Destructive windsTorrential rainPossible floodingPossible disruption to essential supplies like electricity, water, and gas
ADVICE TO THE PUBLIC:
Intensity
Category 5, sustained winds near the centre of 215 kilometres per hour with wind gusts to 295 kilometres per hour.
Location
Within 30 kilometres of 13.7 degrees South 147.0 degrees East, estimated to be 275 kilometres northeast of Cooktown and 410 kilometres east of Coen.
Movement
West southwest at 28 kilometres per hour.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle remains at category 5 strength east of the Cape York Peninsula, and is moving westwards towards the Queensland coast. Narelle is forecast to cross the Queensland coast between Lockhart River and Cape Melville on Friday morning. A severe impact is very likely.
Narelle is forecast to cross over Cape York Peninsula as a tropical cyclone during Friday while weakening. Narelle will then continue to move west across the Gulf of Carpentaria, and is forecast to strengthen again to a severe tropical cyclone before impacting the eastern Northern Territory over the weekend.
Hazards
GALES are not expected in coastal areas in the next 24 hours, however gales are expected to develop in coastal areas between Port McArthur and south of Nhulunbuy from Saturday afternoon as Narelle approaches from the east.
DESTRUCTIVE and VERY DESTRUCTIVE winds are possible near the centre of the cyclone on Saturday night. HEAVY RAINFALL which may lead to FLASH FLOODING is possible for coastal and adjacent inland areas over the eastern Top End between Port McArthur and south of Nhulunbuy from late Saturday.
Tides will be higher than normal between Nhulunbuy and Port McArthur on Saturday and Sunday LARGE WAVES may produce MINOR FLOODING of low-lying coastal areas.
