Source: Bureau of Meteorology

TROPICAL CYCLONE ADVICE NUMBER 53

Issued at 11:55 am WST on Tuesday 24 March 2026
Headline:

Ex-Tropical Cyclone Narelle expected to redevelop into a tropical cyclone tonight and move roughly parallel to the Pilbara coast on Wednesday and Thursday. Gales possible from west of Bidyadanga on Wednesday morning.

Areas Affected:
Warning Zone
Beagle Bay to Kuri Bay, and De Grey to Bidyadanga

Watch Zone
Exmouth to De Grey, including Exmouth, Onslow, Karratha and Port Hedland.

Cancelled Zone
None.

Details of Ex-Tropical Cyclone Narelle 34U at 11:00 am AWST:

Intensity: Tropical Low, sustained winds near the centre of 65 kilometres per hour with wind gusts to 95 kilometres per hour.

Location: within 35 kilometres of 15.4 degrees South 124.3 degrees East, estimated to be 25 kilometres west northwest of Kuri Bay and 360 kilometres northeast of Broome.

Movement: west at 19 kilometres per hour.

Ex-Tropical Cyclone Narelle is moving offshore of the west Kimberley coast and forecast to redevelop into a tropical cyclone tonight.

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 Wednesday night. While Narelle is likely to be over waters well to the north of the Pilbara during Wednesday and Thursday, gales may extend to the Pilbara coast during this time.

On Friday Narelle is expected to turn south to southeast towards the WA west coast with impacts expected as far south as the Lower West on the weekend.
Hazards:

GALES with DAMAGING WIND GUSTS to 90 km/h may develop today along the coast between Kuri Bay and Beagle Bay and gradually ease by Wednesday morning, as the system moves further away from the west Kimberley coast.

GALES with DAMAGING WIND GUSTS to 100 km/h may develop along the coast between Bidyadanga and De Grey during Wednesday, especially if the system takes a track further south. Gales are forecast to extend further along the Pilbara coast during later Wednesday and Thursday morning, possibly reaching Exmouth Thursday afternoon.

Isolated HEAVY RAINFALL which may lead to FLASH FLOODING may occur across parts of the north and west Kimberley today.

Tides will be higher than normal between Port Hedland and North West Cape.
Recommended Action:

DFES advises:

Ensure you know what to do in a cyclone. For the latest DFES community alerts and warnings visit www.emergency.wa.gov.au or download the Emergency WA app.

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