According to the most recent update from the Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), a severe category 5 tropical cyclone is on track to slam the coast of northeastern Australia on Friday. The storm is expected to bring with it destructive winds, dangerous storm surges and heavy rainfall.

As of 10:00 p.m. Australian Eastern Standard Time (EST), Tropical Cyclone Ita was located approximately 320 km (199 miles) north-northeast of Cooktown and 455 km (283 miles) north of Cairns.

The storm is currently moving in a west-southwesterly path at around 15 km (9 miles) per hour. It is now officially a category 5 storm with winds gusting near its center at 285 km (177 miles) per hour.

The Australian government has issued a cyclone warning for coastal areas from Lockhart River to Innisfail, including Cooktown, Port Douglas and Cairns and extending inland toward Kalinga, Palmerville and Chillagoe.

A cyclone watch is currently in effect for coastal areas from Innisfail to Cardwell and extends further on to adjacent inland regions.

Ita is headed on a trajectory toward the far north Queensland coast. BOM officials anticipate that the storm will maintain its category 5 strength when it makes landfall on Friday, somewhere between Cape Melville and Cape Tribulation.

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