Gulf cyclone to bring 150mm+ rain to North QLD
A CYCLONE forming in the Gulf of Carpentaria is likely to bring big rain to North Queensland next week.
The Bureau of Meteorology's cyclone outlook says there is a high chance of a tropical cyclone developing on Sunday.
If it were to form on the weekend, it would be named Cyclone Esther.
"A broad area of low pressure lies over the northern Gulf of Carpentaria as a monsoon trough develops," the bureau's cyclone outlook says, adding a tropical low was likely to form today.
"During the weekend, the tropical low is expected to develop quickly with an increasing risk of tropical cyclone formation in the Gulf of Carpentaria from later on Saturday or early Sunday.
QLD FRIDAY: A tropical low is developing in the Gulf which could become a cyclone on Monday. This system will heavily...
Posted by Higgins Storm Chasing on Thursday, 20 February 2020
"Initial movement of the tropical low will likely be slow and erratic before moving in a general south to southwest direction towards southwestern parts of the Gulf of Carpentaria later in the weekend."
While most weather models suggest the tropical low system will move west, the system is still expected to bring above average rainfall for North Queensland.
Showers and thunderstorms are on the cards for Townsville, Ayr and Ingham over the next week, which will cool down the hot and humid days of recent weeks.
Official forecasts
Townsville
Saturday: 10 to 30mm rain | Very high chance of showers, chance of a thunderstorm
Sunday: 10 to 30mm rain | Very high chance of showers, chance of a thunderstorm
Monday: 10 to 30mm rain | Very high chance of showers, chance of a thunderstorm
Tuesday: 4 to 15mm rain | High chance of showers, chance of a thunderstorm
Wednesday: 2 to 10mm rain | Medium chance of showers, chance of a thunderstorm
Thursday: 2 to 15mm rain | Medium chance of showers, chance of a thunderstorm
Ingham
Saturday: 15 to 40mm rain | High chance of showers, chance of a thunderstorm
Sunday: 8 to 20mm rain | Very high chance of showers, chance of a thunderstorm
Monday: 8 to 25mm rain | High chance of showers, chance of a thunderstorm
Tuesday: 4 to 15mm rain
Wednesday: 2 to 10mm rain
Thursday: 2 to 10mm rain
Ayr
Saturday: 6 to 20mm rain | High chance of showers, chance of a thunderstorm
Sunday: 6 to 20mm rain | High chance of showers, chance of a thunderstorm
Monday: 6 to 20mm rain | High chance of showers, chance of a thunderstorm
Tuesday: 2 to 10mm rain
Wednesday: 1 to 6mm rain
Thursday: 2 to 10mm rain
Charters Towers
Saturday: 0 to 2mm rain | Medium chance of showers, chance of a thunderstorm from the late morning
Sunday: 0 to 4mm rain | Medium chance of showers, chance of a thunderstorm in the afternoon and evening
Monday: 1 to 6mm rain | Medium chance of showers, chance of a thunderstorm
Tuesday: 0 to 4mm rain | Medium chance of showers, chance of a thunderstorm later in the day
Wednesday: 0 to 4mm rain | Medium chance of showers, chance of a thunderstorm
Thursday: 1 to 10mm rain | Medium chance of showers, chance of a thunderstorm
