By SAM DUNCAN For Daily Mail Australia
2 April 2018
Tropical Cyclone Iris has reformed, gaining in strength off the Queensland coast
Residents are now bracing for gale force winds, torrential rain and flash flooding
Iris, now a category one storm, could develop into a category three later today
Warning issued for the Lower Burdekin, Central Coast and Whitsunday Islands
Tropical Cyclone Iris is back from the dead, the ‘zombie’ weather system reforming and bringing with it torrential rain, hurricane winds and flash flooding.
Residents are bracing for a possible Category 3 storm as Iris strengthens along the same stretch of Queensland coast ravaged by Cyclone Debbie one year ago.
The Bureau of Meteorology issued a tropical cyclone warning for parts of the Lower Burdekin, Central Coast and Whitsunday Islands, with winds of 140km/h expected.
The Bureau of Meteorology issued a tropical cyclone warning for parts of the Lower Burdekin, Central Coast and Whitsunday Islands, with winds of 140km/h expected (pictured are SES storm preparations)
Gale force winds have been predicted from Ayr to Mackay, including the Whitsundays (pictured is a satellite image of the storm)
Gale force winds have been predicted from Ayr to Mackay, including the Whitsundays, with a watch zone issued for residents from Mackay to St Lawrence further south.
‘Tropical cyclone Iris has continued to intensify while moving slowly south overnight and is now a category 2 cyclone,’ the bureau said early on Tuesday.
‘Iris is expected to continue moving slowly to the south through most of today while continuing to intensify, before curving more to the southeast, parallel to the Queensland coast, on Wednesday.
‘At this stage, the cyclone is not expected to cross the Queensland coast but may approach the coast close enough to produce significant impacts.
‘Tropical cyclone Iris has continued to intensify while moving slowly south overnight and is now a category 2 cyclone,’ the bureau said early on Tuesday
‘People between Ayr and Mackay, including the Whitsunday Islands, should immediately commence or continue preparations, especially securing boats and property.’
As of 4am on Tuesday Iris was estimated to be 310kilometres east of Cairns and 285kilometres northeast of Townsville.
The warning comes after Iris was forecast to begin moving away from the northern Queensland coast with heavy rain and damaging winds.
The storm intensified back to cyclone strength on Monday morning, prompting authorities to move rescue crews and SES members into place ahead of another expected drenching.
A severe weather warning was also issued between Townsville and Mackay.
The warning comes after Iris was forecast to begin moving away from the northern Queensland coast with heavy rain and damaging winds (pictured is the aftermath of Cyclone Larry)
Iris’ impact will be felt across areas already saturated from rain delivered on its first sweep along the Queensland coast, and then from Cyclone Nora.
The Bureau of Meteorology forecast heavy rain, up to 200mm, to start falling from Monday evening, while winds gusting at up to 100km/h were also expected to be felt from late on Monday and into Tuesday.
Ahead of the latest patch of nasty weather, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she was comfortable with preparations by authorities and urged people to take care on the roads.
Iris’ impact will be felt across areas already saturated from rain delivered on its first sweep along the Queensland coast, and then from Cyclone Nora (pictured is Cyclone Debbie)
Iris was not expected to affect the upcoming Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast or the associated royal visit.
One year on, the Queensland Reconstruction Authority estimates damage to public infrastructure from Cyclone Debbie added up to more than $650million.
That includes a $450million impact to agriculture and over $150 million in losses to the tourism industry.
The Insurance Council of Australia described Debbie as the second most financially damaging storm in the nation’s history, second only to Cyclone Tracy in 1974.
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