Australia Weather News

A tropical low off north Queensland has a high chance of developing into a cyclone and making landfall by early next week, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) says.

The system is in the Coral Sea, about 850 kilometres east of Lockhart River in Cape York, and is moving south.

It is expected to be declared a cyclone over the weekend, and if so will be named Tropical Cyclone Debbie.

BOM senior forecaster Brett Harrison said it could make landfall from anywhere from Cooktown to Mackay, about 1,000km away.

It is too early for a more exact location, he said.

"All people who live in those areas should prepare for a possible tropical cyclone, get their tropical cyclone plans in place and certainly prepare their homes and yards for what may occur over the coming days," Mr Harrison said.

There have been three tropical cyclones already this season, Yvette in December, Alfred in February and Blanche in March.

The last tropical cyclone to cross the Queensland coast was Tropical Cyclone Nathan, which crossed near Cape Flattery, north of Cooktown in 2015 as a category four system.