Tropical Cyclone Yasi

As if our state of Queensland isn't reeling enough from the recent floods, up north is going to be hit by Category 5 (Australian scale) Tropical Cyclone Yasi in about 4-6 hours (this evening between 10pm and midnight).

Tropical Cyclone Yasi due to hit north Queensland

They are saying this could be the state's most destructive cyclone in history. It's huge. They're predicting wind gusts of up to 295km/hr (183 miles/hr).

Tropical cyclone forecast track map for Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi. Issued at 8:12pm EST Wednesday 2 February 2011 by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology

For those of you who don't live in Australia here are a couple of images of Cyclone Yasi superimposed over the USA and Europe just to give you an idea of the size of this destructive weather system.

Cyclone Yasi superimposed over the USA

Cyclone Yasi superimposed over Europe

There has been a very concerted preparation in the last few days with 30,000 people evacuated from Cairns. All patients from Cairns Base Hospital and Cairns Private Hospital were airlifted to here in Brisbane. Thousands of other residents on the coast in the path of the storm have been urged to evacuate due to the potential for extreme flooding from large storm surges.

It's going to be one wild night for those in far north Queensland.