Tropical cyclone Nathan is moving toward the coast of Queensland and it is intensifying.  At 10:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday the center of Tropical Cyclone Nathan was located at latitude 14.7°S and longitude 147.4°E which put it about 140 miles east of Cape Flattery, about 190 miles east-northeast of Cooktown and about 200 miles east of Cape Melville.  Nathan was moving toward the west at 7 m.p.h.  The maximum sustained wind speed was 95 m.p.h. and there were gusts to 120 m.p.h.  The minimum surface pressure was 959 mb.

Nathan intensified quickly on Wednesday and it is close to being the equivalent of a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale.  The core of the circulation is moving over warm Sea Surface Temperatures.  The upper level winds are light and there is very little vertical wind shear.  Nathan is in a favorable environment and it has well developed upper level outflow.  It is expected to increase in intensity until it makes landfall.

A subtropical ridge building northwest of Nathan is expected to steer it west toward the cost of Queensland.  On the projected track, the center will make landfall between Cape Melville and Cooktown in 12 to 18 hours.  Nathan has the potential to bring strong winds near where the center makes landfall.  Even though the circulation is relatively small, it also has the potential to generate a significant storm surge near the location of landfall.  The strength of the circulation also will create the potential for locally heavy rainfall and flooding as the cyclone moves inland.