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Emergency services monitor Gulf cyclone /Newsport
Emergency services keep close watch on Gulf cyclone
Monday March 10 2014
Emergency service providers are closely monitoring a category one tropical cyclone in the Gulf of Carpentaria.
Tropical Cyclone Gillian is expected to move in a southerly direction parallel to the west coast of Cape York Peninsula through Monday.
The cyclone was estimated to be 115 kilometres southwest of Weipa and moving at six kilometres per hour at 7am on Monday morning.
Emergency Management Queensland [EMQ] have sent two area directors to Weipa to assist local disaster management groups throughout western Cape York.
EMQ Northern Regional Director, Wayne Coutts said crews are on standby and ready to assist communities if needed.
"Our area directors are just making sure the community's disaster plans are followed," Mr Coutts said.
Forecasters say there is still a chance that the system may cross the coast between Cape Keerweer and Pormpuraaw later today but the system has been difficult to map.
TC Gillian is expected to move west southwest and move back across the Gulf of Carpentaria later in the week.
Mr Coutts said it was important residents were prepared.
"The local [disaster management] groups can't look after everybody," he said.
"So the more people that make steps to take care of themselves, the better.
"The more businesses that prepare properly, the easier and faster a community can recover."
Coen recorded 74 millimetres and Weipa 31 millimetres overnight.
Duty forecaster, Greg Connor said TC Gillian was expected to intensify early the week.
"We're expecting it to be a feature in the Gulf for the next few days at least," he said.
"It has the potential to bring strong gales to the Gulf waters and also high tides to the southern Gulf."
Mr Connor said TC Gillian would also mean greater rainfaill in the Douglas region.
"It won't mean torrential downpours but it will mean an increase in the frequency of showers," he said.
The bureau is also monitoring a second cyclone that formed in the Coral Sea late last week.
Forecasters estimate TC Hadi to be 270 kilometres northeast of Hamilton Island and 380 kilometres east northeast of Ayr at six am on Monday.
The Bureau says the category one cyclone is moving southeast at around 12 kilometres per hour away from the coast.
The cyclone should develop a northeasterly track during the day today.
The bureau expects TC Hadi to remain well offshore of the coast.