A tropical low off the coast of Queensland is poised to become the first cyclone of the summer, according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM).
Tropical Cyclone Jasper
The weather system, currently near the Solomon Islands, is expected to intensify and track towards the northeastern Coral Sea by Wednesday, potentially developing into a severe tropical cyclone by Thursday.
More forecast
BOM’s tropical cyclone forecast indicates a chance of the system approaching the Queensland coast next week, with modelling suggesting it may reach category one cyclone status by late Tuesday and intensify to category three by Thursday. Meteorologist Steven Hadley noted that while some models hint at the cyclone approaching as far south as Brisbane, it would likely be an ex-tropical cyclone by then.
“There’s potential for a crossing next week or as early as late this weekend,” said Hadley, cautioning that the exact path remains uncertain. If the system develops into a cyclone near Australia, it will be named Jasper. Stay with us for further updates as the situation unfolds.
