Cyclone Kimi upgraded to Category 2, stays off coast

A BoM tracking map predicts the cyclone will head south before turning back on itself but it will stay off the coast.

The Barron River at Cairns is already roaring, with more heavy rain expected from Tropical Cyclone Kimi. Picture: Brendan Radke

Tropical Cyclone Kimi has intensified to a Category Two storm but is no longer expected to cross the Queensland coastline.

The cyclone, currently off the coast of Innisfail, south of Cairns, was forecast to cross the coast near Lucinda, between Cairns and Townsville, on Tuesday morning, but a tracking map released by the Bureau of Meteorology on Monday afternoon predicted the cyclone would head south before turning back on itself and moving northward.

It would remain off the coast before downgrading to a low pressure system on Tuesday.

Forecasters warned the system would bring heavy falls between Cairns and Ayr of between 50 to 120mm, but some parts of the coast may record up to 200mm of rain in the 24 hours to Tuesday afternoon.

Southeast Queensland was also bracing for a deluge on Monday after severe storm cells began to develop in the afternoon.

Parts of the Darling Downs and Wide Bay regions - including Laidley, Boonah and Somerset - were expected to be the hardest hit, with the storms expected to move east towards the coast and bring heavy rain to Brisbane and the Gold and Sunshine Coasts.

Residents of the southeast have been told to brace for up to 50mm of rain, large hail, and damaging wind gusts.

Severe thunderstorms with heavy rain may continue overnight and into Tuesday morning, with showery weather expected through the first half of the week.

Fitzroy Island evacuated as cyclone nears

Cyclone Kimi is lashing coastal areas in far north Queensland, with authorities warning of dangerous flash flooding and winds of up to 150km per hour when it makes landfall later tonight

Around 200 residents of Fitzroy Island have been evacuated, and a major Cairns shopping centre has been forced to close its doors as the region awaits the extreme weather event.

Cyclone Kimi - the second cyclone of the season - is expected to intensify to a category two later on Monday afternoon. Authorities anticipate the cyclone will hit between Innisfail and Ingham, releasing a tropical cyclone warning for coastal and adjacent inland areas between Port Douglas, Cairns and Townsville.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk provides an update on Tropical Cyclone Kimi and COVID-19. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

“Heavy to intense rainfall and potentially dangerous flash flooding will be a risk about the tropical east coast over the next couple of days and as a result a flood watch is current for coastal catchments,” a BOM spokesperson said.

“Damaging to destructive winds of gusts up to 150km/h about to develop around the tropical east coast or may develop during the course of tomorrow depending on the part it takes.”

A red cyclone alert for boat operators has been issued for ports in Cairns, Port Douglas, Innisfail, Half Moon Bay Marina and Cooktown, meaning the ports are now only open for emergency movements.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has urged all residents to stay alert, warning the extreme weather event could become unpredictable.

“We want everyone in these regions up north to be listening to their radio, listening to the media messages because the BOM will be giving you updates every three hours, and cyclones are a little unpredictable and they will move during the course of the day,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

Phillip and Tammy Angel from Brinsmead walk along a deserted boardwalk near the Cairns Marlin Marina as the cyclone approaches and the rain sets in. Picture: Brendan Radke

The Premier also warned people to be on high alert for flooding, after authorities warned heavy rain is on the way.

“Can I please advise everyone if it’s flooded, forget it. Please listen to the warnings and the flood watch because we do expect there to be a lot of rain coming.”

Police Minister Mark Ryan said emergency crews were on standby in case Cyclone Kimi changed direction without warning.

“We’ve got swift water rescue crews already stood up in the north and far north and aircraft on standby to move them as the cyclone tracks to different locations,” he said.

“We’re on the ground now, we’re able to deploy those resources to other places should the cyclone track change and we’re working very closely with all the other stakeholders to make sure we’re ready for this event.”

Boats head out of the Cairns Marlin Marina and up toward Trinity Inlet after the Cairns harbour master instructed vessels to seek sheltered waters. Picture: Brendan Radke

Tropical cyclone menaces far north

The cyclone was gathering strength as it rolled ­towards the mainland, with the region between Cairns and Port Douglas bracing for impact on Monday afternoon.

Cyclone Kimi formed from a low pressure system in the Coral Sea on Sunday, and was tracking towards the coast at 9km/h.

It is currently a category-one storm but Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Kimba Wong said it was likely to intensify to a category-two before crossing the coast about 4pm. “It depends how much time it spends over water,” said Ms Wong.

The effects of Cyclone Kimi are likely to be felt along the far north coast, up to 200km inland.

“There is a cyclone warning current for the area from Cape Melville to Cardwell and inland to Palmerville and Chillagoe, and in that area we’re expecting the onset of gale-force winds in the next 24 hours with gusts up to 120km/h,” Ms Wong said.

An increase in Cyclone Kimi’s strength to a category-two storm would see those gusts build to a speed of 130km/h, in addition to heavy rainfall.

“We have a floodwatch current with much of the area at risk already saturated from the recent Cyclone Imogen,” Ms Wong said. “Hopefully, communities are well prepared. It is cyclone season and anyone seeking advice should refer to www.disaster.qld.gov.au.”

Premier Annastacia Palas­zczuk said emergency services were on full alert and ready to help. “North Queenslanders know what to do — listen to emergency warnings, and above all, stay off flooded roads,” she said on Sunday. “I just urge everyone to take care.”

It is the latest blow for a ­region already reeling from the crippling impact of COVID-19 on the crucial tourism industry.

While other parts of Queensland have benefited from a surge in intrastate travel, the reliance on international tourism has meant Cairns and Port Douglas have struggled, with revenues down $8m a day.

Ms Wong said the effects of Cyclone Kimi were likely to be limited to the state’s far north, with a southeasterly wind surge moving up the coast in the next week and keeping the impact of heavier rainfall away from the southeast.

The cyclone’s name was taken from a predetermined alphabetical list compiled by the BOM, alternating between male and female names. “People can propose names for future lists if they want to select one,” Ms Wong said.

“We do have some rules with the list. Names can be repeated but if the cyclone does have a significant impact, we ­retire that name.”

To that extent, Ms Wong said there would never be another “Cyclone Tracey” in Australia, after the devastating effects of the category-five storm that struck Darwin on Christmas Day 1974.

Larry and Yasi had also been taken off the list, following their impact on north Queensland in 2006 and 2011 respectively.