Queensland, Australia, Jan. 19, 2024 – A tropical low in the Coral Sea is set to become a cyclone by Monday, raising concerns of a “significant risk” for the Queensland coast from Tuesday, according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM).
Possible Cyclone Details
Initially slow-moving, the system is expected to take a southerly track from Sunday to Tuesday. Senior forecaster Felim Hanniffy acknowledges uncertainty, noting it could track “anywhere from Mt Isa to New Caledonia.”
Models suggest a west or south-westerly direction initially, but later projections diverge, indicating substantial uncertainty in its path.
Hanniffy emphasises that the system’s direction will become clearer once the cyclone forms. “The intensity of the tropical cyclone will dictate how it will move.”
This would be the second cyclone since Jasper last December, prompting advisories for Queensland’s east coast communities to stay updated with forecasts.
Severe storms are forecast for southern Queensland, with possible thunderstorms and heavy rains in the state’s west and far north. The Darling Downs faces the risk of intense local rainfall.
Record rains have saturated many regions, heightening the risk of flash flooding in the southeast and far north.
In less than three weeks, rainfall totals for parts of the southeast have already doubled the January average, according to BoM. Notable figures include 738mm near the northern New South Wales border, 566mm in Wongawallan, 526mm in Caloundra, and over 500mm in Innisfail. Authorities urge residents to stay vigilant as the region braces for potential impacts from the developing cyclone.
