US EditionNew Cyclone Could Hit Qld in Days
Forecasters say 10 tropical cyclones have formed in the Australian region this season, with Maila expected to weaken before landfall.
- Severe Tropical Cyclone Maila is tracking toward Far North Queensland, with the Bureau of Meteorology forecasting landfall between Cooktown and Lockhart River early next week as a Category 4 system about 1,300 kilometres offshore.
- After stalling in the Solomon Sea between Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, Maila resumed westward movement on Thursday. The system peaked at Category 5 intensity Wednesday before weakening to its current Category 4 status.
- Communities still recovering from Tropical Cyclone Narelle, which hit in March, face risks of destructive winds and flooding. Maila is expected to follow a similar path across Cape York Peninsula, compounding concerns for the flood-weary region.
- Elsewhere in the South Pacific, Tropical Cyclone Vaianu is tracking south of Fiji as a Category 3 system. The Fiji Meteorological Service warned of damaging winds and flooding, with models predicting the system will reach New Zealand over the weekend.
- Senior meteorologist Jonathan How said confidence in Maila's track toward Cape York Peninsula is increasing, but exact timing and strength remain subject to change. Authorities urge residents to monitor updates as the system approaches early next week.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Severe Tropical Cyclone Maila heading towards Queensland
Severe Tropical Cyclone Maila is on the move again today, with the weather system resuming its path towards Far North Queensland.It is currently sitting about 1300km from Australia but over coming days will gradually head south-west.The category four system, which is generating wind gusts of up to 260km/h, is forecast to cross the coast from next Monday, the Bureau of Meteorology said.READ MORE: Aussies trapped in Fiji as category three cyclone …
Tropical Cyclone Maila is located in the Solomon Sea, which strengthened to the highest category five on Wednesday with wind speeds of around 215 km/h. According to media reports, it could be the strongest tropical cyclone in this sea in the history of observations.
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