Evacuation centres in Cairns are now full and residents have been told it is too late to flee the city ahead of Cyclone Yasi's arrival.
With wind speeds of 295km/h recorded, storm surges of up to 7 metres have been predicted to hit Cardwell, between Townsville and Cairns, as the cyclone's expected arrival at midnight combines with a high tide.
Regional Traffic Co-ordinator Inspector Robert Waters has told motorists their window to leave Cairns had effectively closed.
Police have urged "frantic" motorists trying to escape Cairns to remain calm.
“Heading south on the highway to outrun the cyclone, it is probably too late for that now,” Inspector Waters said.
“Basically if you haven’t already left Cairns, if you haven’t worked out a specific destination within a reasonable driving distance, you have probably left it too late and we suggest you go to the shelters that are advertised by the councils.''
He said officers had reported seeing fleeing families driving too fast and without care on the roads.
State disaster co-ordinator Ian Stewart said Cardwell could experience a storm surge of 6.5 to 7 metres above the normal high tide, and lives were at stake.
As a result, waves as high as 12m are predicted to hit the north Queensland coast putting tens of thousands of oceanfront and low-lying homes in Cairns and Townsville at risk of inundation.
Weather Channel meteorologist Tom Saunders said a storm surge was caused by winds at the centre of the cyclone pushing the ocean on to coastline, while the low pressure in the atmosphere caused the sea level to rise.
"It's not like a tsunami, it's not like one massive wave, it will just gradually rise up as the cyclone approaches and on top of that you will have huge waves because the swell is so big," he said.
