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NORTH and central Queensland will be on cyclone alert over the weekend as the weather bureau monitors a tropical low about 600km northeast of Mackay.

The forecast comes three years to the day after cyclone Larry crossed the North Queensland coast, devastating the town of Innisfail.

Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Ben Annells said the low pressure system was interacting with an upper level trough that was keeping it steady.

But when the trough moves away it could intensify over the weekend into a cyclone, expected to be called Jasper.

"It looks like it will stay over the Coral Sea into the weekend, but its long-term movement is uncertain,'' Mr Annells said.

"It depends on the interaction with another upper trough next week.''

Strong winds of up to 33 knots are already being felt from Cooktown to Sandy Cape, with seas to three metres in open waters and outside the reef.

"The environment at the moment is favourable for a cyclone,'' Mr Annells said.

"It's not unusual to get cyclones this time of the year and even into April.''