Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle has made landfall in far north Queensland as a “high-end” category 4 system, posing a severe threat to several remote communities.
The system began to lose intensity as it crossed the Cape York peninsular on Friday morning to become a still-severe category 3 storm.
Earlier in the morning, sheltering residents were warned to expect wind gusts greater than 250 km/h. The system was about 45km north of the town of Coen at 10am local time.
Debbie Jackson, who lives on a property 50 km north of Coen, said they were “losing roofs everywhere” as the system was making landfall.
“Lots of trees down. We have lost a few roofs. It’s not real great,” she said, adding she was with seven people sheltering in a shipping container until the storm had passed.
Narelle made landfall at about 7am as a “high end” category 4 storm with sustained winds of 195km/h – just 5km/h short of the category 5 threshold.
Authorities warned of combined threats from strong winds, heavy rain, flooding from already-swollen river systems and storm surge in coastal areas, as the cyclone arrived close to a high tide.
Sustained winds of 195km/h were measured at the centre of the cyclone, with gusts up to 270km/h.
The system had been tracking towards the town of Coen, with a population of about 320, but took a slight northward shift as it made landfall.
Locals said the town had been eerily calm on Thursday, but that heavy winds began to pick up about 4am.
“You can hear a couple of things moving around outside now,” said Sara Watkins, owner of the local mechanic and bush pantry.
“Until the wind started it was so still. It was raining but it was really still. That’s not like Coen, when it rains it pours and the wind moves about.”
Climate experts said Narelle was likely fuelled by climate change, with the system moving west over the Coral Sea where sea surface temperatures have been at record highs in recent months.
Higher ocean temperatures provide more fuel for cyclones, increasing their intensity.
Coastal inundation will be worsened by rising sea levels and the system will also be able to produce more rainfall, also due to global heating, scientists say.
Sign up for the Breaking News Australia emailEmergency warnings have been issued for the Lockhart River, Port Stewart and Coen.
The Bureau of Meteorology said Narelle would weaken as the system makes landfall and crosses to the western part of Cape York. But it warned the cyclone would remain destructive as it crossed the peninsula.
Sarah Scully, a senior meteorologist at the bureau, said on-the-ground monitoring was sparse on Cape York, but satellite observations had showed widespread winds near the centre of the system “well in excess of 200km/h” as it made its approach.
Scully warned a dangerous ocean storm surge would move on to land as the cyclone approached, inundating beaches and coastal areas.
A category 4 system could cause “significant structural damage” with loss of roofs, large and dangerous airborne debris, with winds strong enough to blow away trailers and caravans. Rainfall could bring dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding on the peninsular.
The system was expected to cross the peninsular maintaining cyclone strength before moving over the Gulf of Carpentaria, with a second landfall over the Top End expected on Saturday evening.
This would threaten already flooded communities in the Top End with more heavy downpours, Scully said.
