Severe Tropical Cyclone Marcus has weakened to cat. 3, central pressure 965 hPa, sustained winds 140 kph, gusting to 195 kph. Conditions are becoming less favourable and transition to a low may occur Saturday or Sunday. Ex TC Marcus may just clip the south west tip of Western Australia as it's swept eastwards.
The tropical low in the Arafura Sea developed faster than anticipated and is now Severe Tropical Cyclone Nora, cat. 3. Central pressure 963 hPa, sustained winds 150 kph, gusting to 205 kph. Further intensification is likely, to cat. 4 by about mid tomorrow (Saturday). Nora is expected to continue down the west coast of Cape York as a cat. 4 but experiencing some increase in vertical wind shear, interaction with land and possibility of some dry air in the area penetrating the system.