Cyclone upgraded to category four: 'Too late to leave'

Tropical Cyclone Hayley has been upgraded to a category four system as residents in Australia's far northwest prepare to ride out the storm as it approaches land.

The system is moving toward Western Australia's northern Dampier Peninsula, with wind gusts up to 230 km/h.

Cyclone Hayley is forecast to make landfall on Tuesday night, with residents in Beagle Bay, Cockatoo Island and Derby warned it's no longer safe to leave.

"We can expect to see those gale force winds picking up through Tuesday morning and then intensifying to destructive wind gusts from Tuesday afternoon and possibly very destructive wind gusts," Jonathan How from the Bureau of Meteorology said.

"We are expecting this system to gradually weaken as it approaches the coast, but still remain a severe category three system."

Residents living in caravans or older homes have been urged to move to their nearest evacuation centre or another safer location.

Very damaging winds of up to 170 km/h are possible in the northern Dampier Peninsula, while a heavy rainfall warning has been issued, with the potential for flash flooding across parts of the region.

Residents should prepare their emergency kits with enough canned food and water to last a week, along with a first-aid kit, medication, cash and a battery-operated radio to listen for warnings.

An evacuation centre was open at the Broome Recreation and Aquatic Centre for those in the warning area, the department advised.

Residents who chose to stay at home should secure loose outdoor items, move vehicles under cover, fasten cyclone shutters and ensure pets are safe.

Across the country, communities in Queensland are continuing to withstand heavy monsoon rain and flash flooding.

The bureau warned that parts of Gulf Country, Northern Goldfields and Upper Flinders, North West and Central West Forecast Districts, could see intense rainfall which may lead to dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding.

Hundreds of millimetres of rain has fallen across the area, with the highest cumulative falls of more than 650 millimetres at South Mission Beach, near Tully.