Residents in storm-lashed Far North Queensland could be facing another tropical cyclone in a few days, a potential second giant storm within just a few weeks.
The Bureau of Meteorology said today it was tracking severe Tropical Cyclone Maila, a category 3 storm, with sustained winds of 120 km/h and gusts of up to 165 km/h.
Tropical Cyclone Narelle last month was the latest to ravage Australia, tearing through north Queensland, the Northern Territory, and Western Australia as a cyclone and ex-cyclone.
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The bureau says Tropical Cyclone Maila is currently slow moving in the Solomon Sea, but is forecast to move towards the Far North Queensland coast later in the week, potentially crossing the coast on the weekend.
Residents who experienced damaging winds and flooding from Tropical Cyclone Narelle last month face more of the same if this latest severe weather system continues moving south-west.
This year's cyclone season, which runs until the end of this month, has already been a busy one, Weatherzone reports.
Tropical Cyclone Maila is the 11th named tropical cyclone to form in or move into the Australian region this season.
The cyclone should reach severe intensity (Category 3) by late next Sunday or early Monday, modelling suggests.
https://twitter.com/BOM_Qld/status/2040905409880277241?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"Should it cross the Cape York Peninsula, the system could weaken over land and then reintensify in the Gulf of Carpentaria, before impacting the eastern Top End early next week as it moves west," Weatherzone said.
It's too early to forecast whether Tropical Cyclone Maila will also impact Western Australia, forecasters say.
But they're reminding Top End communities to be mindful that a weakened or redeveloped system could bring heavy downpours and to check for updates.
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