Cyclone Debbie downgraded, forecast to bring widespread flooding and torrential rain

CYCLONE Debbie may have been downgraded to a tropical low, but this devastating weather system is far from being done with us yet.

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March 29, 2017 - 9:48AM

Cyclone Debbie downgraded to a tropical low

CYCLONE Debbie has been downgraded to a tropical low, but forecasters say this brutal weather system is not done with us yet.

Widespread flooding and a month’s worth of rain is expected to inundate parts of Central and South East Queensland, as well as northern New South Wales, as the tropical low makes a left turn and heads south. As much as 250 millimetres of rain is tipped to fall in just 24 hours.

The heaviest rainfall is expected over Springsure (near Emerald) to Yepoon, just north of Rockhampton. As the system continues moving south it could bring major flooding later in the week.

‘SHOCK AND AWE’: Debbie’s devastation revealed

Damaging winds, with peak gusts of around 120km/h, continued after the cyclone crossed the coast. Currently the strongest wind gusts are affecting areas north of about Emerald to St Lawrence.

This image out of Proserpine was posted to Facebook by Rachel Harm with the caption: 'My yard and the neighbours shed which is now in my backyard' Picture: Rachel Harm/Facebook

Cyclone Debbie has been downgraded but is still packing a punch.

“There are families getting hammered by this,” Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told a press conference this morning, urging cyclone-battered residents to be careful as they emerged from what was left of their homes to assess the extent of Debbie’s wrath.

The cyclone, which crossed the Queensland coast as a Category 3 system yesterday afternoon, with wind gusts of more than 270km/h and 8-metre waves recorded, was downgraded to a tropical low about 3am today.

Damage from Cyclone Debbie at Shute Harbour close to Airlie Beach. Picture: Jess Millward/Twitter

Boats at Hamilton Island during Cyclone Debbie. Picture: Twitter

“Areas around the southeast coast, such as Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, could see falls between 50mm to 150mm in the next four days,” Weatherzone meteorologist Graeme Brittain told the Courier Mail.

“Damaging winds are also a possibility for this region, particularly coastal parts.”

The federal government is on standby to help with the clean-up, with soldiers, helicopters and planes ready to mobilise as the full extent of Debbie’s wrath reveals itself today.