A day of wild weather is upon Australia’s Northern states today, as Cyclone Lam and Cyclone Marcia gear up for a double whammy – Northern Territory residents are currently bracing themselves for Cyclone Lam, and Queensland is currently preparing and evacuating for Cyclone Marcia.
Tropical Cyclone Marcia has been upgraded to a category 5 system – classified by the Bureau of Meteorology as the highest category, or as a “severe tropical cyclone”. Winds of up to 295 km per hour are predicted. I’m no meteorologist, but when it’s looking like this, things are probably pretty serious:
VIIRS infrared imagery from @NASANPP of Tropical Cyclone #Marcia as it approaches the eastern coast of Australia. pic.twitter.com/6CBhxzuntA
— NOAA Satellites (@NOAASatellites) February 19, 2015
Marcia is expected to make landfall at about 9am local time this morning between Bundaberg and and St Lawrence. Queensland police have ordered urgent evacuations in some areas; follow the QPS updates for rolling reports:
URGENT EVACUATION RECOMMENDED – Whitman,Charles,Whilliam,Burnett & Morris Sts, Todd Ave – YEPPOON
https://t.co/Jv7nK5Khpq #alert
— QPS Media Unit (@QPSmedia) February 19, 2015
Meanwhile, Cyclone Lam has hit the Northern Territory, and is moving inland toward Ramingining. BOM updates on Cyclone Lam can be found here, and updates on Cyclone Marcia can be found here. Those close to the cyclones in NT and QLD can call the SES on 132 500, or emergency services.
via BOM.
