A RESCHEDULED football match, a bunch of closed beaches and a spot of panic shopping are hoped to be the extent of the effect of cyclone Ului in northern Queensland.

The cyclone continued to track towards the state’s coast last night, but had been downgraded to a category 2 system.

At 10pm Ului was 950km east of Townsville and moving southwest towards the coast at 15km per hour.

More cyclone news & information  

The most likely scenario is for the cyclone to cross the coast tomorrow morning between Cardwell and Mackay and it may remain at category 2 intensity by landfall.

Batteries, long-life milk and bread were hot items at Cardwell yesterday as residents prepared for the impending storm.

A Cardwell supermarket worker said the town’s older residents were the main ones stocking up in the wake of another cyclone watch for the town, which was on the northern fringe of the official watch area last night.

"They are the people saying ‘just in case’," she said.

Latest weather bureau cyclone information   

Cassowary Coast Mayor and Local Disaster Management Committee chairman Bill Shannon issued his own cyclone advice yesterday, suggesting the shire’s residents consider stocking up on food and other essential items in case the Bruce Highway was cut by flood water.

He described the possibility of a temporary highway closure as strong.

"That means goods from the south will be interrupted (so) it would be wise for residents to prepare in advance," he said.

"Those with elderly neighbours could check on them to see if they need any help to top up their food supplies."

Latest Cairns weather forecast   

A Hinchinbrook Island Wilderness Lodge and Ferry spokesperson said boat owners were likely to make decisions today on whether to move vessels into sheltered creeks off the Hinchinbrook Channel to avoid predicted damaging winds.

All beaches between Port Douglas and Townsville have been closed, with stinger nets removed as a precaution.

Tonight’s NRL match between the North Queensland Cowboys and Penrith Panthers in Townsville has been shifted from 8.30pm to 6.30pm to avoid the worst of the conditions.

Pictures: Cairns' amazing weather

Cardwell cane and banana farmer David Singh said he was hoping for more downscaling of cyclone Ului. He said the bananas were the biggest concern.

"We’re hoping it continues the way it is and we’re on the edge of it with not too much wind," he said.

"The cane crop is at the stage where it’s big and it’ll lay over but not really do much damage beyond losing a bit of CCS (sugar sweetness) but a category 1 cyclone would do enough damage with the bananas."

Most reef tour operators were yesterday preparing for business as usual over the weekend, despite choppy waters making for rough sailing.

Some operators have rescheduled trips planned for the weekend, but others were not expecting any changes.

 

Share this article