SEVERE TROPICAL CYCLONE ILSA EXPECTED TO REACH CATEGORY 4 TODAY

Severe Tropical Cyclone Ilsa is expected to cross at Wallal Downs later Thursday or early Friday. Credit: BOM

Off the Kimberley coast, Severe Tropical Cyclone Ilsa is intensifying and is expected to reach a category four system before it crosses the coast between Bidyadanga and Port Hedland later today or early tomorrow.

This will be the first category four cyclone to impact Western Australia for 10 years. 

The Bureau of Meteorology’s current watch zone is south of Broome to Whim Creek, including Port Hedland and Bidyadanga and adjacent inland areas, including Nullagine, Marble Bar and Telfer.

Very destructive winds of up to 275 kilometres per hour are expected to impact the area between De Grey and west of Bidyadanga over the next 24 hours.

As the cyclone is set to move inland, a significant amount of rain is expected to fall into the De Grey River catchment, which could lead to strong river rises and floods.

DFES Manager, Hazard Preparedness & Response Todd Smith has warned inland communities who may also experience damaging winds, to pay attention to the warnings over the next couple of days. 

“Some of those areas in the inland parts of the Pilbara might see a year’s worth of rain in a couple of days,” he said.

“The other risks that can linger well after the cyclone has crossed the coast are those flood waters that take some time to make their way down through the catchment.

“We could see impacts to roads, including the Great Northern Highway for a few days after the system has crossed the coast.”