Key Points
- Cyclone Jasper threatens Australian coast with destructive winds and heavy rain.
- Evacuations underway as the category four system approaches northern Queensland.
- It’s the first December cyclone in an El Nino year, defying typical weather patterns.
As of Saturday afternoon, the category four system was in the Coral Sea about 1,000 kilometres east of Cairns and had started to swing towards northern Queensland.
The cyclone is tipped to weaken to a category two system on Monday but may then intensify again on Wednesday as it approaches the coast, according to senior meteorologist Angus Hines.
“Wherever Jasper crosses it will be a significant weather event likely to bring damaging to destructive winds, heavy persistent rain that will lead to flooding, a storm surge along the coast and very dangerous conditions out over the water with large waves,” Hines said.
The system is the first tropical cyclone to form in Queensland waters in December in an El Nino year, which generally leads to fewer such weather events.
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