Weather 'Watch Zone' blankets Port Douglas
Weather Watch
The Bureau of Meteorology has tropical low 29U in the Coral Sea tracking on a path that could impact Port Douglas, with a community threat “Watch Zone” in place this morning, Thursday March 5, for the FNQ region stretching from Cooktown to Palm Island.
Senior meteorologist Jonathan Howe said the active monsoon period across northern Australia s bringing a lot of rain and showers right across northern Australia, particularly to the northeastern parts of Queensland.
The Tropical Low 29U is tracking west southwest at 9km per hour, and has wind speeds of 65km/hr near its centre, with gusts recorded at up to 95km/h.
In the Coral Sea to the north of Willis Island at 4am on Thursday, the low is expected to move to the west-southwest throughout the day, taking it towards the North Tropical Coast.
There is a moderate chance of Tropical Low 29U developing into a tropical cyclone before it makes landfall on the North Tropical Coast during Friday.
Heavy rainfall across the region has triggered a major flood warning for the Herbert River, with a minor flood warning in place for the Daintree River.
“Because catchments are so wet, flood watches remain in place, particularly given how much rain we have seen recently and with further rainfall forecast,” Mr Howe said.
“We are monitoring two tropical lows to the north of the country, one over the Coral Sea and another over the Gulf of Carpentaria,” he said on Tuesday.
Mr Howe said there are still a “range of scenarios”, however, the Bureau of Meteorology has increasing confidence this system will approach the northeast coast of Queensland later this week and cross either as a tropical low or a tropical cyclone.
“The northeast coast of Queensland will see increased rain from Thursday, more likely from Friday, and this extends all the way down the Queensland coast through the weekend,” he said.
“We are reminding communities right across Northern Queensland and Gulf areas to keep across our latest tropical cyclone seven-day forecast as we do get a better idea of what we’re expecting.”