Follow our rolling coverage as the cyclone barrels towards the Queensland coastline, with emergency crews sent north and communities starting evacuations or hunkering down.

Australians brace for ‘significant damage’ as tropical Cyclone Narelle makes landfall - Queensland premier warns cyclone could trigger flash flooding

Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle crossed the far north Queensland coast this morning as a category 4 storm between Lockhart River and Coen. The system has since weakened into a category 3 storm. However residents are being warned not to be complacent as it moves west over the Cape York Peninsula today.

Weather conditions in North Queensland are forecast to get wetter from today, but communities along the coast will be keeping an eye on the potential for a low pressure system to move toward land this week.

According to the Bureau of Meteorology’s latest forecast maps, Tropical Low 34U, currently tracking south of the Solomon Islands, now has a 60 per cent chance of reaching cyclone strength by Thursday night.