Cyclone warning issued for Qld's north | Weather

9th January 2009

A CYCLONE warning has been issued for Queensland's north this weekend.

The Bureau of Meteorology says a low pressure area in the Gulf of Carpentaria has a high chance of developing into a cyclone by Sunday.

"If it does form its generally expected to move into the central gulf and then over towards Queensland later in the weekend," forecaster Geoff Doueal told AAP.

The cyclone would likely deliver heavy rainfall across the state's north, including the north west region which has been swamped with floodwaters this week.

The bureau has also issued a severe weather warning for abnormally high tides along the Gulf of Carpentaria coastline.

It says strong winds, caused by the low pressure system and a monsoonal flow in the northern gulf, will cause large tides over the weekend with a king tide expected on Monday.

Flood warnings are still in place for rivers across the north-west and Gul region, including the Georgina, Burke, Nicholson, Gregory, Cloncurry, Albert, Leichhardt, Flinders and Diamantina rivers.

Some rivers are not expected to peak until at least next week and BOM says floodwaters may remain until the end of next week if a cyclone develops.

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