Tropical Cyclone Debbie Closing In On NE Australia! (credit: ABC News 24 and New Zealand Herald)

DISCUSSION: As explained in more detail in both the graphics and video attached above, there continue to be major large-scale concerns for the continued approach of Tropical Cyclone Debbie.  As this powerful tropical cyclone continues on its current southwestward track, it will be closing in on the coastline running along many parts of northeastern Queensland, Australia.  Moreover, as shown in the lower image (attached above), it may very well make landfall as a dangerous Category 4 storm (i.e., maximum sustained winds near the center at or over 209 kilometers/hour or 130 miles/hour.)  Thus, as this storm gradually pushes further inland, there will absolutely remain to be a continued wind and flooding threat.  This is primarily due to the particularly large size of the Debbie's circulation.  Hence, as this large cyclone moves ashore, there will be a plethora of rainfall over a large region which is climatologically dry for the most part this time of year.  Therefore, this will increase the overall flooding threat as a result of the large amounts of incoming rainfall not being able to permeate into the soil across many parts of northeast Australia.  

For more details on this incoming tropical cyclone threat, here are some direct excerpts from the Bureau of Meteorology:

"Emergency information for Tropical Cyclone Debbie:For storm and flood assistance contact SES on 132 500 and in a life-threatening emergency call 000
Evacuations are in place for Whitsundays low-lying areas, Cape Cleveland areas, and Burdekin coastal communities must be out by 10am
Refuge centres and cyclone shelters are open in the Whitsundays, Townsville and Ayr
All flights are cancelled for tomorrow out of Whitsundays airport. Flights to and from Townsville and Mackay airports are still operational
Sandbags available from councils in Townsville, Bowen and Mackay."

To learn more about this and other high-impact weather events occurring across the South Pacific Ocean and Australia, be sure to click here!

©2017 Meteorologist Jordan Rabinowitz