Severe Cyclone Lam is located just to the west of the Wessel Islands.  It is moving slowly southwestward toward the north coast of Australia.  At 10:00 p.m. EST on Wednesday the center of Severe Cyclone Lam was located at latitude 11.5°S and longitude 135.9°E which put it about 40 miles north-northeast of Elcho Island and about 75 miles northwest of Nhulunbuy, Australia.  Lam was moving toward the southwest at 5 m.p.h.  The maximum sustained wind speed was 85 m.p.h. and there were gusts to 120 m.p.h.  The minimum surface pressure was 967 mb.

Lam is moving over Sea Surface Temperatures that are warmer than 30°C.  The upper level winds are relatively light and there is little vertical wind shear.  Since the environment is favorable, some further intensification is possible before Lam makes landfall in about 12 hours.

Lam is expected to make landfall on the north coast of Australia just to the southwest of Elcho Island.  It is a strong tropical cyclone capable of causing wind damage.  A weather station near Cape Wessel measured a sustained wind speed of 80 m.p.h. and wind gusts to 100 m.p.h. when the eyewall passed over the station.  The intensity and slow movement of Lam are also creating the potential for a significant storm surge near where the center makes landfall.  The slow motion will also create the potential for locally heavy rainfall and flooding as Lam moves inland.

Tropical Cyclone Lam reached hurricane intensity near the northern coast of Australia and was upgraded to Severe Cyclone status.  At 10:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday the center of Severe Cyclone Lam was located at latitude 11.1°S and longitude 137.0°E which put it near the Wessel Islands, about 80 miles north of Nhulunbuy and about 110 miles northeast of Elcho Island, Australia.  Lam was moving toward the west at 8 m.p.h.  The maximum sustained wind speed was 75 m.p.h. and there were gusts to 100 m.p.h.  The minimum surface pressure was 976 mb.

Lam remains over very warm Sea Surface Temperatures and the vertical wind shear is modest.  So, it has the potential to intensify further as long as the center remains over water.  A subtropical ridge is steering Lam westward and that motion is expect to continue for another 8 to 16 hours.  When it reaches the western edge of the ridge, Lam is expected to turn toward the southwest and it could make a landfall west of Elcho Island in 24 to 36 hours.  Lam is strong enough to pose a risk of a significant storm surge and it could also produce locally heavy rainfall and flooding as it moves inland.