Supermarket shelves stripped as Cyclone Jasper edges closer to north Queensland

Supermarket shelves have been stripped bare and school holiday plans have descended into disarray as Cyclone Jasper edges closer to North Queensland. 

The weather system, currently a Category Three, is expected to weaken to a Category Two late on Sunday or Monday.

But the cyclone, which is located 960 kilometres east of Cairns, is predicted to re-intensify as it crosses the coast.

READ MORE: Brisbane hospital offers groundbreaking prosthetic leg technology

The community has been asked to prepare but not panic buy after social media vision emerged of shelves at some supermarkets in Townsville and Cairns emptied out. 

According to the Bureau of Meteorology, the system is tipped to make landfall on Wednesday, with potential for severe impacts beginning from Tuesday.

"There is the potential though it could re-intensify into a tropical cyclone, which is Category Three or higher, just before it crosses the coast," meteorologist Shane Kennedy said.

The high-risk region is between Cape Melville and Lucinda, including Cooktown and Cairns, but there is more confidence communities north of Cairns will be hardest hit.

"We've got plans to move up to the far northern region, they've got plans to come down to us depending on where the cyclone ends up," State Emergency Service northern region director Daryl Camp said.

Forecast king tides which are predicted from Tuesday to Sunday next week are heightening concerns.

"If any storm surge crosses on a high tide, especially a king tide, we can get water inundation further inland," Camp said.

The weather system's throwing school holiday plans into disarray, with cruise itineraries being revised. 

Several ships that departed Brisbane earlier this week, bound for the tropics, will now call in Sydney. 

The Bureau of Meteorology's today evacuated four of its own staff from remote Willis Island.

The weather station lies in the midst of the danger zone.