Tropical Cyclone Jasper confirmed, moving towards Queensland

Australia’s first tropical cyclone of the season is underway and moving towards the Queensland coast.

But forecasters have said that Tropical Cyclone Jasper has appeared before anyone expected.

“It’s early,” Sky News Weather meteorologist Alison Osborne told news.com.au.

“El Nino usually delays the start of our active cyclone season. This will be the first cyclone to develop in Queensland waters in December in an El Nino year”.

Jasper powered up from a tropical storm to a category 1 cyclone at about 4pm on Tuesday afternoon. As that happened in Australia’s cyclone area of responsibility. we got naming rights.

It could become a category 3 cyclone as early as Wednesday night. Storms of that strength can see mean winds of up to 159km/h and gusts reaching 224km/h. It is then predicted to get to a powerful category 4 storm by Saturday. The second highest category, category 4 can see mean winds of 199 km/h and gusts up to 279km/h. If a cat 4 reaches land, that’s enough for structural damage and dangerous airborne debris.

But it’s also slow moving, so its effects might not be felt in Australia until early next week.

“The waters are warm enough and atmospheric structure tick all the boxes at the moment,” Ms Osborne explained.

She added said rapid development of the cyclone was expected with “high confidence”,

It is the third tropical cyclone in the South Pacific this season, but the first in Australian waters.

Ms Osborne explained the cyclone had a “long … and uncertain” journey as it drifted towards Australia over the coming days.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said it was a “slow moving” cyclone — its speed on Monday was 13km/h — and was located about 1500km northeast of Cairns on Tuesday afternoon.

Its earliest impacts aren’t expected to be felt in Australia until next week, but could include gales, heavy rain and a potential storm surge.

It’s too early to make a forecast of where it could make landfall if it does careen into Australia.

The BOM said Tropical Cyclone Jasper is causing sustained winds of 75km/h near its centre, with gusts of up to 100km/h.

“It is expected to intensify, becoming a severe tropical cyclone during Wednesday while tracking south-southwest towards the northeast Coral Sea,” the BOM said in its confirmation of the cyclone.

“Jasper may move near the Queensland coast from early next week.”

Sky’s Ms Osborne urged Aussies living in cyclone prone regions to get prepared.

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“This system should at the very least serve as a reminder that we are in cyclone season and those who live in cyclone prone regions [ought] to be prepared.

“For Queenslanders, it could be the first system to make landfall along the state’s east coast in four years.”

Preparations for cyclone season include monitoring the BOM for updates and weatherproofing homes, such as by checking for compliance with local cyclone building standards, securing loose roof tiles and guttering and trimming trees and branches near your home.

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