Warning as THREE potential cyclones brewing off Australia’s coast
A storm system developing off the Queensland coast could become a tropical cyclone within a couple of days.
Residents along Queensland’s central coast are being urged to keep up to date with weather forecasts as the state's first tropical cyclone potentially forms in the Coral Sea.
It’s just one of three systems brewing in Australian waters this week, all with the potential to reach tropical cyclone status by Wednesday.
The low off Fiji is currently a “cluster of thunderstorms,” according to Weatherzone, but is set to develop later today or tomorrow into a tropical cyclone.
“Most models have it at a tropical cyclone strength by Thursday morning, potentially Wednesday night,” meteorologist Jess Miskelly told Yahoo News Australia.
Fortunately by this point the system, which would be known as Tropical Cyclone Freddy, is expected to still be offshore.
“The general position is off the coast at about the latitude of Mackay or Townsville on Thursday morning, and then during Friday moving southwards, potentially slightly closer to the coast,” Ms Miskelly explained.
‘Gusty thunderstorms’ on the way for Queensland
While at this stage Cyclone Freddy isn’t expected to make landfall, it’s predicted to bring damaging winds and “gusty thunderstorms” to the Queensland coast.
“Certainly with the current track there looks like being some gusty winds around the central coast areas, so most likely between about Proserpine and Hervey Bay we could see wind gusts up around the 80 kilometre an hour mark, possibly blowing going higher,” the forecaster said.
It's likely that a tropical cyclone will develop over the central Coral Sea this week. Here's one scenario, from ECMWF HRES. https://t.co/QCtbigPtOM pic.twitter.com/iGcfS1nrJe
— Andrew Miskelly (@andrewmiskelly) February 5, 2023
“The windiest day looks like being Thursday but that could continue into Friday depending on how quickly the low moves away from the coast.”
After its brush with Queensland, Cyclone Freddy is expected to move away from the coast in a southeast direction during Friday and Saturday
Two potential cyclones off Western Australia coast
As Queenslanders prepare for a windy week, a further two potential cyclones are on the cards for Australian waters.
While there is a “decent chance” that a tropical low off the west coast will develop into a tropical cyclone, it’s so far west over the Cocos Islands that mainland Australia isn’t likely to feel any impact.
“There is another low pressure system that is expected to deepen over the next 24 hours northwest of the Kimberley that also has the potential to be a tropical cyclone by tomorrow,” Ms Miskelly added. “[It is] also expected to remain offshore, tracking southwest and staying well off the Pilbara coast as it does so.”
Ms Miskelly did however say that weather forecasts are very subject to change so advised people to stay up to date with the current forecasts.
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