A weather forecaster is predicting a new cyclone to form in the Coral Sea over the coming week which would be the third in as many months to hit Australia.
WeatherWatch head forecaster Philip Duncan said in their seven-day Pacific weather forecast, "we're tracking a lot of low pressure and a new tropical cyclone".
"You will notice a theme of low pressure," Duncan said.
The low in the Coral Sea is "one to keep an eye on" he said, especially after Tropical Cyclone Kirrily hit Queensland last week and Tropical Cyclone Jasper did the same in December 2023.
"Are we looking at another cyclone? Yes, we are I think," Duncan said.
Monsoon rain and winds are making their way through the Pacific and there is a "big low" to the northeast of New Zealand.
These combined with high pressure in the Tasman are sending cool southerlies across Norfolk Island up to New Caledonia and Vanuatu, which is causing the low in the Coral Sea to stick around.
Duncan would not give a firm prediction on when he thought the cyclone would be fully formed and named.
"Cyclone Kirrily formed in a very similar position last week with low pressure down here [Norfolk Island]," Duncan said.
"This one could be in a similar place. It might be named in the weekend or it might take till next week as we continue to watch it."
He predicted that by Tuesday next week, the cyclone could be sliding over Queensland, "maybe going further south than we saw Kirrily go but it's too early to lock in".
MetService meteorologist John Law told Newshub that the low-pressure system was "on our radar" but that it was "too far off" to say whether it would impact New Zealand, and if so, by how much.
