Cruise ship turned back as state braces for cyclone, beaches prepare to close

Cyclone Gabrielle has formed off the Queensland coast, with new details on its predicted path revealed as a cruise ship has been turned back due to the threat of the approaching storm.

A cruise ship has been turned back as Cyclone Gabrielle has officially formed off the Queensland coast.

The Bureau of Meteorology confirmed about 1.45pm on Wednesday that Gabrielle had formed as a Category 1 system in the Coral Sea, as it released updated tracking information revealing the anticipated path.

The Bureau’s Brooke Pagel said the weather system was sitting 800km off Cairns on Wednesday morning and was expected to become Category 2 storm by Friday.

Senior meteorologist Miriam Bradbury said the cyclone remains west of Willis Island.

“It is still likely intensify as it makes its track to Norfolk Island,” Ms Bradbury said.

“We are also still expecting increased winds and swell on Friday and into the weekend,”

Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle has formed in the Coral Sea and will remain well offshore of the Queensland coast. Dangerous coastal conditions are expected along the southern and central Queensland coast over coming days. #CycloneGabriellehttps://t.co/rVLE6inSiGpic.twitter.com/nMvVWEQ2lr

— Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) February 8, 2023

The looming storm on Wednesday morning forced the Carnival cruise ship, Luminosa, to change direction.

The Luminosa was expected to reach Lifou, New Caledonia, on Wednesday but was instead forced to head to Brisbane.

In a letter to ship guests, Carnival Luminosa Captain Carmelo Marino said they had to deviate from the course to remain at a safe distance from the area of low pressure.

“Regrettably, given the forecasted path of the storm, we will not be able to deliver our planned South Pacific itinerary,” Mr Marino said.

The cruise has posted an on-board credit of $200, per stateroom for passengers to spend on the cruise along with an extended 50 per cent off future cruise credits.

Mr Marino said the team are attempting to plan a trip to Moreton Bay this Friday, weather permitting.

A Carnival Cruise Line spokesman added the ongoing safety of the ship’s guests and crew remained their priority and thanked the guests for their understanding.

The cyclone is expected to bring in big winds and swells off the coast of Mackay, Townsville and the Capricornia region over the coming days.

Ms Pagel said coastal winds could pick up to 30 knots by Thursday.

“At the moment we are expecting it to intensify into a Category two cyclone by Friday, so we are keeping an eye on it,” she said.

The cyclone is expected to swing back around and run parallel to the coast in a southeast trajectory.

“She’s playing very nicely at the moment and with all our modelling it’s pretty easy to track,” Ms Pagel said.

“It could potentially become a Category three cyclone, but at the moment it’s still too soon to tell.”

A cyclone is expected to form off Queensland on Friday. Picture: BOM

Lifeguards on the Gold and Sunshine coasts are preparing to close beaches if the cyclone whips up a huge swell as expected, despite a forecasted weekend heatwave.

Gold Coast chief lifeguard Chris Maynard said there was still uncertainty about the cyclone track and likely coastal impacts “but there’s definitely going to be a swell event of some type”.

“There’s a solid swell forecast for Friday into Saturday and we will be monitoring the situation closely to see if we need to close some or all beaches,” he said.

Mr Maynard warned the forecast big swell would be for experienced surfers only to tackle.

Shark nets are likely to be pulled up in the coming days to prevent them being dragged out to sea.

Contingency plans have been put in place for a major surf carnival scheduled for the Gold Coast this weekend, featuring some of Australia’s top ironmen and ironwomen.

The Shaw and Partners Shannon Eckstein Ironman Classic has been set down for Northcliffe near Surfers Paradise but back-up locations including Currumbin Estuary are on standby as the swell builds.

Ms Pagel said hazardous surf was expected along the southeast coast with seas reaching about 1-1.5m, with swells of between 2-3m.

“As it runs parallel to the coast and moves south, it will likely have waters picking up in the southeast with hazardous surf on Friday and Saturday,” she said.

“On the Friday we are looking at around 15-25 knots in the Gold coast region.”

Thunderstorms were also developing in the state’s northwest, with rainfalls of up to 50mm anticipated in some parts.

The storms were expected to directly impact areas west of Longreach.

“The way that this system is set up is not really our typical summer thunderstorm movement,” Ms Pagel said.

“Showers are just being triggered from that trough with that extra tropical heat up the north.”

Southeast Queensland is expected to be partly cloudy on Wednesday with daytime maximums of 32C and a south-easterly breeze, according to the BOM.

Similar conditions are expected over the next few days.

“Going into Saturday temperatures are warming up a bit with Brisbane reaching 32C, Beaudesert 34C, Ipswich 35C, Maroochydore 30C and Surfers Paradise 30C,” Ms Pagel said.

The coastal fringe could see showers of between 1-2mm toward the end of the week.

Ms Pagel said the Darling Downs had also been issued a high fire danger alert.

Originally published as Cruise ship turned back as state braces for cyclone, beaches prepare to close