Rare late-season cyclone forms off Queensland
CYCLONE ZANE, THE TENTH cyclone this season, has formed off far north Queensland and is currently in the Coral Sea, about 850km east of the community of Lockhart River on Cape York.
Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Tony Auden says the Category One storm is moving in a southeast direction, but it’s expected to turn northwest and make landfall near Lockhart River by late Wednesday.
Heavy rain, which may lead to flash flooding, and strong gales are likely across parts of far north Queensland from Tuesday afternoon.
Tony says it’s unusual for a cyclone so late in the season – only six cyclones have occurred in Australia’s eastern region in May since 1970.
Read about the biggest storms in history and find a timeline of Australia’s worst cyclones here.
Ten cyclones in Australia during 2012-13
Zane is the tenth cyclone to form in Australia during the 2012-13 season.
1. Freda, Category 2, Coral Sea east of Qld, Dec 29
2. Mitchell, Category 1, Indian Ocean off WA, Dec 27-Jan 1
3. Narelle, Category 4, Indian Ocean off WA, Jan 5-15
4. Oswald, Category 1, Cape York and central Qld, Jan 17-29
5. Peta, Category 1, Kimberley region WA, Jan 20-23
6. Rusty, Category 4, Kimberley and Pilbara regions WA, Feb 18-28
7. Sandra, Category 4, Coral Sea east of Qld, March 8-11
8. Tim, Category 2, NT and Cape York, March 10-20
9. Victoria, Category 3, Cocos Islands northwest of WA, March 25-April 2
10. Zane, Category 1, Coral Sea east of Qld, April 30-ongoing.
Source: Bureau of Meteorology
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