Gale force winds and heavy rain forecast in Queensland

Mar 19 2021 - Views: 439

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Tropical Cyclone Niran is able to turn to intensify into a Category 3 storm when it continues to develop on the coast of Far North Queensland.

Although the worst of the storm is still far from 300km out to sea, officers told that residents along the coast to brace for extreme conditions as they deal with the damage already done.

Meteorologists say that northern parts of the state have been spared, luckily, it experienced wind gusts much lighter than originally forecast, but the storm is still continuing to come out to sea.

Innisfail in Cairns to Cape Melville, the warning of a cyclone is still current. This rain weather condition now is estimated to be 300 kilometers northeast of Cairns and 310 kilometers east northeast of Cooktown with the slow movement.

When the cyclone strengthens, gales are caused in exposed coastal and island communities between Cape Melville and Innisfail. Areas including Cooktown, Port Douglas, and Cairns could experience gusts up to 100km per hour.

Sarah Scully from the Bureau of Meteorology told Today that it was expected to remain relatively stationary, perhaps moving slightly towards the coast before becoming mobile tomorrow where it would start to move south-eastwards away from mainland Australia towards Noumea and possibly towards Norfolk Island.

The tropical storm is not expected to make landfall. However, its influence can occur on the coast, particularly there maybe cyclones on the exposed coast and the island communities.

"There is a cyclone warning current and that is between Cape Melville, all the way down to Innisfail, including Cairns and Port Douglas. So in the beginning, winds can reach up to 100km per hour throughout today, and the worst or the heaviest rainfall totals can be closer to the center of the cyclone.

Moreover, “There may still be some heavier rainfalls with rainfall in excess of 100mm per day in the convective bands that feed into the system."

After the storm, residents facing a major clean-up this morning. More than 100,000 lightning strikes recorded in the Ipswich area and the Brisbane suburb of Greenbank was smashed with more than 70mm of rain in half an hour.

Nearly 43,000 homes see the backouts because of fallen trees and destructive winds on Monday so that emergency crews have restored power to most of those affected.

Banana plantations in the far north also got the extreme influence of this weather condition when hundreds of crops flattened and torn in half.

Queenslanders will be breathing a sigh of relief when the system moves offshore from tomorrow.

Although the west is also facing damaging storms in Perth last night, it is still expected to have more storm weather forecast today.

Elsewhere, cool onshore winds are bringing showers to Tasmania while wet weather is forecast for parts of northern NSW today.

In Melbourne, conditions will be mostly cloudy and 18C degrees while Adelaide will be fine and sunny with a top of 26C.

When having storms, it is advised to stay at home. In the necessary case to go out, you need to prepare rainy weather outfits, keep in mind some weather tips to protect your life.