Australia news live: Tropical Cyclone Narelle dips below category-five strength hours before hitting Queensland coast

<p>Tropical cyclone expected to make landfall in far north Queensland within hours. Follow today’s news live </p><ul><li><p>Get our <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=cvau_sfl">breaking news email</a>, <a href="https://app.adjust.com/w4u7jx3">free app</a> or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/series/full-story?CMP=cvau_sfl">daily news podcast</a></p></li></ul><p>Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle is on track to make landfall in Cape York this morning, likely as a “high end” category four storm.</p><p>The Bureau of Meteorology’s latest update suggests the system - which had been tracking as a category five tropical cyclone - has weakened slightly overnight but remains a significant danger to a number of communities in Queensland’s north.<br><br>
Sustained winds of 195 kilometres per hour - with wind gusts up to 270 kilometres per hour - have been recorded.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2026/mar/20/australia-news-live-tropical-cyclone-narelle-queensland-floods-storm-coen-crisafulli-albanese-cost-of-living-tax-budget-chalmers-gas-fuel-crisis-ntwnfb">Continue reading...</a>