Cyclone Penny is set to form over new year’s day with locals encouraged to plan ahead for the possibility of a destructive storm.
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Queensland's Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre advises locals of potential threat to residents in Far North Queensland who can expect peak gusts of more than 90kph on Monday and heavy rainfall in the coming days which could cause flash flooding.
Queensland's Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre issued a "watch" alert on Sunday afternoon for people living in the area from Kowanyama to the Torres Strait Islands.
The system is still a tropical low but a Cyclone warning has been declared between Cape York and Cape Keerweer with locals warned to be mindful of the potential threat.
The system is over the Gulf of Carpentaria and moving west but is expected to turn back towards the Queensland coast tomorrow.
"[It] is expected to intensify as it moves over Gulf of Carpentaria waters on Monday and, at this stage, it is rated a high chance of forming into a tropical cyclone on Tuesday," the BoM said.
Police are urging the community to work with emergency services in anticipation of a large amount of rain due to hit the area in the next week.
Queensland Police Chief Superintendent and Far North District Disaster Coordinator Brian Huxley is asking motorists to be mindful of the significant rainfall already received across the region and that there is plenty more to come.
“We have already had reports of a vehicle being stuck in flood waters on a major road and emergency services are currently looking for a woman believed to be lost near a flood creek,’ he said.
‘The last thing we police want to do is to have to advise family members that their loved one has been lost whilst attempting to drive through flooded waters or swimming in flood rivers, creeks or causeway’.
Police would also like parents to be mindful and talk to their children of the temptations of playing or swimming in flooded areas during the holidays and remind them how dangerous it is.
It is the second cyclone of the season after Cyclone Owen in mid December.
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