Red Alert Issued as CHRISTINE Begins Landfall in WA

Severe Tropical Cyclone CHRISTINE crossing Western Australia  coast with “very destructive winds”

“The VERY DESTRUCTIVE inner core of Severe Tropical Cyclone Christine has begun to impact the coast between Port Hedland and Whim Creek,” said the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM).

Severe Tropical Cyclone CHRISTINE was located 90km west of Port Hedland and 100km east northeast of Karratha, moving SSW at 18km/h toward the Pilbara coast, at 8:00 pm WST, said BOM.

Severe Tropical Cyclone  CHRISTINE. Infrared [FIRE-EARTH Enhancement] Satellite Image. Recorded at 10:32UTC on Sunday December 30, 2013. The original Image Sourced from: CIMSS/SSEC/WISC.

Cyclone Warning

A Cyclone Warning has been issued for coastal areas from Wallal to Onslow, including Port Hedland, Karratha and Onslow, and extending inland to Paraburdoo, Tom Price, Newman, Jigalong and Three Rivers, said BOM.

Red Alert

The authorities have issued a RED ALERT for residents in or near coastal areas between Pardoo and Mardie, including Port Hedland, South Hedland, Whim Creek, Roebourne, Point Samson, Wickham, Karratha and Dampier.

A Red Alert was also issued for Tom Price and Paraburdoo at 7pm local time (UTC + 8 hrs).

Severe Tropical Cyclone CHRISTINE Forecast Track Map

Issued at 7:08 pm WST Monday 30 December 2013. 

Related Links

• CHRISTINE Could Intensify to Cat 4 Severe Tropical Cyclone December 29, 2013
• CHRISTINE Even Fiercer than She Looks  December 28, 2013

CHRISTINE Could Intensify to Cat 4 Severe Tropical Cyclone

EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENT

Massive Storm CHRISTINE could intensify to a Category 4 Severe Tropical Cyclone

FIRE-EARTH Models show CHRISTINE could intensify to a Category 4 Severe Tropical Cyclone with sustained winds of 165 km/h or higher, and wind gusts in excess of 225 km/h over the next 24 hours, subject to continued favorable conditions [probability: 0.45]

As of 05:32 UTC on December 29, 2013 FIRE-EARTH models located  CHRISTINE (TC 05S) near 17.1ºS, 119.9ºE, about 425 km NNE of Port Hedland, Australia, inching SSW towards the Pilbara coast at a forward speed of about 3 km/h.

Severe Tropical Cyclone  CHRISTINE. Infrared [FIRE-EARTH Enhancement] Satellite Image. Recorded at 04:32UTC on Sunday December 29, 2013. The original Image Sourced from: CIMSS/SSEC/WISC.

 ABOM Forecast

According to Australian Bureau of Meteorology (ABOM), CHRISTINE will develop to a Cat 3   Severe Tropical Cyclone at 5 am WST (UTC +8 hrs)  and weaken to Cat2 at 11 am on December 31.

Severe Tropical Cyclone  CHRISTINE projected path.  Source: Australian Bureau of Meteorology (ABOM).

ABOM Cyclone Warning

“During Monday gales and heavy rainfall are expected to extend to Mardie and possibly as far west as Exmouth, and then to the inland Pilbara late Monday and on Tuesday. If Christine continues to develop as expected a severe tropical cyclone impact on the Pilbara coast is likely late on Monday or early on Tuesday, with VERY DESTRUCTIVE winds with gusts in excess of 170 kilometres per hour near the cyclone centre,” warned BOM.

“People on the coast between Pardoo and Mardie, including Port Hedland and Karratha, are warned of the potential for a VERY DANGEROUS STORM TIDE late Monday night or early Tuesday morning. Tides may rise significantly above the normal high tide mark with DAMAGING WAVES and VERY DANGEROUS COASTAL INUNDATION.”

Related Links

• CHRISTINE Even Fiercer than She Looks  December 28, 2013

CHRISTINE Even Fiercer than She Looks

CHRISTINE Could Develop to Category 3 Severe Tropical Cyclone: FIRE-EARTH

FIRE-EARTH Models show Tropical Cyclone CHRISTINE could intensify to a Category 3 Severe Tropical Cyclone with sustained winds of 140 km/h or higher, and wind gusts in excess of 180 km/h over the next 24 -36 hours, subject to favorable conditions.

Tropical Cyclone CHRISTINE. Water Vapor [FIRE-EARTH Enhancement] Satellite Image.  Recorded at 12:32UTC on Saturday December 28, 2013. The original Image Sourced from: CIMSS/SSEC/WISC.

At 13:00UTC on December 28, 2013 CHRISTINE was located about 505km north northeast of Port Hedland, Australia moving SSW at 11 km/h parallel to the coast. Maximum significant wave hight was about 4 meters.

“Ports in Australia’s Pilbara region, through which almost half of the world’s seaborne iron ore is shipped, were sending ships out to sea on Saturday ahead of a tropical cyclone that is forecast to reach the coast by Tuesday,” reported Reuters.

More than 40 vessels in the anchorages and harbor at Port Hedland will be leaving by early Sunday, according to the port authorities.

UPDATE
Embedded Thunderstorms

“A large area of embedded thunderstorms over the Kimberley, the western Top End and waters to the north, is associated with Tropical Cyclone Christine,” said  Australian BOM.

BOM has issued a  Cyclone Warning for coastal areas from Cape Leveque to Whim Creek, including Broome and Port Hedland and a Cyclone Watch for coastal areas from Whim Creek to Exmouth, including Karratha and Onslow, extending inland to Paraburdoo, Western Australia (WA).