Severe Tropical Cyclone Michelle is expected to maintain its Category 3 intensity as it barrels along the Pilbara coast before making landfall.
Located west of Karratha, the storm was 30km offshore, packing winds of 120km/h near the center and gusting to 165km/h on Sunday morning, according to the Bureau of Meteorology’s latest track map.
“It is expected to maintain its Category 3 intensity as it moves southwest parallel to the Pilbara coast today,” said senior meteorologist Miriam Bradbury. It may intensify or slow slightly as the storm continues to move southwest over the water.
The storm is expected to hit the central coast at Exmouth and Anns on Sunday evening or early Monday morning.
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A warning zone has been declared stretching from Karratha north of Carnarvon to Cape Cuvier. Most damaging winds of up to 195 km/h will develop as Mitchell’s core approaches the coast, although gusts or damaging winds are likely to prevail in those areas.
EmergencyWA has issued a storm emergency warning stretching from Wim Creek to Onslow, urging residents to seek shelter indoors.
Wind gusts reached 169 km/h at Legendre Island at 7pm on Saturday, and 148 km/h at Barrow Island on Sunday morning.
“Most of the islands are catching up at the moment, but we still have 90-100km/h winds along those coastal edges, even in places like Port Hedland and Karratha,” Bradbury said.
Widespread moderate to heavy rain, flash flooding is possible along the western Pilbara coast, accompanied by unusually high tides. Those dangers will extend to the Gascoigne region on Monday.
67mm of rain has been recorded in Karta since midnight.
“When the rain comes, our rivers start to rise and we can see impacts on roads, access roads, even communities through those areas,” Bradbury said.
Moisture flowing from the tropics, including Tropical Storm Michelle, contributed to the risk of severe thunderstorms in central and southeastern states, including New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and parts of South Australia.
Bradbury says that’s important because storms bring rain to very dry parts of the country.
On average, Australia experienced About 10 tropical cyclones per seasonwith 3 to 4 landfall. This season, Mitchell has followed tropical storms Fina, HaleyKoji and Luana crossing the coast.
Fewer tropical cyclones are expected with a warming climate, but the proportion of severe events may increase National Climate Risk Assessment.
