Cyclone Nora now expected to cross Queensland coast on Sunday as category three

Authorities now believe Severe Tropical Cyclone Nora will cross the far north Queensland coast some time shortly after midday (AEST) on Sunday afternoon as a category three system.

On Saturday afternoon, Tropical Cyclone Nora was moving south east at 20kph.

At an emergency briefing in Brisbane on Saturday afternoon, Bureau of Meteorology state manager Bruce Gunn said it was expected to cross the coast somewhere between Pompuraaw and the Gilbert River mouth.

"The good news, if I can make any good news out of this story, is that we're no longer expecting a category four system to affect the Gulf but it's still a very severe category three system with very destructive winds at its core," Mr Gunn said.

Read the ABC News story - “Cyclone Nora now expected to cross Queensland coast on Sunday as category three.”

Queensland weather: Tropical Cyclone Linda downgraded as system tracks toward coast

Tropical Cyclone Linda has been downgraded to a subtropical low, but south-east Queensland residents are still bracing for gale-force winds, abnormally high tides and dangerous surf as the system continues to approach the coast.

Linda developed from a tropical low in the Coral Sea about 3:00pm AEST on Tuesday, despite the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) earlier saying a cyclone system was unlikely.

But by 10:00am on Wednesday, the BOM said Linda was no more.

Although the system is not expected to cross the coast, senior forecaster Rick Threlfall said it would still pack a punch.

Read the ABC News story - “Queensland weather: Tropical Cyclone Linda downgraded as system tracks toward coast.”

Cyclone Joyce fails to gain strength, expected to cross Kimberley coast as category one

Cyclone Joyce is expected to fully cross the coast of Western Australia today as a significantly weaker system than predicted.

Pardoo Roadhouse chef Robert Singleton has
begun preparing for Cyclone Joyce's arrival.

The category one storm had been skirting the Kimberley coast throughout the night.

Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Craig Earl-Spurr said it was unlikely to reach the previously expected strength of category three.

"It's passed Bidyadanga, but sitting near the coast it means that it hasn't strengthened overnight," he said.

"It's expected to continue moving towards the south-west as a category one, and continue to bring gales to the West Kimberley coast.

"Cyclones need time over water to strengthen, and with the previous forecast of it spending that time over water there was a greater risk of it being a stronger system.

Read the ABC News story - “Cyclone Joyce fails to gain strength, expected to cross Kimberley coast as category one.”