Tropical Cyclone Maila Weakens as It Approaches Australian Coast

Tropical Cyclone Maila has been downgraded to a category one system and is slowing its movement as it tracks toward the Australian coastline, according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM).

As of April 11, 2026, the system is located 630 kilometres west-north-west of Honiara and 810 kilometres east of Port Moresby. The BOM reports that the cyclone is slow-moving and is expected to remain so within the Solomon Sea throughout Saturday, April 11.

Forecast and Potential Landfall

Forecasters expect the system to continue weakening and slowing over the weekend. While Tropical Cyclone Maila may enter the Coral Sea early next week and track toward the Far North Queensland coast, We see likely to weaken below tropical cyclone intensity before making landfall.

BOM senior forecaster Shane Kennedy stated that any potential landfall would likely occur north of Cooktown in Far North Queensland. Other modelling suggests the system could cross the coast between the tip of Cape York and Cairns, specifically around the Coen and Lockhart River region, on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.

There is also a possibility that the system weakens further in the Solomon Sea or over south-east Papua New Guinea during the weekend and does not emerge into the Coral Sea as a tropical cyclone. If it does reach the coast, it is expected to do so as a trough or a weak low.

Previous Intensity and Regional Impact

The system has undergone several rapid downgrades. After being a category four storm, it was downgraded to category three and then to category two on Friday, April 10, 2026. At category two, the storm produced wind gusts of 155 kilometres per hour.

Before its current weakening phase, the cyclone caused widespread devastation in villages across the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and Bougainville on Friday, April 10, 2026, with winds reaching 200 kilometres per hour.

Mr. Kennedy attributed the weakening of the system to its movement patterns, noting that Maila had largely done a little bit of a loop in the Solomon Sea.

Broader Weather Patterns

The movement of the cyclone coincides with contrasting weather extremes across Australia. While Far North Queensland prepares for the arrival of the weakened system, southeast Australia and Tasmania have been affected by a severe cold snap that brought early snow to the region.

In Queensland, temperatures were recorded at 9 degrees Celsius above average on April 9, 2026, with several April maximum records broken prior to the expected arrival of the system.