Penny may threaten Queensland, Australia, with more flooding this week
Large hail stones battered vehicles along this highway in Australia on Jan. 2.
Penny formed in the Gulf of Carpentaria on Monday before bringing heavy rainfall to the Cape York Peninsula on Tuesday and Tuesday night.
Despite weakening from a Category 1 tropical cyclone to a tropical rainstorm as it crossed the Cape York Peninsula on Tuesday, Penny brought another round of heavy rainfall to the region following Tropical Cyclone Owen in December.
Penny caused heavy rainfall and some wind damage across the northern Cape York Peninsula, including areas around Weipa.
Mining operations were halted and flights to and from the area were canceled due to the storm.
While improved weather is forecast across the Cape York Peninsula in the coming days, coastal locations of eastern Queensland should remain on high alert for impacts from Penny.
Penny restrengthened into a Category 1 tropical cyclone in the Coral Sea on Wednesday, and one of two possible scenarios will unfold over the week ahead.
In one scenario, the cyclone would continue to track east-southeast across the Coral Sea, possibly threatening areas from the Solomon Islands to Vanuatu and New Caledonia by this weekend.
The second scenario is the most threatening for Australia as the cyclone turns back to the west and nears the Queensland coast by early next week.
In this scenario, communities from Cairns and Townsville to Mackay and Gladstone may be threatened by potentially damaging wind and flooding rain. As there remains uncertainty in the track, residents in eastern Queensland should continue to monitor the situation.
Regardless of the exact track, rough surf and rip currents will be an issue for beachgoers along the east coast of Queenslands into this weekend.
Download the free AccuWeather app to stay aware of this or any other threatening weather.
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