Tropical Cyclone Hamish Threatening Queensland Australia
Weather Desk
March 06, 2009
State College, Pa. -- AccuWeather.com reports Tropical Cyclone Hamish formed over the Coral Sea off the coast of Australia's state of Queensland Thursday.
As of Thursday night, local time, Hamish wielded maximum sustained winds of 35 mph and wind gusts as high as 45 mph around a center that was about 215 miles to the north-northeast of Cairns, Queensland; it was drifting southwestward at 7 mph.
Hamish is forecast to strengthen meaningfully during the next 24-48 hours, perhaps attaining hurricane intensity on Saturday.
The cyclone's projected path toward the south-southeast means that there is the potential for a landfall along the central Queensland coast by Saturday night or Sunday.
Even if Hamish ultimately takes on enough of a southeastward heading to avoid a direct hit on land, it will be close enough to the coast during the next few days to unleash very heavy rain and strong, gusty winds in some areas, especially from Townsville to Rockhampton.
As of Thursday night, local time, Hamish wielded maximum sustained winds of 35 mph and wind gusts as high as 45 mph around a center that was about 215 miles to the north-northeast of Cairns, Queensland; it was drifting southwestward at 7 mph.
Hamish is forecast to strengthen meaningfully during the next 24-48 hours, perhaps attaining hurricane intensity on Saturday.
The cyclone's projected path toward the south-southeast means that there is the potential for a landfall along the central Queensland coast by Saturday night or Sunday.
Even if Hamish ultimately takes on enough of a southeastward heading to avoid a direct hit on land, it will be close enough to the coast during the next few days to unleash very heavy rain and strong, gusty winds in some areas, especially from Townsville to Rockhampton.
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