Tropical Cyclone could form in the Coral Sea by next week

While the likelihood of a tropical cyclone forming in the eastern region remains very low today, Thursday and Friday, the weather bureau says that may change at the weekend.

Windy Weather predictions for Monday, February 10.

A TROPICAL Cyclone could form in the Coral Sea by early next week, the Bureau of Meteorology has advised.

In its Tropical Cyclone Outlook for the Coral Sea, issued at 2.30pm Tuesday for the period until midnight Friday, the Bureau outlined the potential cyclone.

While the likelihood of a tropical cyclone forming in the easter region remains very low today, Thursday and Friday, the Bureau said that could change at the weekend.

"A monsoon trough extends from Cape York Peninsula to the northern Coral Sea region," the Bureau said in its outlook.

"A weak tropical low lies along the trough southwest of the Solomon Islands with little or no convection.

"The tropical low is expected to remain slow moving during the week. Environmental conditions are expected to improve from the weekend with moderate potential for tropical cyclone development late in the weekend or early next week."

The outlook aligns with new analysis released today by Sky News Weather, which is predicting the heaviest rain in years to cause flooding and extinguish bushfires along the eastern seaboard during the coming week.

Windy Weather predictions for Monday, February 10.

Sky Weather experts said the 'major rain event' would impact more than 10 million Australians living between Rockhampton and East Gippsland, including Brisbane and Sydney.

"Rain is already falling over Queensland with parts of the Sunshine Coast receiving more than 100mm in the past 24-hours. The rain will increase and spread south during the next 48-hours, with a very moist air mass from the Coral and Tasman Sea pushing further south," Sky Weather predicted.

"From this Friday to next Tuesday widespread heavy rain and thunderstorms will soak the eastern seaboard from tropical Queensland right down to the Victorian coastline.

"Weekly rain totals will exceed 100mm for much of the coast and ranges from Fraser Island to the New South Wales south coast.

"The north coast of NSW, which suffered through the driest year on record in 2019, should see closer to 300mm.

"Some areas west of the Great Divide may even receive more than 100mm of rain, which would represent two months' worth of rain for both coastal and inland regions and will be the heaviest rain received in years for eastern Australia.

Sky Weather said while the rain would be a welcomed by most, there was a risk of both flash flooding and river flooding.

"The heavy rain will provide significant drought relief for Queensland and NSW and will extinguish most of the fires burning along our eastern seaboard," they said.

Originally published as Tropical Cyclone could form in the Coral Sea by next week