Tropical Cyclone Blake is expected to make landfall near Wallal Downs early Wednesday morning
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Update: Ex-Tropical Cyclone Blake has moved over land in the far southwest Kimberley and weakened. Significant rainfall still anticipated through the east Pilbara today. DAMAGING WINDS with gusts to 100 kilometres per hour are possible near ex-Tropical Cyclone Blake as it moves through the east Pilbara today. HEAVY RAINFALL associated with the system is expected in the eastern Pilbara and far southwestern Kimberley during Wednesday. Persistent monsoonal rain and thunderstorm activity is also expected to continue in the northwest Kimberley with heavy falls possible a considerable distance away from the system centre. Although the Tropical Cyclone Warning has now been cancelled, refer to severe weather warning. Flood Watches and Warnings are current, please refer to http://www.bom.gov.au/wa/warnings/ for further details.
Tropical Cyclone Blake located just off the west Kimberley coast is moving south and is expected to make landfall near Wallal Downs early Wednesday morning.
Areas Affected
- Warning Zone: Bidyadanga to De Grey, extending inland to Shay Gap
- Watch Zone: None
- Cancelled Zone: None
Details of Tropical Cyclone Blake at 8:00 pm AWST
Intensity: Category 1, sustained winds near the centre of 75 kilometres per hour with wind gusts to 100 kilometres per hour.
Location: within 45 kilometres of 19.1 degrees South 121.0 degrees East, estimated to be 85 kilometres north northeast of Wallal Downs and 95 kilometres west southwest of Bidyadanga.
Movement: south at 6 kilometres per hour.
Tropical Cyclone Blake lies just offshore west southwest of Bidyadanga. It is likely to track close to the west Kimberley coast this evening and cross the coast along Eighty Mile Beach near Wallal Downs early Wednesday morning as a category 1 tropical cyclone.
There is a chance the system may take a more southwest track early Wednesday morning close to the coast. If this occurs, it may stay just far enough off the coast to intensify slightly further before making landfall later Wednesday morning between Wallal Downs and Pardoo Roadhouse.
Hazards
GALES may be occurring along coastal parts between Bidyadanga and Sandfire. GALES could extend to Wallal Downs during this evening. There is a slight risk of GALES extending further along the Pilbara coast as far as De Grey and to inland parts of the eastern Pilbara as far inland as Shay Gap late Tuesday and into early Wednesday morning.
Heavy rainfall associated with the system is expected in the eastern Pilbara and far southwest Kimberley during the remainder of today and Wednesday. Persistent monsoonal rain and thunderstorm activity is also expected to continue in the northwest Kimberley with heavy falls possible a considerable distance away from the system centre.
Flood Watches and Warnings are current, please refer to http://www.bom.gov.au/wa/warnings/ for further details.
Recommended Action
DFES advises of the following community alerts:
YELLOW ALERT: People in or near communities from Bidyadanga to Wallal, including Wallal, need to take action and get ready to shelter from a cyclone.
BLUE ALERT: People in or near communities from Wallal to De Grey, extending inland to include Shay Gap, need to prepare for cyclonic weather and organise an emergency kit including first aid kit, torch, portable radio, spare batteries, food and water.
Tropical cyclone Blake Advice number 23, issued by Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology at 8:45 pm WST on Tuesday 7 January 2020
Next Advice
The next advice will be issued by 12:00 am AWST Wednesday 08 January.
Cyclone advices and DFES Alerts are available by dialling 13 DFES (13 3337)
https://www.windy.com/-Satellite-satellite?satellite,-23.140,117.675,6,internal
