Just weeks after Cyclone Sean caused closures to ports across Western Australia, Cyclone Zelia is threatening to bring the Pilbara coast to a standstill.
Cyclone Zelia has been intensifying as it moves down the Western Australian coast. It reached a category 4 rating on Thursday and is expected to reach a category 5 rating before it makes landfall.
A category 5 cyclone is defined by extremely destructive winds of over 280 km/h that have the potential to cause widespread destruction.
Those along the Pilbara coast are already starting to batten down the hatches. The Great Northern Highway, Ripon Hills Road and Marble Bar Road will be shut from 10:30am local time, with a cyclone watch and act alert currently in place between Eighty Mile Beach and Whim Creek.
Port Hedland has received almost 100mm of rain since 9am on Wednesday, February 12, and up to 500mm of rain is expected to be dumped on the Pilbara region as a result of the storm.
The strongest winds are currently expected to make landfall roughly 50 kilometres west of Port Hedland on Friday.
“The very destructive core of the cyclone will most likely cross the coast between Whim Creek and DeGray including Port Hedland on Friday afternoon or night, although a later crossing further west cannot be ruled out,” an update from the Bureau of Meteorology says.
“Heavy rainfall is expected on the coast during the next couple of days, and falls will be locally intense near the centre of the cyclone as it crosses the coast.”
“If the system crosses the coast as a severe tropical system, we could see wind gusts in excess of 200 km/h, but regardless of intensity we expect this system to produce very heavy rainfall and areas close to the path could see in excess of 500 millimetres over the course of this event.”
Centurion has already released a statement asking customers to expect delays as a result of the cyclone making landfall.
As a result, deliveries to the Pilbara region, including Port Hedland, Karratha, Broome, Derby, Kununurra, and Halls Creek, may experience delays. Additionally, closures are anticipated along the Great Northern Highway in the area of the cyclone’s landfall,” the statement reads.
“The safety of our team and customers is our priority, and we strongly encourage everyone to remain cautious and prepared as this situation develops. Stay safe and follow local authorities’ guidance.”
The news of Zelia’s likely imminent landfall comes as Far North Queensland continues to reel from a severe weather event of its own, as recovery from recent floods continues to ramp up.
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