EbonyHerald Stores Ebony Herald News24
A cyclone watch has been issued for coastal communities in the southern Gulf of Carpentaria as the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) warns of a growing possibility of a cyclone developing over the region.
Communities from Port Roper in the Northern Territory to Burketown in Queensland, including Borroloola, Groote Eylandt, and Mornington Island, are being urged to prepare for strong winds and heavy rainfall from Thursday into the weekend, as the low moves across the NT’s .Top End
According to BOM, it is expected to bring gale-force wind gusts and widespread rainfall totals of 50 to 100 millimetres to affected communities, as well as isolated heavier falls of up to 200mm.
BOM’s Shenagh Gamble said on Wednesday there was a 40 per cent chance of the tropical low developing into a cyclone — up from 30 per cent earlier this week — with the system most likely to strengthen overnight on Thursday or during Friday.
A Bureau of Meteorology track map showing the likely path of a tropical low near the NT/ Queensland border.
She said the low had developed out of a monsoon trough impacting the Top End.
“Embedded within that monsoon trough, we’ve seen a tropical low slowly develop and move from the western coast over towards the east coast of the Top End,” she said.
“During today we have seen further development of that tropical low around about Groote Eylandt in the Gulf of Carpentaria.
“We do expect, with the favourable conditions in the Gulf of Carpentaria, that that system could develop into a tropical cyclone.”
Ms Gamble said if the low-pressure system did develop into a cyclone, it was expected to track west into the Northern Territory before quickly weakening over land.
“It’s expected to stay within the south-west part of the Gulf of Carpentaria, but bringing fairly widespread windy conditions,” she said.
“It will stay over water … during Thursday and Friday, although over the weekend we expect it to cross the coast in the south-west of the Gulf of Carpentaria and continue west across the Northern Territory again.”
Communities in watch zone urged to prepare
NT Emergency Services director Fleur O’Connor said residents of communities within the watch zone should begin preparing for the possibility of a tropical cyclone and stay up-to-date with further advice.
She said the bureau’s cyclone watch had automatically triggered an emergency situation for the area, with the regional emergency committee due to meet throughout this week.
“[Committee members] have been meeting over the last two days and will continue to meet while there is a threat of the cyclone,” she said.
“[The committees] will be meeting regularly, getting updates on the weather situation and start preparing their community for the impact of a cyclone.
“That might be cleaning up, ensuring that members of the community understand the weather situation that’s likely to impact their community, and really … telling people to get ready.”
Ms O’Connor also warned there would likely be road closures across the Top End and the gulf in the coming days.
“There have been waters that have risen up over roads, where it has maybe impacted transport companies moving to their destination. But we’re monitoring those locations as they come up,” she said.
