Get ready for cyclone Ului | QLD News | Breaking News in Queensland

Cyclone Ului whips up the waves at Alexandra Headland.

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Cyclone Ului whips up big swells

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Further information

Local weather forecast

Bureau of Meteorology warnings

Keep up-to-date with the Bureau of Meteorology's cyclone warning service

COMMUNITIES along Queensland's northern and central coast are making final preparations for the arrival of tropical cyclone Ului over the weekend.

However, disaster management groups have expressed relief at news the cyclone is continuing to weaken as it approaches the coast.

The Bureau of Meteorology on Friday downgraded Ului to a category two storm, easing fears of extensive damage.

"It has started to weaken considerably overnight (and) at this stage we don't think it is likely to reintensify, it is moving into conditions which are not conducive to further development," forecaster Ann Farrell told AAP.

"Certainly this weakening trend is quite encouraging at the moment."

On Friday afternoon, Ului was located about 950km east-northeast of Mackay and 1100km east-northeast of Townsville and moving southwest towards the Queensland coast at 13km/h.

Current modelling has the cyclone crossing the coast somewhere between Proserpine and Bowen early on Sunday morning.

Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts, who with Premier Anna Bligh met with disaster management chiefs in Brisbane, said SES crews were on standby and the cyclone was expected to develop into a rain depression with the chance of local flooding.

"The Bureau Of Meteorology has issued a cyclone watch from Cardwell to Yeppoon," Mr Roberts said.

"The bureau is predicting potentially 200-300mm of rain in some areas, which potentially can cause localised flooding.

"Preparations have been made for potential impact of high damaging winds and also the potential impact of floods in those areas."

Emergency Management Queensland northern region director Warren Bridson said disaster response crews were pleased with the news of Ului's weakening.

"Yesterday we were looking down the barrel of a fairly significant event, and now our local governments ... are much more comfortable," he said.

However, he said a team of 50 emergency services workers from Cairns with cyclone response expertise are expected to arrive in Townsville on Saturday.

He said residents living in low-lying areas of the Burdekin region, south of Townsville, had opted to evacuate and seek refuge with friends and family in anticipation of possible flash flooding.

The Palm Island council has advised island residents living in outstations to move into the town area ahead of Ului's arrival.

Tourists have been evacuated from a number of island resorts in the Whitsundays group, and boat operators have been told to stay in port.

Coal ports along the central Queensland coast have been closed, and Jetstar has suspended flights to Hamilton Island over the weekend.

Got photos of areas affected by Cyclone Ului? Share them at editorial@finda.com.au.