Cyclone Narelle: Warnings issued for Queensland coastline as storm intensifies to category 5

Far North Queensland is bracing for the impact of Cyclone Narelle, expected to be the biggest cyclone to hit the region in nine years.

The storm formed in the Coral Sea between Queensland’s east coast and Vanuatu, and was upgraded to tropical cyclone status on Tuesday afternoon.

As of Thursday afternoon, forecasters predict it will cross in the sparsely populated region between Lockhart River and Cape Melville on Friday morning, with a severe impact “very likely”.

It is expected to weaken as it crosses Queensland, but to strengthen to cyclone status again as it moves west over the Gulf of Carpentaria towards the Northern Territory.

Nine state schools have closed as conditions worsened before landfall, and would reopen when it was safe for staff and students to attend.

Premier David Crisafulli said the government was “keeping an eye” on more than 10 other schools within the warning zone.

Thanks for joining us today for our live coverage of the approaching category 5 Cyclone Narelle, we’ll be back on deck with more live coverage tomorrow morning.

The cyclone is expected to first make landfall about 7am on Friday and is said to be the biggest to hit the region in nine years.

Residents in the areas that are forecast to be hit by the storm are advised to monitor updates from the Bureau of Meteorology, the government’s disaster advice website and Queensland Police.

Winds speeds approaching the level of a Formula 1 car have been recorded as Cyclone Narelle continues to build intensity on its passage towards the Queensland coast.

It remains a category 5 system, and near the centre wind speeds are estimated at 220km/h. Gusts are reaching about 315km/h.

The Bureau of Meteorology said on Thursday afternoon the weather system was still on track to cross the coast between Lockhart River and Cape Melville on Friday morning.

This masthead will be following developments as they emerge.

Emergency services have urged everyone in the impact zone to prepare for destructive winds and heavy rain.

Far North Queensland is bracing for the impact of Cyclone Narelle, expected to be the biggest cyclone to hit the region in nine years.

The storm formed in the Coral Sea between Queensland’s east coast and Vanuatu, and was upgraded to tropical cyclone status on Tuesday afternoon.

As of Thursday afternoon, forecasters predict it will cross in the sparsely populated region between Lockhart River and Cape Melville on Friday morning, with a severe impact “very likely”.

It is expected to weaken as it crosses Queensland, but to strengthen to cyclone status again as it moves west over the Gulf of Carpentaria towards the Northern Territory.

Nine state schools have closed as conditions worsened before landfall, and would reopen when it was safe for staff and students to attend.

Premier David Crisafulli said the government was “keeping an eye” on more than 10 other schools within the warning zone.

Just under 800 students have remained at home while communities near Coen brace for the arrival of Cyclone Narelle.

Premier David Crisafulli confirmed nine state schools had shuttered doors today, and said some schools could be used as shelters if needed as the storm crossed Cape York.

“The remaining schools in the warning zone will be closed from tomorrow,” he said.

The premier previously said up to 22 schools were in the cyclone’s impact zone.

The following schools in the state’s north are closed until further notice.

• Bloomfield River State School
• Coen Campus of CYAAA
• Cooktown State School
• Hopevale Campus of CYAAA
• Lakeland State School
• Laura State School
• Lockhart State School
• Mungalla Silver Lining School
• Rossville State School

Cyclone Narelle has sped up in its approach to the Queensland coast, and wind gusts of almost 300km/h have now been recorded.

It remains a category five system, and is moving west at about 28km/h with sustained wind speeds of 215km/h near the centre.

It is still expected to cross the north coast between Lockhart River and Cape Melville on Friday morning.

“A severe impact is very likely,” a 2pm update from the Bureau of Meteorology said.

Premier David Crisafulli said this afternoon it was too late to evacuate the area, and urged remaining residents to reinforce their homes and secure emergency supplies.

“If you’re watching this now and thinking that it might not be quite that serious, it is,” he said.

Premier David Crisafulli says that for people in the path of Cyclone Narelle, the window for evacuating to other areas has closed.

“The last thing we want is people on the roads, and into the afternoon, but people still have time to make their individual plan.”

He urged residents to use the remaining hours before the storm hit to reinforce their homes and secure emergency supplies.

“If you’re watching this now and thinking that it might not be quite that serious, it is,” he said.

Crisafulli said the state was working with evacuation posts, including the Coen community centre, to ensure the shelters were properly resourced.

“We’ll make sure that they have supplies,” Crisafulli said.

Cyclone Narelle is expected to cross the Queensland coast as a category 5 system, the Bureau of Meteorology says.

The system is expected to cross about 10am on Friday, the bureau’s Matthew Collopy said.

“It is a very intense system,” he warned.

The township of Coen, with several hundred people, was probably the biggest population centre in the system’s path, he said.