Residents in Western Australia have been warned to brace for damaging winds and huge swells as Tropical Cyclone Veronica prepares to make landfall on Sunday afternoon.
Veronica is expected to make landfall near Port Headland, WA, by 6pm as a Category 3 cyclone, bringing winds of 155km/h with wind gusts up to 220km/h and increasingly heavy rainfall.
A red alert has been issued for communities between Pardoo and Mardie, including Port Hedland, South Hedland, Whim Creek, Point Samson, Wickham, Roebourne, Karratha, Dampier.
Veronica is expected to make landfall near Port Headland, WA, by 6pm as a Category 3 cyclone on Sunday, bringing destructive winds and increasingly heavy rainfall as it skirts the coast
Residents in Western Australia have also been warned to brace for huge swells as Tropical Cyclone Veronica prepares to make landfall
Residents have been urged to take shelter.
Meanwhile, residents in North Queensland and the Northern Territory are set for a reprieve from the damaging former Tropical Cyclone Trevor. Thousands of residents were evacuated on Friday, but have yet to return to their homes.
Gale force winds up to 100km/h have already formed between Mardie and Pardoo, and could extend to other coastal communities between Wallal and Pardoo by Sunday afternoon.
‘Destructive winds with gusts exceeding 125km/h have developed along the Pilbara coast between Dampier and Port Hedland and are forecast to extend to adjacent inland areas during Sunday morning,’ a Bureau of Meteorology statement read.
‘Severe Tropical Cyclone Veronica is slowly moving towards the Pilbara coast.’
‘A severe coastal impact is expected Sunday, with very destructive winds near the system centre developing as early as late morning, but more likely during the afternoon.’
Tropical Cyclone Veronica currently sits within 100km of Port Hedland and will continue to gradually move towards the coast.
‘Veronica may be travelling more slowly than a typical system as it crosses the coast during Sunday, and as a result communities in the path of the cyclone should prepare to shelter from the destructive winds for an extended period,’ the BOM statement read.
Tides are likely to rise significantly above the normal high tide mark, which will bring damaging waves and ‘very dangerous coastal inundation’
The heavy rainfall may also cause severe flash flooding in some areas.
‘Heavy rainfall is expected to result in significant river rises, areas of flooding and hazardous road conditions,’ the statement read.
‘Some roads may become impassable and some communities may become isolated.’
Tides are likely to rise significantly above the normal high tide mark, which will bring damaging waves and ‘very dangerous coastal inundation’.
Former Tropical Cyclone Trevor made landfall in Far North Queensland on Tuesday as wind gusts of about about 150km/h crossed south of Lockhart River.
Trevor then moved across the Gulf of Carpentaria toward the Northern Territory before crossing onto the mainland on Saturday morning as a category four cyclone.
On Friday, prior to Trevor making landfall, 1,000 people living in its destructive path were evacuated.
Residents living along the entire Northern Territory coastline from Numbulwar to the border and across to Queensland were also ordered to evacuate on Saturday.
A further 2,100 people were evacuated from East Arnhem Land – the biggest evacuation of the area since 1974.
Residents are still being warned about the risks of flash flooding near creeks and waterways.
The Department of Territory Families General Manager Brent Warren told Nine News that people won’t be leaving evacuation centres until next week.
Communities between Pardoo and Mardie, including Port Hedland, South Hedland, Whim Creek, Point Samson, Wickham, Roebourne, Karratha, Dampier are on red alert and have been warned to take shelter
‘Destructive winds with gusts exceeding 125km/h have developed along the Pilbara coast between Dampier and Port Hedland and are forecast to extend to adjacent inland areas during Sunday morning,’ the BOM statement read
Cyclone Trevor (pictured) has been downgraded from a category four cyclone to a tropical low after making land fall in the Northern Territory
‘We brought people here to keep them safe from the cyclone so we won’t be returning them until we get the all clear at the other end.’
‘The tracking we’ve got into the cyclone says that it’ll still be moving inland as a cyclone on Sunday, potentially into Monday,’ he said.
The tropical low is currently moving south at 22km/h with winds up to 55km/h and wind gusts reaching 85/km/h.
‘Tropical cyclone Trevor has weakened below cyclone strength west of Brunette Downs,’ a BOM statement read.
‘Sustained gales are no longer expected near the centre of ex-tropical cyclone Trevor, however damaging and locally destructive wind gusts are still possible with thunderstorms.’
There have been 2100 people evacuated from East Arnhem Land as the Northern Territory as a result of Cyclone Trevor and will not be expected to return home until early next week
‘Heavy rainfall is likely to cause significant stream rises and localised flooding in the southern Carpentaria and eastern Barkly Districts, extending into the northern Simpson District on Monday,’ the statement read.
‘Tides between Port McArthur and the NT/Qld Border will remain significantly above the normal high tide on Sunday morning, with large waves on the shoreline.’
A Flood Watch has been issued for Carpentaria Coastal Rivers, Georgina River, Simpson Desert and the Barkly.
‘Flooding is a real danger as the system will rise and rainfall will increase,’ Weatherzone meteorologist Graeme Brittain said.
Cyclones are frequent in Australia’s tropical north but two large storms as Cyclones Trevor and Veronica crossing land on the same weekend is rare.
Cyclone Trevor made landfall in Far North Queensland on Tuesday as wind gusts of about about 150km/h crossed south of Lockhart River (pictured)