LUA, potentially a Super Cyclone, is making landfall on the Pilbara coast, Western Australia
LUA has strengthened to a 4D system on FEWW New Hurricane Scale and is expected to make landfall on the Pilbara coast, Western Australia, later today.
Severe Tropical Cyclone LUA
Cyclone LUA Satellite Image IR-WV Diff – Source: CIMSS
LUA Forecast Track Map
Issued by BOM at 11:46 am WST Saturday 17 March 2012. Refer to Tropical Cyclone Advice Number 24.
The cyclone is currently packing potentially devastating winds of about 250km/h and gusts of up to 270km/h and is carrying huge amounts of precipitation , threatening severe flooding and dangerous storm tides.
Lua is the strongest cyclone to strike Australia this year and the strongest since Cyclone YASI hit Queensland last year, Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology said.
Australia BOM said
Severe Tropical Cyclone Lua is approaching the east Pilbara coast, with an expected crossing in the vicinity of Pardoo Station around 2-3pm this afternoon.
Gales are occurring in coastal areas between Port Hedland and Bidyadanga and will extend to adjacent inland areas later today, possibly north to Cape Leveque including Broome and west to Dampier.
Destructive winds to 150 kilometres per hour are possible between Port Hedland and Bidyadanga extending to the inland eastern Pilbara later in the day. Very Destructive winds to 250 kilometres per hour are forecast near the cyclone centre as it crosses the coast.
As the cyclone moves further inland, gales should reach the eastern Gascoyne areas, adjacent Interior and far northern Goldfields on Sunday morning.
Heavy rainfall is expected in coastal and inland parts of the east Pilbara, west Kimberley extending into the eastern Gascoyne, western Interior and northern Goldfields later today and during Sunday.
Residents of the east Pilbara and 80 Mile Beach area, east of but NOT including Port Hedland, are specifically warned of the very dangerous storm tide expected this afternoon. Tides are likely to rise significantly above the normal high tide mark with damaging waves and very dangerous flooding.
Heavy surf conditions are also expected along the west Kimberley coast.
FESA-State Emergency Service advises of the following community alerts:
RED ALERT: People in coastal communities between Bidyadanga and Port Hedland, including Wallal, 80 Mile Beach, Sandfire, Pardoo, Port Hedland, South Hedland, Warralong, Yandeyarra and surrounding Pastoral and Mining leases need to go to shelter immediately.
YELLOW ALERT: People in remaining communities between Broome and Whim Creek including the Town of Broome, Marble Bar, Telfer, Nullagine, Woodie Woodie, and adjacent pastoral and mining leases need to take action and get ready to shelter from a cyclone.
BLUE ALERT: People in coastal communities between Whim Creek and Dampier including Karratha, Dampier, Roebourne, Wickham and Point Samson as well as inland communities including Newman and Jigalong and surrounding pastoral and mining leases need to prepare for cyclonic weather and organise an emergency kit including first aid kit, torch, portable radio, spare batteries, food and water.
Remaining communities between Broome and Cape Leveque and in the inland eastern Pilbara, east Gascoyne and western Interior should listen for the next advice.
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