Communities in Far North Queensland, still reeling from floodwater, road closures and destroyed infrastructure from the previous flood event, are now being warned to prepare for another hit of severe weather.
The Bureau of Meteorology has given the system a 60% chance of developing into a cyclone by Thursday night, posing the threat of more heavy rain, rough seas, and strong winds to communities north of Cairns, which have already copped a soaking in wet weather over the past few weeks.
The latest threat comes after a tough weekend for the far north.
Rainfall totals of over 400mm were recorded in areas between Cooktown and Port Douglas, while the Rex Creek gauge at Mossman Gorge recorded 479mm in 48 hours to Sunday afternoon.
Cairns recorded 258.6mm in the 24 hours to Monday morning, its biggest March daily fall since 2018, the bureau said.
At Daintree Village, the river was at 7.25m on Sunday, high enough to cause concern among residents but not high enough to reach homes.
After driving into floodwater at Kamerunga and Mossman on Sunday morning, two women were hauled from the roofs of their vehicles, prompting new cautions against taking risks on flooded roads.
Cyclone risk is now materializing as Queensland struggles to cope with an expanded flood crisis.
The state government announced that flood warnings remain in effect throughout Queensland, and travelers have been advised to continue checking road conditions before traveling.
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However, this overall situation has intensified the situation in the far north, where catchments have been saturated, and another intense system is expected to cause creeks and rivers to rise once again.
A senior meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology said, 34U is a “weather system to watch.”
Regardless of whether it develops into a cyclone or not, the message for Far North Queensland is much the same: be aware, expect change and hope the brief respite in rain lasts long enough for communities to catch their breath.
