Cyclone ITA Intensifying

SEVERE TROPICAL CYCLONE IN CORAL SEA
.

Severe Tropical Cyclone ITA (23P) Targeting Northern Australia

Tropical Cyclone ITA could strengthen to a category 4A hurricane equivalent force, packing sustained winds of about 210km/h, with wind gusts of more than 250km/h, on its approach to northern Australia coastline.

At 06:00 UTC on April 8, 2014, the cyclone was  positioned at 11.8ºS, 152.9ºE  (+/- 35km), according to ABOM.

ITA was moving northwestward at about 5km/h.

Tropical Cyclone ITA (23P), WV Satellite Image (FIRE-EARTH ENHANCEMENT) at 08:32UTC on April 8, 2014.  Initial image sourced from UW/CIMSS.

Severe Tropical Cyclone ITA (23P) – Projected track Map. Source: ABOM

Australian Bureau of Meteorology (ABOM) said:

SEVERE TROPICAL CYCLONE ITA, CATEGORY 3, remains south of Papua New Guinea and is about 1030 km east of Lockhart River, and 920 km east northeast of Cooktown. The system has moved slowly westwards over the past few hours.

Severe Tropical Cyclone ITA is expected to remain too far offshore to have a significant influence on the weather along the Queensland coast through until at least the end of Wednesday; however the threat is expected to increase later this week. 

Note:

A Severe Tropical Cyclone 3 on the Australian scale punches winds speeds equivalent to a category 1 hurricane .
A Severe Tropical Cyclone 4 on the Australian scale is equivalent to a category 2-3 hurricane.

Related Links

• FEWW New Hurricane Scale