Tropical Cyclone Niran

03 Mar 2021 / Far North Queensland, Australia

At 7:00 am AEST, Tropical Cyclone Niran was a category 2 system, with sustained winds near the centre of 100km per hour and gusts to 140km per hour. It was located within 30km of 14.6 deg. South / 147.8 deg. East, 335km northeast of Cairns and 295km east northeast of Cooktown.

Niran is expected to remain slow-moving off the north Queensland coast while intensifying over the next 24 hours. Coastal crossing of the cyclone is not expected. However, as it strengthens, it may produce gales about exposed coastal and island communities between Cape Melville and Innisfail today or early on Thursday. Tomorrow (Thursday 4 March), the cyclone is expected to adopt a south-easterly track and accelerate away from the coast.

Gales with gusts to 100km per hour may develop about exposed coastal and island communities between Cape Melville and Innisfail - including Cooktown, Port Douglas, and Cairns - today or early on Thursday as the cyclone intensifies.

The ports of Cape Flattery, Cairns and Mourilyan are now in Phase 2, Preparedness. When deemed necessary the Regional Harbour Master (Cairns) will direct the evacuation of the port.

The ports of Lucinda and Townsville remain in Phase 1, Prevention.

All terminals at Abbot Point and Hay Point are operating as normal.

For further updates, as well as information about operations in Australia, contact GAC Australia at [email protected]

If quoting any content from Hot Port News, please cite GAC Hot Port News as the source.