Third cyclone looms - and maybe a fourth

BRACE yourself for the third Queensland cyclone of the season, which is expected to form in the Gulf of Carpentaria on Wednesday.

And that might not be all, with a remote chance of a fourth looming behind it.

The cyclone, to be called Tim, is expected to track east across Cape York about Friday and into the Coral Sea, heading southeast.

Its course is unclear but it may travel parallel to Queensland and near enough to have some impact on the north, although there is only a slight chance of a direct hit on the coast.

It comes as southeast Queensland's London-like run of showers and drizzle looks like coming to an end, with a drier southerly wind to push away most of the scud.

Weather bureau forecaster Brett Harrison said showery weather would be replaced with mostly fine conditions from Thursday.

Mr Harrison said the gulf cyclone had up to a 50 per cent chance of forming on Wednesday although it was too early to determine its Coral Sea track.

Weatherzone forecaster Rob Sharpe said the cyclone would have a similar track to the existing Cyclone Sandra but nearer the coast.

"Although models are suggesting it generally will move closer, we think there is only a slim chance of a direct hit," he said.

"It's hard to call but it will bring showers to the tropical coast and increased winds to southern parts. There's a long shot of another cyclone forming behind it so people on the cape need to take precautions."

Although the wet coastal strip does not need any further rain, gulf and Cape York graziers are suffering from their driest wet season in 23 years.

Susan Shephard of 30,000ha Lillyvale Station on Cape York said the property had had no wet season rain until January 17, whereas storms usually began in November.

"No one wants a cyclone but sometimes you've got to have 'em to get the rain," she said. "We hope if it forms, it's not like Cyclone Monica (2006), which caused a lot of flooding."

Ms Shephard said a bonus of the dry was that no one had seen so many Gulf and Cape roads stay open during a wet season.

"They're even getting trucks through to Weipa," she said.

Public Works Minister Tim Mander said 10 category-five cyclone shelters that could provide accommodation for 800 people were ready for use.

"Cyclone shelters in Townsville, Ingham, Proser-pine and Bowen are all complete and the keys have been handed over to local disaster management groups," he said.

Under the program started by the previous government, shelters range from Kowanyama and Weipa in the Gulf, to Yeppoon in central Queensland.

Mr Harrison said there was little prospect of the Category 3 Cyclone Sandra, 1500km northeast of Townsville and 1000km northwest of Noumea, troubling Queensland.

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