Tropical cyclone threat to Australia's north coast
Residents across northern Australia could soon face a tropical cyclone, weather models have predicted, as three menacing lows show signs of forming a destructive monsoon trough.
Weatherzone meteorologists said the northern tropics are right now "awakening", which is triggering a potential for a tropical cyclone to develop later this week.
The first tropical low could form near the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf to the west of Darwin on Friday and if it remains over water, it could develop into a tropical cyclone.
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How rainfall in the Northern Territory and Far North Queensland could look by Tuesday, January 16, if a tropical cyclone develops. Weatherzone
This system should move southwards over the weekend with a medium chance of developing into a cyclone from Saturday, meteorologists said.
It could make landfall in the Northern Territory or Kimberley in Western Australia over the weekend.
Another tropical low could form in the Gulf of Carpentaria from Friday or Saturday.
If this system forms and remains over water, there is a low chance of it developing into a tropical cyclone from Sunday, the Weatherzone models anticipated.
The other system is a potential tropical low that could form near the Cocos Islands, a remote territory of Australia in the Indian Ocean, this weekend.
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The cloud and thunderstorms impacting northern Australia, as of Wednesday morning, January 10. Weatherzone
Map shows where the Bureau of Meteorology expects the lows to be located on Sunday, January 14, with the centre of the systems expected to be located somewhere inside the orange or yellow shaded areas. Weatherzone
Meteorologists said there is a "small chance" it could become a tropical cyclone early next week, but it currently poses no threat to the mainland.
The islands, which have a population of almost 600, lie midway between Australia and Sri Lanka and relatively close to the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
Even if none of the systems evolve into tropical cyclones, the weather set to strike the northern coast will be potentially destructive, meteorologists warned.
Heavy rainfall which could lead to flooding in parts of the Top End or Kimberley, and sustained rainfall to Far North Queensland will potentially soak areas still recovering from the floods caused by Cyclone Jasper late last year.
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