity means it could remain devastating as it passes Cape York and eventually reaches communities on the western cape.

Officials warn of combined threats of strong winds, heavy rain, flooding from already swollen river systems and the storm surge that occurs when a hurricane arrives along with a tidal event.