Just when things seem to be drying off after Cyclone Tasha, Cairns weather is likely to return to wet conditions: expect another wet weekend over new Year, according to the BOM.
More rain on way for Far North
IF you thought Christmas Day was a washout, then expect more of the same for New Year's Eve. Please send your wet weather pictures to editorial@tcp.newsltd.com.au
The monsoonal trough that produced cyclone Tasha and drenched Cairns over Christmas is making its way back north, with the weather bureau predicting falls of up to 100mm along the coast.
The trough is expected to be between Townsville and Cardwell today, bringing persistent rain that could cut the Bruce Highway again around Ingham.
Cairns weather bureau duty forecaster Ben Suter said by New Year's Eve the trough would be over Cairns with a southeasterly wind behind it bringing showers and storms.
In the latest weather bureau warnings issued late last night, the three-day forecast for the Coral Sea listed the chance of a cyclone forming today or tomorrow as very low.
The risk will increase to low by Saturday.
Mr Suter said there was a strong chance the Bruce Highway near Ingham would be cut.
The Far North's top traffic cop, Insp Bob Waters, urged people to reconsider their travel plans as the trough heads north.
"When severe weather is upon us if you do not have to be on the road then don't be," he said.
"For people taking longer journeys, rethink your plans and abandon at this stage.
"Even locally, slow down, put your lights on, have a large gap between vehicles and be aware of your surroundings."
Mr Suter said the trough would move further north over the weekend bringing heavy rain between Cairns and Cooktown and storms were expected in the Gulf.
He said a low off the Northern Territory was unlikely to become a cyclone and was heading southwest.
Much of the damage to Far Northern roads in the wake of cyclone Tasha and floods was restricted to potholes, but there has been landslips on the Gillies, Palmerston and Kennedy highways.
With many of the regions roads affected, the Cairns, Cassowary Coast and Tablelands regional councils have been declared eligible for disaster funding and road crews have been out making emergency repairs.
But only those areas considered a danger will be fixed immediately with many engineers and road experts on leave until January 4.
Here we go again: After a cyclone and floods on Christmas Day, the weather bureau is expecting a soggy New Year's Eve in the Far North.
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