Cyclone DEBBIE Bears Down on QLD Coast
Evacuations have been ordered in coastal towns and communities in north Queensland as Tropical Cyclone DEBBIE threatens to generate damaging tidal surges.
DEBBIE is forecast to cross the Queensland coast early on Tuesday morning with winds of up to 230 km/h and significant tidal surges.
The Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) warns that it could be the worst cyclone since Cat 5 YASI, which devastated the same region in 2011.
BOM satellite showing Cyclone Debbie’s approach on Sunday afternoon./www.abc.net.au/
Details of Tropical Cyclone DEBBIE at 1:00 am AEST (UTC + 10:00) on Monday, March 27, 2017 issued by BOM:
Intensity: Category 2, sustained winds near the center of 100 km/h with wind gusts to 150 km/hr.
Location: within 35km of 18.5 degrees South 150.6 degrees East, estimated to be 405km east northeast of Townsville and 300km northeast of Bowen.
Movement: west southwest at 6 km/h.
Tropical cyclone DEBBIE remains a category 2 cyclone. It is continuing to move WSW towards the north Queensland coast and is forecast to intensify to a category 3 system during Monday. Tropical cyclone DEBBIE is likely to continue on a similar track and may intensify further to category 4 prior to making landfall between Rollingstone and Proserpine on Tuesday morning. [BOM]
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