Grey nomads in Queensland’s Gulf of Carpentaria are being warned to batten down the hatches with a high chance that a cyclone will form there tonight.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) says a tropical low was moving over Mornington Island early this morning, with wind gusts of up to 95 kilometres per hour hitting the community.
It says the low is expected to continue moving south-west towards the Northern Territory border, where it has a more than 50% cent chance of turning into a category one cyclone.
“It would be the first cyclone of the season … if it develops it will be called Alfred,” BOM forecaster Janine Yusa said. “Today, the Gulf coast could get 50mm to 100mm quite easily, … over the weekend, some of that rain could move inland to places like Doomadgee and Burketown.”
Gulf communities were being told to prepare for winds of more than 125kph, heavy rain and large waves.
The ABC reports that the chance of the cyclone forming would be highly dependent on the system taking a track over water during the next 24 hours. It says the possible cyclone is then forecast to boomerang back from the NT towards Mornington Island again.
There is a chance it could strengthen into a category two system by Saturday.
The warning zone for the tropical low stretches from the Northern Territory border to Burketown.
· Are you in the Gulf Country at the moment? Have you ever been in a cyclone? Comment below
