Headline:
Severe Tropical Cyclone Owen will continue to move east over the southern Gulf of Carpentaria and strengthen.


Areas affected:
Warning zone: Port McArthur in the Northern Territory, to Aurukun in Queensland, including Mornington Island, Karumba, Kowanyama and Pormpuraaw..

Watch zone: Extending inland from Karumba to Aurukun as far as Georgetown, Chillagoe and Coen..

Cancelled zones: None.


Details of Severe Tropical Cyclone Owen at 1:00 am AEST:
Intensity: category 3, sustained winds near the centre of 140 kilometres per hour with wind gusts to 195 kilometres per hour.
Location: within 20 kilometres of 15.2 degrees South, 137.1 degrees East , 85 kilometres northeast of Port McArthur and 280 kilometres northwest of Mornington Island .
Movement: east southeast at 9 kilometres per hour .

Severe Tropical Cyclone Owen has recently moved east southeast parallel to the southwest Gulf of Carpentaria coast, but is expected to take a more easterly track during Friday morning. The system remains a category 3 system and is likely to continue to develop further over the next 12 to 24 hours as it moves east over open waters through a favourable environment. Severe TC Owen may reach Category 4 intensity early Friday.

A coastal crossing along the southeast Gulf of Carpentaria coast between Gilbert River Mouth to Pormpuraaw later Friday or early Saturday is likely, and there is a chance it crosses the coast as a category 4 system. Owen will then weaken as it moves southeastwards inland over the southern Cape York Peninsula.

Hazards:
VERY DESTRUCTIVE WINDS with gusts to 195 kilometres per hour are possible right near the centre. If Owen maintains intensity during Friday VERY DESTRUCTIVE winds are possible between Pormpuraaw and Gilbert River Mouth later on Friday or early Saturday. They may develop over Mornington Island during Friday afternoon if the system takes a more southerly track.

DESTRUCTIVE WINDS with gusts to 140 kilometres per hour are likely near the centre. They may develop over Mornington Island Friday morning and afternoon if the system takes a track further south. During Friday DESTRUCTIVE WINDS with gusts to 130 kilometres per hour may develop between Burketown and Cape Keerweer as the system approaches the Queensland coast.

GALES with gusts up to 110 kilometres per hour have been observed at Centre Island and may occur between Port McArthur and the NT/Qld Border early Friday morning. GALES may extend from the NT/Qld Border to Burketown Friday during the day, including Mornington Island, and then extend further to the southeast Gulf of Carpentaria between Burketown and Aurukun and adjacent inland areas late Friday and early Saturday.

HEAVY RAINFALL, which may lead to flash flooding, may occur about the islands and coastal areas of the southwestern Gulf of Carpentaria early Friday morning. HEAVY RAINFALL, which may lead to flash flooding is also likely across southern Cape York Peninsula later Friday and Saturday.

Tides may rise significantly above the normal high tide with DAMAGING WAVES and DANGEROUS FLOODING. From Port McArthur to Aurukun a STORM TIDE may develop and tides may rise significantly above the normal high tide, with DAMAGING WAVES and MINOR FLOODING.

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