Marcia downgraded to category 2

Cyclone Marcia has been downgraded to a Category 2 system.

The advice was issued by the weather bureau at 5pm on Friday.

It estimated the cyclone was 60 kilometres west of Gladstone and 65 kilometres north-northeast of Biloela, moving at 18km/h.

The bureau said the core of the system was expected to hit Biloela bringing wind gusts up to 155km/h.

"Gales are occurring or are expected to develop about the coast and adjacent inland between Yeppoon and Double Island Point tonight, including Biloela, Monto and Mundubbera."

The system was expected to turn to the south-southeast on Friday evening and weaken below cyclone strength on Saturday morning.