Update: Australian Ports Weathering Out Cyclone Marcia

zoom Australia’s ports of Gladstone, Bundaberg and Port Alma have been closed since Thursday ahead of the Category 2 Tropical Cyclone Marcia, expected to reach Central Queensland and make landfall as a category five system on Friday, the GAC reports. The ports of Gove and Groote Eylandt have been closed for commercial shipping since February 17. The ports and terminals at Hay Point and Dalrymple Bay have been open from approximately 9 am local time Friday, with first shipping movements from 2 pm hours local time. The port and terminal at Abbot Point resumed operations as of 5 am local time Friday The Cyclone Marcia has been moving through the Coral Sea towards the Queensland coast in a south westerly direction. The cyclone is expected to maintain this general motion through to landfall on the eastern Queensland coast between St Lawrence and Bundaberg early Friday. Destructive winds of up to 150 km/hr may develop about the coast and islands near the centre on Friday morning. Gales are expected to develop about coastal and island communities between Mackay and Double Island Point, and adjacent inland areas from Mackay to Monto. Abnormally high tides were expected on Thursday and Friday with water levels expected to rise above the highest tide of the year on the high tide.