Source: Bureau of Meteorology

Issued at 11:50 am EST on Thursday 19 March 2026

Headline:
Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle now category 5, bringing severe impacts to Far North Queensland during Friday.

Areas Affected:
Warning Zone
Lockhart River to Cape Tribulation, including Coen and Cooktown.

Watch Zone
Western Cape York Peninsula between Mapoon and Pormpuraaw, including Weipa and Aurukun.

Cancelled Zone
Kowanyama.

Details of Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle 34U at 10:00 am AEST:

Intensity: Category 5, sustained winds near the centre of 205 kilometres per hour with wind gusts to 285 kilometres per hour.

Location: within 30 kilometres of 13.6 degrees South 147.9 degrees East, estimated to be 355 kilometres northeast of Cooktown and 505 kilometres east of Coen.

Movement: west southwest at 26 kilometres per hour.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle has intensified to category 5 east of the Cape York Peninsula, and is moving westwards towards the Queensland coast. Narelle is forecast to cross the Queensland coast between Lockhart River and Cape Melville on Friday morning. A severe impact is very likely.

Narelle is forecast to cross over Cape York Peninsula as a tropical cyclone during Friday while weakening. Narelle will then continue to move west across the Gulf of Carpentaria, and is forecast to strengthen again to a severe tropical cyclone before impacting the Northern Territory over the weekend.
Hazards:

VERY DESTRUCTIVE WIND GUSTS in excess of 250 km/h are possible near the centre of Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle as it crosses the coast. VERY DESTRUCTIVE WIND GUSTS will persist about the centre of Narelle for some distance inland.

DESTRUCTIVE WIND GUSTS to 160 km/h are likely from Lockhart River to Cape Flattery from Thursday night and may extend south to Cooktown if Narelle takes a more southerly path. DESTRUCTIVE WIND GUSTS are possible near the centre of Narelle as it moves across Cape York Peninsula during Friday.

Gales with DAMAGING WIND GUSTS to 120 km/h are likely between Lockhart River and Cooktown from Thursday evening, and may extend south to Cape Tribulation if Narelle takes a more southerly path.

Gales with DAMAGING WIND GUSTS to 120 km/h are also forecast to extent across Cape York Peninsula, including areas between Mapoon and Pormpuraaw from Friday.

HEAVY RAINFALL which may lead to FLASH FLOODING is possible between Cape Melville and Cape Tribulation from Thursday evening, extending northwards and to inland areas west of Coen during Friday. LOCALLY INTENSE RAINFALL is likely in an area of the Peninsula bounded by Lockhart River, Cape Flattery, Pormpuraaw, and Weipa during Friday.

Tides will be higher than normal between Coen and Cape Tribulation as Narelle approaches and crosses the coast. LARGE WAVES may produce MINOR FLOODING of low-lying coastal areas. There is a small risk that tides may approach the highest tide of the year during Friday.

Tides in Princess Charlotte Bay are likely to rise significantly above the normal high tide, with DAMAGING WAVES and DANGEROUS FLOODING. Any coastal residents in this area are specifically warned of a possible DANGEROUS STORM TIDE as the cyclone centre crosses the coast.

Once Narelle moves into the Gulf of Carpentaria, tides on the western Peninsula between Weipa and Kowanyama may be higher than normal. LARGE WAVES may produce MINOR FLOODING of low-lying coastal areas.
Recommended Action:

People between Lockhart River and Cape Tribulation and adjacent inland areas should finalise preparations, especially securing boats and property using available daylight hours if safe to do so.

-IF YOUR LIFE IS IN DANGER PHONE TRIPLE ZERO (000) IMMEDIATELY.

People between Mapoon and Pormpuraaw, and adjacent inland areas of the Western Peninsula, should stay informed and listen to the next advice.

- Stay informed by checking your local government s Disaster Dashboards for the latest updates.

- For cyclone preparedness and safety advice, visit the Get Ready Queensland website www.getready.qld.gov.au

- For non-life threatening emergency assistance contact State Emergency Services (SES) online via the SES Assistance QLD App, Apple , Android, online www.132500.qld.gov.au, or call 132 500 from anywhere in Queensland.

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