TUESDAY 9PM: THE Bureau of Meteorology advised Cyclone Debbie is now a category 2 event with sustained winds near the destructive core of 100km/hour with wind gusts to 140km/hour.
Currently located 75km west-south west of Proserpine and 15km south east of Collinsville, the storm is travelling west-south west at 11km/hour.
“Tropical cyclone Debbie is continuing to weaken as it moves slowly inland,” BOM advises.
“It is currently a category 2 cyclone, and is expected to weaken further tonight.
“On Wednesday, the remains of the system will curve from the current southwesterly motion to a more southerly track over inland Queensland.
“Although the peak winds near the centre are weakening rapidly tonight, heavy rainfall is expected to continue across the region for the next 12 to 24 hours, gradually contracting southwards with the system.”
Gales are occurring about the coast and islands between about Cape Upstart and St Lawrence, and extend inland to Proserpine, Collinsville, and Moranbah. These Gales are expected to extend inland further to locations such as Charters Towers and Mount Coolon tonight.
Abnormally high tides are expected between Bowen and St Lawrence. Large waves may produce minor flooding along the foreshore.
BOM advises areas of heavy rain with the potential to cause severe flash flooding have developed around the Central Coast and Whitsundays and Central Highlands and Coalfields districts.
Heavy rain areas are expected to spread further inland through central and south eastern Queensland. Widespread daily rainfall totals of 150mm to 250mm are expected, with significantly higher totals possible locally.
BOM says this is likely to lead to major river flooding over a broad area this week, and a flood watch is current for coastal catchments between Ayr and the NSW border, extending inland to parts of the Central Highlands and Coalfields, Central West, Maranoa and Warrego, and Darling Downs and Granite Belt forecast districts.
For emergency assistance call the Queensland State Emergency Service on 132 500.