A HEAD-ON collision on Shute Harbour Rd claimed the life of a German tourist this morning.

A ute with a trailer travelling east on Shute Harbour Rd T-boned a white Toyota Corolla turning right into Gregory-Cannonvalley Rd at about 8.30am.

The second German tourist travelling in the Corolla has been taken to Proserpine hospital, along with one of the ute occupants.

WHITSUNDAYS BRACING FOR CYCLONE

The remaining ute occupant is assisting police at the scene.

Traffic towards Proserpine is being diverted through Riordonvale and incoming traffic to Airlie Beach is continuing.

FOLLOW THE LATEST ON CYCLONE DEBBIE HERE

Police Commissioner Ian Stewart told media that the woman was a tourist to the area and said conditions caused by tropical cyclone Debbie could have been a factor in the crash.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said wind gusts of up to 100km/h were already affecting the Whitsunday area as Cyclone Debbie bears down on Queensland.

"The cyclone is now tracking further south," she said at a special 10am briefing.

The weather bureau upgraded the system to a Category 3 cyclone about 11am.

Meteorologist Bruce Gunn said the "very destructive" core of the cyclone is expected to be about 100km wide. He said the exact location and impact of the cyclone would become more precise as the system approached.

A police spokesperson at the scene said motorists should take care under current weather conditions, with Cyclone Debbie now approaching the Whitsunday coast.

"This is a notorious intersection and something needs to be done to curb the accident rate," he said.

CYCLONE SURVIVOR'S STOMACH TURNS OVER EVACUATION REFUSAL