Australia 7 Day + Tropical Cyclone KIRRILY for Queensland

Summary

Meteorologist Philip Danin provides a 7-day weather outlook for Australia, focusing on an developing storm system near the Coral Sea that is forecast to impact the region around Townsville by late Thursday or early Friday. He notes uncertainty around exact timing and intensity as the storm continues to organize and has not yet been officially named by the Bureau of Meteorology. After detailing the storm's projected path, Danin covers forecasts for other major Australian cities like Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Perth, noting a cooler change coming for southern areas while northern regions remain hot. He concludes by mentioning a brief update will be provided Thursday once the storm is named.

Takeaways

• 😀 The developing storm hasn't been officially named yet by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology as of Wednesday morning
• 🌧️ The storm is still deepening as it moves towards the northeast Australian coastline near Townsville
• 💨 Models predict the storm making landfall between Townsville and Bowen late Thursday or early Friday
• 🌀 The storm could still be intensifying right up until landfall making forecasts complicated
• ⛈️ Heavy rain and winds expected from Innisfail down to Port Macquarie as the storm moves inland
• ☀️ Hot temperatures forecast for southeast Australia over the next week with Adelaide and Hobart seeing coolest days on Friday
• 🌦️ Leftover moisture from the storm will cause ongoing showers and thunderstorms early next week
• 🚨 The Bureau of Meteorology remains the official source for storm warnings and forecasts in Queensland
• 🌧️ Not as much widespread rain expected from this storm compared to Cyclone Jasper which stalled inland
• 🔄 We'll provide another update on the potential cyclone's status and forecasts on Thursday

Q & A

What is the status of the developing storm in the Coral Sea as of the morning of February 8th?

As of the morning of February 8th, the storm had not yet been officially named by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, even though it was still deepening as it moved towards the coastline.

Why don't weather forecasters name a storm until it has officially formed?

Forecasters don't name a storm before it has officially formed because another low might rapidly form before it and take the name first. The rules state that you have to wait until the storm is actually formed to name it.

Where and when is the storm expected to make landfall?

The storm is expected to make landfall sometime between Thursday evening and Friday morning around the Townsville to Bowen area, between Townsville and Airlie Beach.

What effects might the storm have as it approaches the coast?

As the storm approaches the coast, it could bring damaging winds, heavy rainfall, flooding, and storm surge between Townsville and Bowen. However, if it moves inland quickly, impacts may be reduced.

How much rainfall is forecast from the storm?

The forecast rainfall from the cyclone is around 150-300mm near the coast between Townsville and Airlie Beach, with isolated higher totals possible. Further inland, thunderstorms could produce 50-100mm.

What temperatures are expected in major cities over the next week?

Temperatures will vary across Australia. Adelaide and Melbourne will be coolest on Friday, around 20C. Sydney and Newcastle will peak around 34-40C on Friday. Brisbane will be around 31C. Perth will reach 32C on Saturday.

What is the outlook for Darwin over the next few days?

Darwin can expect temperatures around 28C with thunderstorms likely for the next 4-5 days.

What is the expected movement of the cyclone remnants early next week?

The remnants of the cyclone are forecast to drift west and southwest, moving into central Australia and bringing rain to Alice Springs by Tuesday.

Will there be impacts from the cyclone farther south along the east coast?

Yes, the moist tropical air dragged southwards behind the cyclone will lead to muggy, humid conditions extending at least as far south as Port Macquarie by early next week.

What areas are likely to receive heavy rainfall from thunderstorms?

Heavy thunderstorm rainfall is possible from Tom Price to Calgoorlie early next week. Darwin and northern Northern Territory will also see showers and storms.