Severe Tropical Cyclone Ului continues to move slowly towards the QLD coast and is predicted to make landfall between Cardwell and Yepoon sometime over the coming weekend. Ului has been downgraded to a category three but is still producing winds in excess of 200 kilometres per hour. Ului is still over 1000km northeast of Mackay and is moving slowly southwest. However despite its large distance from the coast Ului is already affecting the QLD coast with large swells and wind gusts. Some of the islands are already receiving wind gusts in excess of 80 km/h. Hamilton Island has recorded 89 km/h and Green Island has received winds up to 83 km/h. On the mainland Gladstone has already registered 72 km/h. Tropical Cyclone Ului is expected to remain well off the QLD coast until the weekend. Ului is predicted to remain a category three cyclone as it crosses the coast somewhere between Cardwell and Yepoon early on Sunday. A cyclone watch has been issued for this region giving residents of the QLD central coast time to adequately prepare. As it approaches Ului could bring rainfall amounts well over 100mm as well as destructive winds.