#YASI — BREAKING NEWS — Queensland Premier Anna Bligh says a wave has tonight broken the record books again – just hours after the record had previously been broken.

On Wednesday afternoon a wave measuring 6.6 metres was recorded off the coast of Townsville.  At the time it was biggest wave in the area since records began in the 1970s.

In the past few hours another wave has smashed that record, coming in at a massive 9.5 metres.

Waves are expected to continue to grow over the coming hours but Anna Bligh says the cyclone has slowed down which could be favourable to the area.

The tide is now going out and the cyclone is expected to make landfall at low tide – decreasing the affect of the storm surge.

However the slower storm speed will mean torrential rain and hurricane force winds will hover over the area for longer – causing more catastrophic damage.

The cyclone remains a powerful Category 5 cyclone with winds gusting to 285km/h. 

WeatherWatch.co.nz estimates the cyclone is now around 80kms from the coastline and is over 2000kms wide with damaging winds covering an area about the same length as Auckland to Wellington (500kms).

— BREAKING NEWS — Gales reach Townsville

In the past hour gale force winds gusting to 104km/h have hit Townsville. 

Gales have not yet reached Cairns.

For FULL details on this storm and all the maps and links, please click here

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