RESIDENTS in part of Queensland and the Northern Territory are being advised to prepare for only the second tropical cyclone to hit Australia this summer.

The warning comes as Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk convenes an emergency meeting with the state’s disaster response team.

On Friday, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) warned there was a “high chance” a tropical low brewing in the Gulf could strengthen over the weekend bringing gusts in excess of 125km/h and heavy rain.

The low is moving slowly 7km northeast of Mornington Island near the Queensland and Northern Territory border.

If the system develops into a cyclone and hits land, the town of Burketown in Queensland and the entire area towards the Territory border could be in the firing line. It will likely be named ‘Alfred’ if it becomes a fully fledged cyclone.

The Madden-Julian Oscillation, a weather system that pulses around tropical areas in the Indian and Pacific Ocean, is currently active north of Australia, sucking warm water towards the continent and bolstering the monsoon season.



A tropical low over the #GulfofCarpentaria has an increasing risk of forming into a #cyclone this weekend. We're monitoring with @BOM_NT. pic.twitter.com/AdwV5G98g1 — BOM Queensland (@BOM_Qld) February 16, 2017

“The warm waters around Northern Australia are basically more fuel for the monsoon to occur,” Andrew Watkins, head of the Bureau’s climate prediction service told news.com.au on Thursday.

The BOM has advised residents to finalise emergency kits, remove any “potential wind borne missiles” from in around their home and commence home shelter preparations.

If people’s homes aren’t up to cyclone code, they should organise to shelter with friends or family or in a public shelter.

Ms Palaszczuk will meet with the Queensland Disaster Management Committee in Brisbane on Friday afternoon to discuss the status of the weather system and make preparations for communities that could be affected.

There is a moderate chance it will turn into a cyclone on Saturday but that probability will increase to high by Sunday.

The system is also expected deliver heavy rain, with communities from the border to Burketown urged to be on alert and prepare for wild weather.

— with AAP.