Australia Weather News

Tropical Cyclone Hayley is threatening lives and homes on Western Australia's Dampier Peninsula, where residents have been told to prepare for "severe impacts" when it makes landfall tonight.

The cyclone has been downgraded to a category three system as it approaches the Kimberley coast, and is expected to make landfall near Cape Leveque, about 200 kilometres north of Broome.

An emergency warning was issued just after midday for an area north of Broome to Cape Leveque, including the Dampier Peninsula, with people advised it is too late to leave and to shelter indoors immediately.

The system is currently 150km west of Cape Leveque and 185km north-west of Broome.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said the cyclone had begun to show signs of weakening, but warned those in coastal communities to expect very destructive winds as it neared the coast.

A cyclone watch and act warning is in place for residents living north of Broome to Kuri Bay, including Derby.

Destructive wind gusts up to 170 kilometres per hour are possible in the northern part of the Dampier Peninsula including Beagle Bay and Cape Leveque from late afternoon or early evening. 

Communities along the coast, including Beagle Bay, Djarindjin and Ardyaloon, are in the watch and act warning zone.

Hayley could bring wind speeds up to 170km/h

BOM senior meteorologist Luke Huntington said very "destructive wind gusts" of up to 170km/h were possible from mid-Tuesday afternoon.

"[It will be] very windy and that would be one of the main impacts," he said.

"We're expecting heavy rainfall close to the system path."

Mr Huntington said isolated downpours of between 200 and 300 millimetres could lead to flash flooding.

Once Cyclone Hayley makes landfall, the weather bureau expects the system to dissipate into a tropical low as it tracks further east on New Year's Eve.

'Prepare to take shelter'

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) said residents in the watch and act zone should prepare to take shelter.

The latest advice, issued at 6:45am WST, said there was a possible threat to lives and homes.

DFES said final preparations should be made now, with an emergency warning expected to be issued this morning. 

"If you live in a caravan, older home or a home that has not been maintained, this is your final opportunity to leave the area and move to a safer place," a DFES warning read. 

"That could be with family or friends or to your nearest evacuation centre."

An evacuation centre has been set up at Broome's Recreation and Aquatic Centre for affected residents.

The main road connecting Broome to the Dampier Peninsula has been closed from north of McGuigan Road to One Arm Point, a distance of about 200 kilometres.

DFES Acting Superintendent Todd Pender said the region's early cyclone preparations meant remote communities were well stocked with food and water, but damage was likely.

"These systems always have the potential to cause some damage to the environment and also to communities," he said.

Mr Pender said it was important that people were prepared and had found suitable shelter.

"If people don't think they are prepared for this system, then we suggest they probably need to relocate now and consider self-relocation," he said.

"As the system comes through, that's the point of no return and that's too late to be asking for assistance because if we go to an emergency warning … people won't be out moving around, including emergency responders."

Pearl farm in cyclone path

James Brown of Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm, which lies in the direct path of Cyclone Hayley, said he was bracing for its impact.

"I'm feeling pretty anxious, to be honest," he said.

"At this stage, it looks like it's going to go right on top of Cape Leveque and Cygnet Bay."

A third-generation pearl farmer, Mr Brown is no stranger to cyclones, with preparations completed weeks ago.

But after nearly 80 years in operation, the business has accumulated significant equipment and infrastructure.

Mr Brown said the concern was no longer whether the cyclone would hit, but how severe the damage would be.

"Fingers crossed, our farm should be OK, but we've got a lot of infrastructure on the land as well," he said.

"There will be damage, there's no doubt about that, it's just a matter of how much and how severe."

Unusually high tides

The Bureau of Meteorology says tides may be higher than normal as Cyclone Hayley approaches the coast.

While the bureau said a storm surge was unlikely, Shire of Derby-West Kimberley president Peter McCumstie said low-lying areas in Derby were susceptible to flooding.

Kimberley fishermen like Adam Page are sheltering in protected waters, with the skipper securing his vessel in Roebuck Bay in Broome.

"I've been doing this for 23 years so it's a regular occurrence this time of year," he said.

"It comes with the territory. You get to learn the patterns and keep an eye on all the BOM forecasts."