Category four cyclone to hit QueenslandResidents warned tomorrow will be too late to prepare
Queensland residents have been warned today is the last day to prepare as a category four cyclone barrels towards the state.
The Bureau of Meteorology said that Tropical Cyclone Narelle will cross the far north coast on Friday and bring wind gusts of up to 230km/h and as much as 100mm of rainfall.
After crossing Cape York, the storm is expected to impact the Northern Territory before moving into Western Australia‘s Kimberley coast.
When it reaches the NT, it is likely to be downgraded to a category three storm.
The cyclone is expected to intensify into a category five system at 7pm on Thursday
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli urged residents to prepare immediately, with monstrous winds set to batter parts of the state on Thursday.
‘By this time tomorrow you’re not going to be able to go to the shops and pick up what you haven’t got,’ he says.
‘Do those little things today.’
Queensland residents have been warned today is the last day to prepare as a category four cyclone barrels towards the state
Cooktown, north of Cairns, appears to be in the system’s sights after it makes landfall further north at Coen.
Mr Crisafulli warned it would bring powerful winds that many residents had never experienced before in their life.
‘It’ll actually go across, and it’ll still be packing a punch as it goes through the Gulf on the western side as well,’ he said.
‘We’re just asking people to take it seriously because it is a big system.’
The last time the state experienced such a powerful weather system was when Tropical Cyclone Trevor hit in 2019.
A warning zone has been declared between Lockhart River and Cape Tribulation.
A watch zone has been established across the Central Peninsula between Kowanyama and Weipa.
More than 100 emergency services personnel have been deployed to the areas that are expected to be hardest hit.
Like many laid-back locals, Luke Pote doesn’t usually stay up to date with weather advice at his remote community (pictured, flooding in Chinchilla on March 13)
The Queensland Fire Department has advised residents to bring themselves up to date on the location of the refuge centres.
‘It’s been a full on wet season and we’re not finished yet,’ Cairns Division Acting Superintendent Neal Getti said.
‘We’re going to get a lot of rain with this system. Please don’t enter floodwaters.’
Despite the extreme conditions, residents like Luke Pote are continuing business as usual.
Mr Pote owns Cooktown Orchid Travellers Park, one of the town’s only grocery stores.
‘We’ve got heaps of beer, food and fuel – we’re good to go,’ he said on Wednesday.
‘We don’t worry about it until it’s right on our doorstop. There’s nothing you can do about it anyway.
‘The generators are ready to go – we plan for the wet season every year. We stock up on potatoes and pumpkins.’
Mr Pote was shocked to discover the strength of Narelle.
‘Really? Wow. I try not to watch the weather, but oh well. She’ll be right,’ he said.
‘Honestly, it hasn’t been that bad – there’s not too much panic buying yet, I reckon there might be a bit of a rush though if we get hit by a five.
‘But there’s not much you can do but wait it out and get ready for the clean-up.’
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Tropical Cyclone Narelle barrels towards Queensland as Aussies are warned to prepare NOW before it’s too late