To the right is a NASA Earth Observatory picture of the storm (click for the very large version). And here are the words the Australian Bureau of Meteorology just issued as it approaches Queensland:
SEVERE TC YASI IS A LARGE AND VERY POWERFUL TROPICAL CYCLONE AND POSES AN EXTREMELY SERIOUS THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY WITHIN THE WARNING AREA, ESPECIALLY BETWEEN CAIRNS AND TOWNSVILLE. THIS IMPACT IS LIKELY TO BE MORE LIFE THREATENING THAN ANY EXPERIENCED DURING RECENT GENERATIONS.
Well that is the way not to mince words. Yasi is currently a Category 5 on the Australian scale, but a Cat 4 on the scale we're more familiar with. Either way, it is a very deadly storm.
