cyclone debbie path
The Bureau of Meteorology’s track map for debbie issued at 8am Sunday.
Queensland is preparing for the worst tropical cyclone since Yasi six years ago, and authorities are warning residents that they need to act now as Monday will be too late.

Authorities have begun evacuating parts of the Whitsunday region as cyclone Debbie continues to bear down on the north Queensland coastline.

The Bureau of Meteorology expects 'the very destructive core' of Debbie to cross the coast between Townsville and Proserpine as a category 4 early on Tuesday morning, with winds up to 260km/h and flash flooding.

More than 1000 emergency services personnel have already been sent to the region.

Flights to north east Queensland have been grounded with Jetstar, Virgin and Qantas cancelling flights to and from Townsville airport for Monday and Tuesday.

The airlines have also cancelled some flights into and out of Mackay airport.

All flights to Hamilton Island are cancelled for Monday.

The Queensland Fire and Emergency Service issued a storm tide watch and act alert this afternoon for Dingo Beach, Conway Beach, Cape Upstart, Bowen, Airlie Beach and Shute Harbour.

State Disaster Coordinator Michael Gollschewski said Sunday was the day to finalise preparation.

'Tomorrow will be too late,' he told a media conference.

He said it was not possible to shelter from a storm surge and people in low-lying area should be prepared to evacuate.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said schools between Ayr and Proserpine would be shut from Monday.

Tropical Cyclone Debbie intensified to a category 2 late on Saturday night in the Coral Sea and is moving slowing to the south, southwest.

There are concerns that by the time Debbie hits the coast, it could be a category 5 - the highest level.

A cyclone watch zone for residents living between Ayr and St Lawrence - including Bowen, Mackay and the Whitsunday Islands - remains in place.

Debbie will develop into a category 3 later on Sunday, bringing strong gales to the region.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Katarina Carroll again on Sunday urged residents of the region to make sure they use Sunday to prepare for the arrival of Debbie.

'I come from that part of the world, I have been in a number of cyclones as a responder and please don't be complacent. These can be quite devastating,' Commissioner Carroll told the Nine Network on Sunday.

Emergency crews have already been sent in to areas between Townsville and Mackay awaiting the arrival of Debbie, which could be a category four or five when it crosses the coast late on Monday or early Tuesday.

The Queensland Disaster Management Committee met earlier on Sunday.

Coordination centres in Cairns, Innisfail, Townsville and Mackay have also been activated.

The Queensland Fire and Emergency Services have deployed 50 staff from its Disaster Assistance and Response Team to Cairns to bolster local crews.

AAP