NO LONGER CURRENT Severe Weather Advice - Prepare Now
Published on 09 January 2026
THIS WARNING IS NO LONGER CURRENT
Please refer to Update: Severe Weather Advice - Prepare Now | Cassowary Coast Regional Council
Prepare Now
Cassowary Coast Region
Issued: 12:45pm
Next update: As the situation changes
Cassowary Coast Local Disaster Management Group advises people in the Cassowary Coast Local Government area to PREPARE NOW for severe weather approaching.
For non-life-threatening flood and storm emergency assistance, contact SES on 132 500, 132500.qld.gov.au or the SES Assistance Qld app on Android or iOS.
In a life-threatening situation, call Triple Zero (000) immediately.
What are we expecting?
Heavy to locally intense rainfall is expected to develop from overnight, first north of Townsville and extending south through the warning area into Saturday. Six-hourly rainfall totals of 90 to 170 mm are likely, with 24-hour totals of 200 to 275 mm, and isolated falls exceeding 400 mm possible near and south of the tropical low from Saturday morning. These conditions may lead to dangerous and potentially life-threatening flash flooding, particularly in low-lying and flood-prone areas, with hazardous driving conditions and rapid rises in creeks and drains.
Damaging east to southeasterly winds are also expected along exposed coastal areas, with gusts up to around 90 km/h, extending south through Saturday as the system moves along the coast and winds later turn easterly to northeasterly. Trees may fall more easily due to saturated ground, and landslips are possible in steep or hilly areas. A Tropical Cyclone Warning is current between Port Douglas and Tully, with a Tropical Cyclone Watch from Tully to Airlie Beach, and conditions may persist into Sunday in southern parts of the region. Weather impacts will depend on the movement and development of the tropical low, and residents are urged to stay alert for updated warnings, including possible flood and severe thunderstorm warnings.
Separate flood watch and marine warnings have been issued by the Bureau of Meteorology’s Queensland page.
What you need to do
- Find out how to get ready for severe weather at the Get Ready Queensland website (Get Prepared).
- Never drive, walk, ride through, play or swim in flood water. If it’s flooded, forget it.
- Obey all signs about road closures and instructions from emergency services.
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- If living near waterways, prepare your home for risk of surface water inundation.
- Self-service sandbag stations are available at the following locations:
- CARDWELL: SES, Gregory Street, Cardwell
- INNISFAIL: Leichhardt Street, Goondi Bend (Footy field top area)
- MISSION BEACH: Frogs Hollow, South Mission Beach
- MOURILYAN: Mill Road, Mourilyan (Old Mill)
- SILKWOOD: Cnr Cassar Road & Margaret Street, Silkwood (behind the old SES shed)
- TULLY: Tully SES, 3 Murray Street, Tully
- TULLY HEADS: Tully Heads SES Shed, Acacia Close (next to community hall)
- Prepare for potential power outages.
- Secure and put away items, such as outdoor furniture, trampolines and roofing iron that could blow around in strong winds.
- Review your usual transport routes and consider possibility of isolation with low lying bridges and roads.
- Share this information with family and friends.
If you find it hard to move quickly or have special or medical needs
- Use your Person-Centred Emergency Plan (P-CEP) now if you have one.
- Make sure you have enough medicine for at least one week.
- If anyone in your house uses powered medical equipment, like a dialysis machine or ventilator, decide now where you will go in case you lose power.
- Call your support person or service to organise transport if you need to leave.
- Leaving early is safer than waiting.
If you are a tourist, visitor, camper or caravanner
- Campers and caravanners should start packing up now.
- If you do not need to be in the warning area, leave now. Check road conditions and plan your route before you leave.
- Be ready to move if the situation gets worse.
- Ask the campground owners whether the site floods.
- Check your surroundings of water catchments, and monitor conditions.
For more information