Sandra forms into Category 1 cyclone

AFTER days of threatening to form, a mammoth tropical storm off North Queensland officially became Cyclone Sandra at 4am today, a Category 1 cyclone that is expected to gradually move east and then south.

The Bureau of Meteorology put out a Tropical Cyclone information bulletin at 4.45am, announcing the category 1 cyclone formed about 990 km northeast of Mackay at 4am, and was moving northeast at about 13 kilometres per hour.

Cyclone Sandra is expected to intensify as it moves moving east during the next 24 hours, before turning south and continuing into the middle of next week.

The Bureau of Meteorology said Cyclone Sandra doesn't pose a threat to the Australian coast at this stage but still has the potential to hit Queensland by mid to late next week.

Senior forecaster Pradeep Singh said BOM still can't confirm which way the cyclone is going to go.

"It's moving away but the problem is while the cyclone is in the vicinity, there is still a threat it could hit Australian coasts," he said.

"It still has the potential to come back to us and affect the coast. During the weekend it will take a more southerly trek which will head more towards New Caledonia."

Mr Singh said Cyclone Sandra is a "solid system" and will develop to Category 3 by the end of the weekend, with the potential to develop even further after that.

Queensland's second cyclone of the season has formed in the Coral Sea but it's still far off the coast.

LAST NIGHT, meteorologists were still scratching their heads about the development of a mammoth tropical storm off North Queensland.

But most forecasters expected it will officially become a cyclone as early as today.

At it's 11pm update last night, the Bureau of Meteorology said the low was about 920km northeast of Mackay and moving northeast at about 12km/h.

The Bureau said it expected the storm to ''intensify and develop'' into a tropical cyclone over the next 12 to 24 hours.

The weather system, that would be named Cyclone Sandra, is expected to move southeast over the weekend.

Water catchments along the coastline are so saturated that just another 50mm of rain could cause flash flooding.

"Who needs a cyclone now?" commented Weather Channel forecaster Dick Whitaker, one of many professionals trying to chart the storm.

One thing the forecasters are sure of is that the would-be Sandra is building.

Weatherzone chief meteorologist Alex Zadnik said the system deserved close watching.

"I'm in line with the bureau's thinking on this for the next three days," he said. "It looks like it will continue intensifying. It'll drift southeast initially but it's uncertain what it will do next week.

Mr Whitaker said the storm would likely move away.

"But two models have it drifting back about Wednesday," he said. "We think that is a less likely scenario but it does raise a red flag."

The east coast might be soaked but parts of Cape York and western Queensland are despairing for rain, with the Gulf of Carpentaria just recording its driest wet season in 23 years.

National Climate Centre climatologist Karl Braganza said a severe weather situation was developing in the north and interior.

"Along the coast, especially in the southeast, it's been very wet," Dr Braganza said.

"But once you get across the (Great Dividing Range) and in the north, it's been a reasonably dry summer."

Dr Braganza said a late and patchy monsoon had reduced rainfall in the north, although it was not too late for further precipitation given the cyclone season did not end until next month. 

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Stormy omen as cyclone Sandra looms

Far North Queensland is on cyclone alert, with a system beginning to form in the Coral Sea

FORECASTERS are keeping a wary eye on a weather system off north Queensland that could develop into a cyclone towards the end of the week.

10.35am: After a week of showers and rain, Wivenhoe Dam upstream of Brisbane is at 91 per cent, Somerset 100.8 per cent and North Pine 88 per cent.

10.30am: Queensland Floods Appeal distribution committee chairman Terry Mackenroth said residents whose homes were inundated in the wake of ex-Cyclone Oswald need to have lodged applications for emergency funding by March 18.

So far 1445 payments totalling more than $4.6 million have been made.

"We have worked hard to get the money that has come in so generously from the public back out to those who need it most as quickly as possible,'' Mr Mackenroth said.

"Our guarantee is that every dollar donated will go to those who have been the worst affected by the disasters following Cyclone Oswald. It's not too late to apply for assistance."

Cyclone information

Application forms for those seeking assistance are available from local councils, local MP electorate offices and those recovery centres that are still operating.

They can also be downloaded from the website www.queenslandfloodsappeal2013.org.au or accessed by calling 1800 901 933.

7.30am: There could be relief in sight for Queensland’s soggy shores with the Bureau of Meteorology reporting that the low which is intensifying east of Cairns may draw rain away from the coast.

The low pressure system which is sitting around 300km off the coast over water is looking like it will intensify as it moves away from the coast, possibly taking the rain with it.

The Bureau is reporting a 20-50 per cent chance of the system turning into a cyclone however it looks unlikely to cross land with no immediate threat to the Queensland coast.

 

A clearer indication of the system's movements should be available mid-week.

The Bureau will continue to monitor the system.

Earlier we reported a low may develop along the monsoon trough over the Coral Sea today or tomorrow but remain well offshore.

Weather bureau forecaster Ken Kato said there was a 50 per cent chance of a cyclone forming - to be called Sandra - possibly near Townsville.

COMMENT: No room for weather complacency in urban planning

"In the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Oswald, questions are being asked about urban planning strategies and approaches to rebuilding," writes Dr Andrew Ash, director of CSIRO's Climate Adaptation Flagship program.

In the short term, monsoon winds appeared to have the strength to push the system away from the coast but it was unclear how long this might last.

"It's hard to predict because the monsoon trough should strengthen over the next few days, bringing northwest winds on (the low's) northern side while we've got southeast winds coming into its southern side," Mr Kato said.

"This means its intensity and movements are uncertain."

Mackay is the latest coastal centre to get flash flooding, at one stage yesterday recording 53mm in only one hour. This followed falls of more than 200mm overnight.

It comes as dozens of roads are closed on the Darling Downs and 37 Dalby homeowners clean up after Myall Creek inundated their properties on the weekend.

Western Downs Regional Council mayor Ray Brown is seeking Federal and State government funds to build diversion channels around the town.

"Dalby was built on a flood plain," Cr Brown said.

"There's just nowhere to go."

Cr Brown said 234 properties had water in yards in the second flood in five weeks and residents were fed up.

"The frogs are hoarse from croaking," he said.

"We've got potholes the size of cars."

A flood peak heading towards Condamine was not expected to affect any homes, although an ill man from coastal Lowmead whose road access was cut had to be flown out by helicopter yesterday.

Agforce spokesman Wayne Newton, who farms near Dalby, said sorghum crops had taken a bit hit, with prices to be downgraded due to water damage.

Crops were so wet that grain heads were sprouting or simply falling to the ground.

"The paddock in front of me is just a great big sheet of water," Mr Newton said.

"We're cut off. We won't be able to get harvesters on to paddocks for two weeks or more."

Severe erosion also had occurred on some properties.

"Cotton shouldn't be too bad but you get mould and loss of colour. It will be ugly, whatever the outcome is," he said.

The weather bureau expects moderate to heavy rain to fall over the southern interior today and scattered showers and storms over most of the east coast and Channel Country.

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