Iris on the radar, but coast is clear for now
FORMER Cyclone Iris may be on track to redevelop into a low later in the week.
The once-tropical low is currently floating around the Coral Sea about 950km eastnortheast of Cairns, but early models from the Bureau of Meteorology show it tracking westward by tomorrow.
Over the next few days, warm sea temperatures and a lower wind shear could improve Iris’s chances of redeveloping.
Bureau forecaster Lauren Pattie said it was too early to predict its path, but it would likely weaken before hitting the coast.
As the Far North enjoys the end of the wet season, community groups hit hard by the last deluge have had a chance to take stock.
The Redlynch Valley Tennis Club, which lost three of its four courts in the March 26 torrent caused by ex-Cyclone Nora, have been able to resume fixtures at other courts thanks to support from the community.
The club, which had been growing its junior membership when the flood hit, found itself with no place to run junior coaching over the school holidays.
Club president Phil Lindsay thanked St Andrews College for stepping in and allowing them to run the sessions from the school’s courts.
In the meantime, the club is running its senior fixtures from the Cairns International Tennis Centre.
Mr Lindsay said the repair bill was possibly between $250,000 to $300,000.
“We are currently in negotiations with council, Tennis Queensland and the State Government regarding what support and assistance is available through those channels,” he said. “What we know is that courts three and four have been totally destroyed.
“(Court) one is damaged and will have to be replaced.
“We’d just gone through a process of upgrading and fencing and all of that has been damaged.”
Cairns Regional Council has ordered an independent flood consultation to assess why the area was hit so hard.
Mayor Bob Manning said the assessment would likely begin this week.
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