Australia Weather News
Heavy rain from Tropical Low 21U — now Tropical Cyclone Mitchell — swept across the Kimberley in recent days. (ABC Kimberley: Ruby Littler)
Residents have been warned to prepare for wild weather as Tropical Cyclone Mitchell tracks along Western Australia's Pilbara coast.
After tracking across northern Australia for days as a tropical low, the system reached cyclone intensity just after 8pm on Friday, about 255km northeast of Port Hedland.
Now a category 1 system, Mitchell is forecast to track along the coast over the course of the weekend, before making landfall between Karratha and Exmouth late on Sunday as a category 2 system.
However, the Bureau of Meteorology warns the system could intensify to a category 3 overnight Saturday.
"There is a slight possibility that Mitchell may intensify to a category 3 cyclone overnight on Saturday, if it moves more slowly than forecast and remains over the warm offshore waters," the Bureau's warning read.
Pilbara towns, including the major ports and communities at Port Hedland, Karratha and Onslow, have been warned to expect heavy rain, gale force winds and possible storm surges.
The Bureau warns of destructive winds up to 150kph are possible for coastal areas near Karratha, Dampier and Wickham late Saturday extending to Mardie Saturday night.
Damaging winds up to 120kph are forecast for larger parts of the Pilbara coast between De Grey and Mardie, expanding west to Onslow and Exmouth and inland to Pannawonica on Sunday.
ABC