Tropical Cyclone Warning Cancelled for North Queensland; Tropical Low 29U Still Poses Threat

Alert Details

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre has issued Priority Advice Number 5 regarding Tropical Low 29U (IDQ20023). The official Tropical Cyclone Warning has been cancelled as the likelihood of the system developing into a tropical cyclone before landfall has decreased.

Affected Areas

The cancelled warning zone extends from Cooktown to Palm Island. This includes the following locations:

• Port Douglas
• Cairns
• Innisfail
• Palm Island

What You Should Do

Residents between Cooktown and Palm Island, including Port Douglas, Cairns, and Innisfail, are advised to:

• Stay informed by checking local government Disaster Dashboards for the latest updates.
• Visit the Get Ready Queensland website (www.getready.qld.gov.au) for preparedness and safety advice.
• Contact the State Emergency Service (SES) for non-life-threatening emergency assistance via the SES Assistance QLD App or by calling 132 500.

Expected Conditions

As of 10:00 am AEST, Tropical Low 29U is maintaining sustained winds near the centre of 55 kilometres per hour, with wind gusts reaching up to 85 kilometres per hour. Although the system is unlikely to reach cyclone strength, significant impacts are still expected.

A Severe Weather Warning is currently active for parts of the Peninsula, North Tropical Coast, and Tablelands Forecast Districts. Additionally, a Flood Watch is in effect for northern and far northern catchments. Communities may experience significant impacts even at a distance from the system’s landfall point.

Timeline

At 10:00 am AEST on Thursday, March 5, 2026, the system was located approximately 360 kilometres east-northeast of Cairns and 420 kilometres northeast of Cardwell. It is moving southwest at 20 kilometres per hour. The system is expected to continue this southwest movement today and is forecast to cross the coast between Cairns and Townsville during Friday.