Cyclone Kirrily 'certain' to hit Queensland coast on Thursday - 9News

A tropical low intensifying off the coast of North Queensland will form into Cyclone Kirrily on Thursday, with residents warned to act now to prepare.

Premier Steven Miles today, with the Bureau of Meteorology, confirmed they are
"now certain" the developing system will form between Innisfail and Airlie Beach.

Severe impact is likely especially if the cyclone crosses near or south of Townsville.

The cyclone could make landfall between Cairns and Mackay. (Weatherzone)

"It's expected to lose its intensity and weaken when it travels south, where it could impact with heavy rainfall around central and south-east Queensland," Miles said.

"Preparations by our disaster management team are well underway."

Queensland's Fire and Emergency Services from south of the state are making their way up north to provide aid to crews in preparation for the cyclone.

While the expected landfall is still days away, the Bureau of Meteorology has forecast the cyclone to be at "tropical cyclone strength" by tomorrow. 

Winds with damaging gusts of up to 120km/h, heavy rainfall and a risk of flash flooding is expected to hit coastal and island communities between Ayre and St Lawrence as early as Wednesday morning.

Premier Steven Miles confirmed Cyclone Kirrily will form and hit on Thursday. (Nine)

Kirrily is feared to reach category 3, with North Queensland in the firing line of severe impacts just weeks after suffering Cyclone Jasper just before Christmas.

"We have issued a tropical cyclone watch, meaning we could see impacts within 48 hours along the coast of Queensland," Laura Boekel from the Bureau of Meteorology said.

"The watch is current from Ayr to St Lawrence, that includes Mackay and the Whitsunday Islands as well."

Expected rainfall looking ahead to Friday, with areas in blue indicating more than 300mm. (Weatherzone)

Residents from Innisfail to Airlie Beach are urged to prepare long-life food and water supplies, fill up their vehicles with petrol and have a power pack at home as it could take emergency services up to 72 hours to reach devastated towns.

"You've got to be prepared for it, I mean, that's a part of being in North Queensland," one resident told 9News.

Other communities along the coast down to the Sunshine Coast and south-east Queensland are also told to prepare for the worst.

"If the cyclone veers 100 kilometres south, it'll be another version of Cyclone Debbie," Mackay Mayor Greg Williamson warned. 

Disaster teams have assured residents the state's power supply is prepared to cope with the incoming disaster.

Queenslanders are advised to stay up to date with forecasts and warnings.

The tropical low will strengthen into Tropical Cyclone Kirrily within hours. (Weatherzone)

Tropical conditions raise temperatures in Brisbane 

As tropical conditions brew up north following the cyclone and monsoon, the added moisture in the air has put Brisbane through a severely hot and humid day.

Increasing dew point, clear skies and calm winds made temperatures in the mid-30s feel closer to the low to mid-40s.

The mercury rose to a high of 35.7 degrees.

The unbearable humidity is due to increased moisture in the air, brought on by a sandwich of northerly tropical conditions and southerly warm sea temperatures, a Bureau of Meteorology spokesperson said.

"It's very, very muggy," the spokesperson said. 

While January maximum temperatures were on par with this time last year, the average minimum temperature has risen by one degree.

The weather in Brisbane today felt upwards of 40 degrees as the high humidity exacerbated hot conditions. (Weatherzone)

And rising overnight temperatures today mean residents will not get a break from the uncomfortably warm conditions.

"This makes a big difference, people are not able to let their body recover from the heat of the day," the spokesperson said. 

Across the state, Birdsville recorded the hottest temperature of 44.5 degrees, followed by Longreach at 42, Miles at 41 and Roma at 40.8. 

The number of calls for ambulance help rose by 20 per cent. 

Today would be one of the paramedics' busiest days of the year, Queensland Ambulance Service's Medical Doctor Stephen Rashford said.

"There'll be strokes, there'll be exacerbation of chronic lung disease, there'll be someone having a heart attack," he said.

"We'll see more cardiac arrests today than we'll see other days."

Brisbane and greater areas are under alert for a heatwave this week. (Fairfax Media)

Energy Minister Mick De Brenni anticipated the state would exceed its previous record demand for power when residents return home for the evening.

Hot conditions will continue throughout the week, with temperatures to average 30 degrees until Sunday. 

Heatwave warnings have been issued residents in Bowen, Birdsville, Bundaberg, Brisbane, Gladstone, Ipswich, Longreach, Roma, Thargomindah and Yeppoon.

The severe heatwave currently over southern and eastern Queensland is expected to move into central parts throughout the week.

Conditions will, however, ease over the south-east coast, including parts of Brisbane, from tomorrow but will peak over the south-west about the same time. 

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2024-01-22 08:36:38Z
CBMijAFodHRwczovL3d3dy45bmV3cy5jb20uYXUvbmF0aW9uYWwvcXVlZW5zbGFuZC1jeWNsb25lLXRyb3BpY2FsLWxvdy1odXJkbGVzLXRvd2FyZHMtYXVzdHJhbGlhcy1lYXN0LWNvYXN0L2YyNzNlNDAxLWY1ZTEtNDNkNi04YWRlLTczNzYzNWI5YTNiNdIBRWh0dHBzOi8vYW1wLjluZXdzLmNvbS5hdS9hcnRpY2xlL2YyNzNlNDAxLWY1ZTEtNDNkNi04YWRlLTczNzYzNWI5YTNiNQ

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