WA ports cleared ahead of Cyclone Narelle

PILBARA Ports are being cleared ahead of Cyclone Narelle which is expected to move down the West Australian coast possibly impacting ports as far south as Fremantle in the next few days.

The Ports of Ashburton, Cape Preston West, Dampier and Varanus Island have been cleared.

As of Wednesday morning the Port of Port Hedland appears to be operating as normal, with vessels arriving, departing, and moving through the harbour.

The cyclone which has already travelled across Queensland and the Northern Territory, weakening to a tropical low, has re-intensified according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM).

It said that at 2.58am WST on Wednesday 25 March, Tropical Cyclone Narelle has redeveloped into a Category 1 tropical cyclone.

“Narelle will continue moving to the west southwest, roughly parallel to the Pilbara coast during Wednesday and Thursday, and is forecast to reach severe (category 3) intensity late Wednesday or early Thursday,” BOM said.

“During this time gales may extend to the coast while Narelle remains over waters to the north of the Pilbara

“Later on Thursday and during Friday, Narelle will turn towards the south, likely passing close to the North West Cape. During this time impacts may extend to the inland western Pilbara and along the Ningaloo coast.

‘Narelle will move to the south southeast during Friday and Saturday, with impacts extending along the Gascoyne coast and expected as far south as the Lower West on the weekend.”

Pilbara Ports warned that all recreational vessel owners must safely secure their vessels for cyclonic conditions.

At 2am AWST on Wednesday Narelle was a Category 1 cyclone with sustained winds near the centre of 75 kilometres per hour with wind gusts to 100 kilometres per hour.

It was within 35 kilometres of 16.8 degrees south 121.4 degrees east, estimated to be 155 kilometres northwest of Broome and 490 kilometres northeast of Port Hedland heading west southwest at 24 kilometres per hour.

BOM said gales with damaging wind gusts to 90km/h are possible in coastal parts of the Dampier Peninsula north of Broome overnight, including Beagle Bay and Cape Leveque, before gradually easing during Wednesday morning as Narelle moves further away from the west Kimberley coast.

“A Severe Weather Warning for showers with damaging wind gusts is in place over parts of far west Kimberley.

“Gales with damaging wind gusts to 100km/h may develop along the coast between Bidyadanga and De Grey during Wednesday morning. Gales are forecast to extend further west along the Pilbara coast to Port Hedland and Karratha later Wednesday.

“Gales with damaging wind gusts to 120km/h may develop west to Exmouth during Thursday afternoon and extend further south to Coral Bay during the evening.

“Destructive wind gusts to 140km/h may develop on the Pilbara coast near Karratha late Wednesday or early Thursday, extending to Exmouth during Thursday, and to Coral Bay by early Friday.

“Isolated heavy rainfall which may lead to flash flooding may occur across parts of the north and west Kimberley overnight and during Wednesday.

“Tides will be higher than normal between Port Hedland and North West Cape.

Large waves may produce minor flooding of low-lying coastal areas.”