Narelle was a tropical cyclone in the Coral Sea late Wednesday Australian Eastern time Time, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center said in its latest advisory. Flash flooding can occur well inland and away from the storm’s center. Even weaker storms can produce excessive rainfall that can flood low-lying areas.

NT authorities are now speaking at a press conference about the need for preparations for Tropical Cyclone Narelle.

Updated hurricane cone maps highlight inland watches and warnings to show storm impacts beyond the forecast cone track.

Cyclone Narelle has made landfall in Far North Queensland as a Category 4 system on Friday morning with wind gusts of over 270km/h.

Narelle intensified into a category five storm, with the prime minister warning it may be a "very dangerous weather event".

A developing tropical cyclone is set to bear down on northern Australia, with the Northern Territory in the firing line as the system tracks west across the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Tropical Cyclone Narelle is currently a very dangerous Category 5 storm, sitting off the Far North Queensland Coast some 350 kilometres northeast of Cooktown. Formed in the Coral Sea, Narelle is packing a punch,

See the latest forecast and wind speeds as the system approaches Far North Queensland.