RARE WINTER CYCLONE STUNS WEATHER BUREAU
Chance of July storm stuns meteorologists
P3
A RARE winter cyclone could form within days, with a tropical low developing in the Coral Sea.
Proof that the weather gods have gone completely crazy, the Bureau of Meteorology issued an out- of- season cyclone outlook at 2.30pm yesterday.
It comes two months after the official cyclone season ended, with the bureau giving the system a moderate, or 20 to 50 per cent, chance of developing in to a cyclone over the next three days.
If the low, which was north- east of the Solomon Islands yesterday and moving west, does develop in the Queensland region of responsibility it will be called Cyclone Raquel.
Townsville weather bureau forecaster Doug Fraser said winter cyclones were rare.
He said the last cyclone recorded during the winter months was Cyclone Ida, which developed in late May and into early June in 1972.
“It is unusual, very unusual, but it is not totally unheard of,” he said.
“If it does develop, it could develop into July, which is even more unusual.”
There has never been a cyc- lone recorded in the Queensland region in July.
But Mr Fraser said the chances of the system impacting on Queensland were slim.
“It is expected to slowly drift west but it is more likely to stay to the very north, and well away from the coast,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Townsville region has experienced some cloudy and drizzly days thanks to onshore winds.
Mr Fraser said the Cassowary Coast had recorded some good rainfall so far this winter, going some way towards making up for the dry “wet season”.
“Townsville hasn’t had much rain. The highest was at Bushland Beach, which recorded 10mm in the 24 hours to 9am yesterday,” he said.
A shower or two is expected today, with a top temperature of 27C forecast. The clouds are then expected to clear Thursday and Friday, before showers return for the weekend.
Daytime temperatures are expected to reach just 24C on Friday and Saturday, with colder nights also on the way.