WA's North West is bracing for a possible pre-Christmas tropical cyclone as the Bureau of Meteorology continues to monitor a monsoon trough off the coast.
BOM spokesman Neil Bennett said heavy rainfall was likely in the Kimberley region mid-next week, but that it was too early to say if the trough expected to cause the wet weather would develop into a cyclone.
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Update on the Monsoon north of Australia
An update on the monsoon north of Australia, current as of the 15th of December. Vision: Bureau of Meteorology
"Before [a monsoon trough] becomes a tropical cyclone, it has to become a tropical low," he said.
"It would be unwise for us at this stage to say for sure there will be a cyclone and where it will go.
"We're confident though, that the monsoon trough will get closer to northern Australia, and in doing so will raise that risk level [of a tropical cyclone] a little higher."
WAtoday understands authorities in Port Hedland anticipate that, if a cyclone develops, it will hit land between Broome and Karratha.Â
If it forms, the cyclone will be called Yvette.Â
The weather conditions come just two months after the Bureau announced WA would likely encounter an above average cyclone season, with five tropical cyclones likely to form off the state's coast – one at a category three or above.
The last time the northwest endured a cyclone above category three was in February 2013 when category four tropical cyclone Rusty swept through the Pilbara with winds of up to 165 kilometres an hour.
In 2007, category five severe tropical cyclone George crossed WA, reaching peak intensity over Port Hedland, resulting in the area being declared a disaster zone after powerlines fell, trees were uprooted and roofs torn down.
Three people died during the cyclone, including two workers who were bunkered down in their dongas at an FMG mining camp when the units lifted into the air. Â
It was later determined through a Coroner's inquest that the camp was built to an inadequate wind region category which meant the dongas, and the tie-downs, were not built to withstand a cyclone.Â