'Biggest for a decade': Tropical cyclone nears WA coast

A tropical low off Western Australia is predicted to develop right into a cyclone tonight in what may very well be the strongest storm of its type in a decade.

Residents in a big swathe of the state’s north have been warned the system, transferring south-west in direction of the Kimberley shoreline, will deliver heavy rainfall and wind gusts of as much as 100km/h.

Latest forecasts from the Bureau of Meteorology counsel the low is predicted to strengthen throughout Tuesday afternoon and night.

A large part of the WA north coast is in line for the cyclone. — A big a part of the WA north coast is in line for the cyclone. (BoM)

It is then anticipated to realize additional power because it strikes south-west on Wednesday, parallel to the Kimberley coast, when it’s set to turn into a extreme tropical cyclone.

Locals from Cape Leveque to Broome are in line for the extreme climate, forecasters say.

The tropical low, which will probably be named Cyclone Ilsa as soon as it reaches class 1, is now 400 kilometres north of Broome, heading south-west at 13km/h.

Tropical cyclone forming near Kimberley Coast in Western Australia. — This picture reveals a dense white cloud in Western Australia’s north which is the tropical low. (Bureau of Meteorology)

BoM senior meteorologist Dean Narramore mentioned the tropical cyclone would observe parallel to the coast.

It’s forecast to accentuate to a class 4 cyclone on Thursday in a 10-year first for the area.

“A category 4 system, we’re talking winds in excess of 200km/h and 250km/h in the core,” he mentioned.

“It will cause very heavy rainfall which is expected to cause riverine and flash flooding.

“Very harmful situations forming up there on Thursday night time by means of to Friday morning.”

The bureau’s Todd Smith forecast upwards of 200mm of rain a day as the cyclone tracks inland through the DeGrey River catchment.

“We anticipate to see robust river rises, we have now a flood watch present for these elements,” he said.

Wind gusts up to 90km/h and heavy rainfall may develop between Cape Leveque and north of Broome on Wednesday.

Thunderstorms with heavy rainfall are expected in the northern Kimberley region today.

There are also expected to be abnormally high tides on the Kimberley coast between Kalumburu and Kuri Bay.

“In some places, the tide could also be near the best astronomical tide of the yr,” the bureau said.

Communities along the west Kimberley coast should start to prepare for extreme weather conditions, the bureau added.

Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Darren Klemm said the communities between Broome and Port Hedland needed to be enacting their emergency plans.

“Clean up round dwelling, have your emergency package, and maintain updated with warnings,” he said on Monday.

”Make positive you are ready, there is no such thing as a excuse for not being ready.”

Tropical cyclone likely to form over northern Western Australia coast. — The tropical cyclone will reach a category 4 later this week. (Weatherzone)

Klemm said it had been 10 years since a cyclone greater than category 3 hit the north of Western Australia.

“There are many individuals who haven’t skilled a class 4,” he said.

Klemm urged any holidaymakers or people travelling in caravans between Port Hedland and Broome to leave immediately and head south.

”If you are in a caravan in that space, now’s the time to be altering your journey plans,” he said.

The highways in the area are expected to be closed for more than 48 hours as the cyclone tracks inland.

Emergency services are working with remote Indigenous communities to ensure all the resources are available before the cyclone makes landfall.

Residents in the disaster-stricken Fitzroy Valley are expected to avoid impact from the cyclone.

Residents are urged to keep up with weather warnings on the bureau’s website.

It will be the third cyclone to hit Australia this year after Cyclone Ellie caused chaos in Western Australia’s Kimberley region with intense flooding and destruction and Cyclone Gabrielle swept across Queensland’s north.