Tropical cyclone Maila: Huge category 4 system may impact regions recovering from cyclone Narelle

Regions in the far north of Australia still recovering from a battering at the hands of cyclone Narelle in March have been warned to prepare for another huge weather event in the coming days.

Tropical cyclone Malia is gathering momentum off the coast of Papua New Guinea and is expected to make landfall on the Australian coast as a category 2-4 system sometime this weekend or early next week.

As tropical cyclone Maila edges closer to Queensland via the Solomon Sea, weather experts are predicting its behaviour is likely to change rapidly as it experiences changes in temperatures above very warm water.

The slow-moving nature of the massive cyclone is proving hard for forecasters to pinpoint the landing area and ferocity, but all agree heavy rains of up to 200mm-300mm per day and dangerous winds gusts up to 260 km/h will accompany the event.

“Tropical cyclones need something to move them around,” Bureau of Meteorology Senior Meteorologist Liam Smart told the ABC.

“Normally there are steering winds from the east or west but, in this case, there aren’t any.”

Predictions are for a potential crossing somewhere between Cooktown and Cairns, but the range extends from Townsville to Cape York., before it may re-emerging into the Gulf of Carpentaria and possibly even into the Northern Territory.

“At this stage we’re forecasting a category two crossing, but it’s still quite far out and may change,” Mr Smart said as the system moves west toward the Coral Sea.

“There’s still a fair bit of uncertainty about exactly where it will cross,”

Concerns over those communities still trying to rebuild after cyclone Narelle have been been reiterated after a senior weather forecaster said they may once again be in the firing line.

“There is a moderate chance the system will re-intensify in The Gulf of Carpentaria later in the forecast period,” BOM Senior Meteorologist Jonathan How told News.com.au.

Mr How said there was an “increasing” likelihood cyclone Maila will cross around Cooktown and Lockhart River, close to where tropical cyclone Narelle hit last month.

“Communities in these areas could see damaging to destructive winds as well as heavy rainfall and flooding and coastal erosion,” Mr How said.

“Communities in these areas could see damaging to destructive winds as well as heavy rainfall and flooding and coastal erosion.” Mr How said.

Meanwhile a second cyclone is threatening to smash New Zealand with urgent alerts issued from the government.

Tropical cyclone Vaianu is likely to hit NZ this weekend and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) advising residents to take action immediately.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the agencies were on “full notice” over the weather system.

“This is shaping to be a very significant and damaging weather event, and I just think obviously with big impact on the North Island, particularly around Sunday, it’s a great opportunity to remind New Zealanders to do everything they can,” Mr Luxon said.

“Stock up, get their supplies in order, get items that may be loose in their backyards tied down and in secure storage.”