Weather News

Cyclone Yvette: Build-up in WA's north as system gathers strength

Cyclone Yvette cloud banks loom over Pilbara coast. - ABC

A huge storm front filled with red dust is looming over Western Australia's Pilbara, as a tropical cyclone hovering off the coast is expected to make landfall over the Christmas weekend.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said that while Cyclone Yvette was about 700 kilometres north-west of Karratha, the dark clouds that rolled over South Hedland on Wednesday could be linked to the monsoon further north.

The bureau expects the cyclone to begin moving slowly in a south-easterly direction on Thursday.



"Not a lot has changed in the last 24 hours, but we are expecting it to very gradually develop into a category two system as it approaches the Pilbara coast," BOM forecaster Shane Hicks said on Thursday morning.

"(It is) still moving fairly slowly though, so at this stage we are not expecting it to reach coastal areas until probably Christmas Day or Boxing Day."



Mr Hicks said there is still uncertainty about exactly where the cyclone will make landfall.

"Our best guess at this moment is that it should cross the coast somewhere between Port Hedland and Broome, but at this stage there's still quite a lot of uncertainty regarding the track of the cyclone."

The tropical low was upgraded to a category one cyclone late on Wednesday.

Routine preparations in WA cyclone corridor

South Hedland Blackrock Tourist Park manager Maree Carter said clouds rolled over the town on Wednesday.

"It was quite spectacular because you had a layer of the red dust and above that you had big, rolling white cloud," Mrs Carter said.

"We were praying for rain but we didn't get any out of it."

Mrs Carter said there is some concern amongst people in town about when Cyclone Yvette will make landfall, but everyone was prepared.

"We do tie-downs for the vans, we take down the sails over the swimming pools, we remove all the big rubbish bins," Mrs Carter said.

"The guys who have lived here for a long time (at the park), they're really good, they're in a routine."

Mrs Carter said tourists have rushed through on their way further south before Christmas.

Kimberley storm warning in place

Heavy rains and strong winds have already lashed parts of the state's far north after a second tropical low crossed over the Kimberley coast.

A storm warning is still in place.

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) said the weather is not unusual for this time of year, but could damage homes and make travel dangerous.

"An active monsoon is maintaining rain, squally showers and thunderstorms over the northeast Kimberley," a statement from the agency said.

"If you live in an area in the northern and eastern parts of the Kimberley you should take action and stay safe with more storms to come.

"This includes people in Kununurra, Wyndham, Kalumburu, Kuri Bay, Lake Argyle, Mitchell Plateau, Mount Barnett, Troughton Island, Warmun, Halls Creek, Fitzroy Crossing, Derby, Broome and Cape Leveque and surrounding areas."

No roads have been closed but it is advised not to drive into water of unknown depth and current.


- ABC

© ABC 2016

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