Cyclone Ingrid strengthening

[wxcrazy]

Wow..

Severe cyclone heading towards Australia's northeast coast

1 hour, 24 minutes ago Science - AFP



SYDNEY (AFP) - A severe tropical cyclone packing winds of almost 300 kilometres (186 miles) an hour was gaining intensity as it moved steadily towards the northeastern coast of Australia, meteorologists said.

Cyclone Ingrid was upgraded to maximum level of category five and the eye of the storm was about 200 kilometres from the coast at 4:00 pm (0500 GMT), the Bureau of Meteorology said on its website.


The cyclone "poses a serious threat to the far north Queensland coast," the bureau said in its warning.


"Ingrid has a very destructive core with wind gusts to 290 kilometres per hour," it added.


Gales were expected to hit the 400-kilometre stretch between Port Douglas and the Lockhart River to the north from early Wednesday with some areas expected to receive destructive winds.


A spokesman for Queensland's tropical cyclone warning centre in Brisbane said that the bureau had issued a warning for residents along the coast to protect their properties, especially boats, before the cyclone hits.


"Tropical cyclones, they do produce very heavy rainfall which could lead to local flooding so where the cyclone comes across that will be an issue," Phil Alford said.


One government MP has also warned residents in the area against complacency.


"This one's close enough to be very, very concerned about and I don't think that we can afford to just sit back and hope that it doesn't hit us," ruling party MP Warren Entsch told reporters in Canberra.


If Ingrid maintains intensity it will be the most intensive cyclone to cross the Queensland coast since 1918.

[HURAKAN]

BoM has issued the latest advisory, the pressure is up, winds are down. Signs of weakening.

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