Resurgent Cyclone Owen Threatens Queensland Coast!
The remnants of last week’s Coral Sea cyclone Owen have drifted into the Gulf of Carpentaria. Extremely warm waters there have allowed the system to reintensify. Now a major cyclone threatens the Cape York peninsula for the late week. After that, heavy rains and high winds could lash much of the eastern Queensland coast!
Sea surface temperatures up to 32 deg C reside over the Gulf of Carpentaria. Owen will continue to thrive in these bathtub-like conditions. The cyclone is drifting slowly west at this time, however a turn to the southeast will commence on Thursday. By Friday a violent cyclone is expected to bring wind gusts to 200 kph along the southwest gulf coast. Some weakening will occur after landfall, however Owen may eventually be able to tap into warm Coral Sea waters again. Model guidance indicates the storm will rake the eastern QLD coast with damaging wind gusts as high as 150 kph between Townsville and Fraser Island this weekend.
Owen’s interactions with a strong upper level trough over the southeast will enhance rainfall along the QLD coastal corridor for the next several days. Rainfall totals of 150-300 mm will be common in this region, leading to widespread flooding as far south as northeast New South Wales. Owen will finally dissipate by the Monday to Tuesday time frame next week.