Tropical Cyclone Stan forecast to cross the WA coast north of Port Hedland tomorrow
30/01/2016
The Bureau of Meteorology is closely monitoring the development of Category 2 Tropical Cyclone Stan north of Port Hedland in Western Australia’s Pilbara coastline. Tropical Cyclone Stan is the first cyclone of the season for Australia.
The track today has been slow, but steady, towards the Pilbara-Kimberley coastline, and is predicted to intensify to a Category 3 Severe Tropical Cyclone this evening and cross the east Pilbara coast early on Sunday morning.
Tropical Cyclone Stan is currently producing sustained winds of 110 km/hr near its centre with wind gusts estimated to be up to 155 km/hr and is moving south southeast at 8 km/hr.
VERY DESTRUCTIVE WINDS with gusts to 200 kilometres per hour are possible near the cyclone centre when it makes landfall on Sunday morning.
GALES with gusts to 100 kilometres per hour are likely to develop in coastal parts between Bidyadanga and Port Hedland later this afternoon or evening , and these will strengthen to potentially DESTRUCTIVE WINDS with gusts to 150km/hr overnight and then extend further inland during Sunday.
There is the chance that GALES could develop as far east as Broome overnight, and as far west as Whim Creek depending on which way the system eventually tracks.
There is a Tropical Cyclone Warning in place for communities Broome to Whim Creek including Port Hedland, extending to inland parts of the east Pilbara, including Marble Bar, Nullagine, Cotton Creek and Telfer.
Residents between Bidyadanga and Port Hedland, but not including Port Hedland, are specifically warned of the potential of a dangerous storm tide as the cyclone centre crosses the coast overnight. Tides are likely to rise significantly above the normal high tide mark with DAMAGING WAVES and VERY DANGEROUS FLOODING.
Heavy rainfall associated with the system is forecast for parts of the Pilbara and far western Kimberley and will extend further inland as the system continues to track southwards during Sunday.
Rainfall totals up to 150mm with localised heavier falls are predicted in the area over the weekend, and flood warnings are in place for the De Grey River, Pilbara Coastal Rivers and Fortescue River Catchments.
The Bureau’s Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre in Perth will continue to monitor the situation closely, providing regular warning updates to local emergency services (DFES), and keeping the community informed through regular media and social media channels.
The Bureau is using Twitter to disseminate significant weather information for the community. Follow us @BOM_WA. The Bureau's website remains the most up-to-date and comprehensive official source of information. This tropical cyclone season we’re using hashtags starting #Cyclone, e.g. #CycloneStan.
For the latest Tropical Cyclone Warning information go to: www.bom.gov.au/cyclone
To view the satellite loop http://satview.bom.gov.au/
