Severe Weather Advice - Watch and Act (No longer current)

Published on 05 March 2026

Severe-Weather_Watch-and-Act_Image.png

Monitor Conditions

Cassowary Coast Region

Issued: 1.30pm, 5 March 2026 

Next update: 6 March 2026

Cassowary Coast Local Disaster Management Group advises people in the Cassowary Coast Local Government area to WATCH AND ACT ahead of 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?

The Bureau of Meteorology advises Tropical Low 29U is in the Coral Sea to the northwest of Willis Island. The low is expected to move onshore Friday morning.

GALES with wind gusts to 75 km/h are forecast to develop over exposed coastal areas from Thursday evening. Locations more susceptible to stronger gusts include coastal areas between Tully Heads through to Cowley Beach and possibly Flying Fish Point.

All residents living in or near coastal areas should ensure preparations are undertaken now to secure all objects that may be impacted by strong and gusty winds.

Damaging winds may cause debris like fallen trees, powerlines could come down, and the power could go out. These winds may cause wave run up higher than the forecast high tide.

HEAVY RAINFALL, which may lead to FLASH FLOODING, is forecast to develop about coastal and adjacent inland areas north of Ingham on Thursday.

Locally intense rainfall, which may lead to dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding, is possible about coastal areas from Friday morning.

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 on the BOM’s Queensland page.

What you need to do

  • Find out how to get ready for severe weather at the Get Ready Queensland website: www.getready.qld.gov.au/get-prepared
  • Secure and put away items, such as outdoor furniture, trampolines and roofing iron that could blow around in strong winds.
  • 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
    • TULLY: Tully SES, 3 Murray Street, Tully
    • TULLY HEADS: Tully Heads SES Shed, Acacia Close (next to community hall)
  • 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.
  • Review your usual transport routes and consider possibility of isolation with low lying bridges and roads.
  • Prepare for potential power outages.
  • 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 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.

     

    If you have a boat, jet-ski or kayak

  • Take your boat, jet-ski, canoe or kayak out of the water and store securely on land if possible.
  • If your boat is kept on the water, relocate it to a safer mooring if possible.
  • If your boat is in a marina, batten down and check-in with the marina manager.
  • Check your area’s Extreme Weather Contingency Plan on the Maritime Safety Queensland website www.msq.qld.gov.au/safety/preparing-for-severe-weather

     

    For more information

  • Regularly monitor the Cassowary Coast Disaster Dashboard https://disaster.cassowarycoast.qld.gov.au
  • Listen to your local radio. The frequencies are 630 AM for Cardwell, 95.7 FM for Innisfail, 89.3 FM for Mission Beach, and 95.5 FM for Tully. Live streaming is available through www.abc.net.au/northqld/live and www.abc.net.au/farnorth/live
  • For power outage information go to https://www.ergon.com.au/network
  • Check the latest weather, warnings, rainfall, and river heights at the Bureau of Meteorology’s Queensland page.
  • Check road closures at the QLD Traffic website https://qldtraffic.qld.gov.au or phone 13 19 40.
Tagged as:
Back to top