Tropical Low 29U: Impacts Expected Along Queensland's North Tropical Coast as System Approaches

Alert Details

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has issued a Tropical Cyclone Forecast Track Map for Tropical Low 29U. While the likelihood of the system developing into a tropical cyclone before landfall has decreased, significant impacts are still expected for coastal and inland communities. This alert is classified as a major warning group with a critical severity level.

Affected Areas

The primary areas under watch include the Peninsula and the North Tropical Coast and Tablelands Forecast Districts. Specific locations mentioned in the advisory include:

• Cooktown to Palm Island
• Port Douglas, Cairns, and Innisfail
• Cardwell and Townsville
• Northern and far northern catchments (Flood Watch)

What You Should Do

Residents in the affected zones, particularly between Cooktown and Palm Island, should take the following actions:

• Stay informed by checking local government Disaster Dashboards for the latest updates.
• Visit the Get Ready Queensland website (www.getready.qld.gov.au) for cyclone preparedness and safety advice.
• For non-life-threatening emergency assistance, contact the State Emergency Services (SES).

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. The system is currently located approximately 360 kilometres east-northeast of Cairns and 420 kilometres northeast of Cardwell. A Severe Weather Warning is currently active for parts of the Peninsula and North Tropical Coast, and a Flood Watch is in effect for northern catchments due to anticipated rainfall.

Timeline

The alert was issued at 10:39 am AEST on Thursday, March 5, 2026. The system is moving southwest at 20 kilometres per hour and is expected to cross the coast between Cairns and Townsville during the day on Friday. The current warning remains active until at least 8:39 am UTC (6:39 pm AEST) on March 5, 2026.