Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle named off the Queensland coast
09/02/2023
Issued: 4:30pm AEDT Thursday, 9 February 2023
Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle was named last night after developing over the Coral Sea offshore from the Queensland coast. It is not expected to make landfall in Queensland but will produce hazardous coastal conditions for parts of Queensland and New South Wales. A Hazardous Surf Warning is current for both states.
The cyclone is forecast to track towards Norfolk Island from Friday night bringing possible heavy rain, damaging winds, large waves and swell depending on its track.
A Tropical Cyclone watch has been issued for Norfolk Island. Heavy rain, abnormally high tides, large waves and destructive winds with gusts up to 140 km/h are expected to develop on Saturday morning and potentially persist into Sunday morning.
The system will gradually weaken as it moves towards New Zealand's North Island.
Tropical Cyclone Freddy
Tropical Cyclone Freddy, located around 700km off the Pilbara coast, is expected to continue strengthening, and may reach Category 4 intensity from Friday. This cyclone poses no threat to Western Australia.
The Bureau continues to monitor one tropical low in the Indian Ocean near Cocos Island. This system remains over open waters and may develop into a tropical cyclone around Friday but is likely to move outside of Australia's area of responsibility.
To see the tropical cyclone forecast track map visit our website. For more information about tropical cyclones visit our knowledge centre.
South-east Australia
Unsettled conditions continue over parts of eastern New South Wales and eastern Victoria. Severe thunderstorms remain possible today (Thursday) over these areas with the risk of heavy rain. Thunderstorms could impact areas around outer Melbourne.
Severe thunderstorms developed overnight along the New South Wales Illawarra coast, with intense rainfall. Some of the highest totals in the 22hrs to 7am AEDT Thursday included:
- 374mm at Greenwell Pt, NSW
- 130mm at Foxground, NSW
- 114mm at Kiama, NSW
- 79mm at Albion Park Post Office, NSW
- 65mm at Marrickville, NSW
- 62mm at Sydney Airport, NSW
Warm to hot weather will return to much of south-eastern Australia in the coming days. Maximum temperatures will be 6 - 12 C above average in South Australia on Thursday, extending into western Victoria on Friday, and then New South Wales and southern Queensland over the weekend.
This will result in low to severe heatwave conditions developing in New South Wales and Queensland.
Western Australia
Severe to locally extreme heatwave conditions will develop across much of inland Western Australia due to high temperatures which will be up to 10C above average.
Heatwave Warnings are current for much of inland Western Australia and will continue through the weekend.
Maximum temperatures will reach the low to mid 40s for many days with large, but remote areas also exceeding 45C.
High Fire Danger is forecast in coming days across much of Western Australia.
Fire Weather Warnings will likely be issued on Friday as fire danger reaches extreme levels.
Communities should stay up to date with the latest forecasts and warnings via our website and Bureau Weather app and follow the advice of emergency services.
