This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . The next check for changes will be

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/feb/14/tropical-cyclone-zelia-western-australia-weather-warning-landfall

The article has changed 11 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
‘Too late to leave’: Tropical Cyclone Zelia accelerates towards WA coast, bringing winds up to 290km/h ‘Everyone is locked in their house’: WA braces for flash flooding as ‘destructive’ Cyclone Zelia makes landfall
(about 1 hour later)
Category-five system is expected to bring extremely damaging and destructive winds, Bureau of Meteorology warnsCategory-five system is expected to bring extremely damaging and destructive winds, Bureau of Meteorology warns
The “extremely damaging” category five Tropical Cyclone Zelia has intensified its speed towards the Western Australian coastline, with the weather bureau warning it may bring 290km/h winds and that it is now too late to leave. Tropical Cyclone Zelia has made landfall along the Pilbara coast as a category five system, bringing with it destructive wind gusts of up to 290km/h, with the weather bureau warning it is now too late to leave.
The system is now moving in a south-easterly direction, at around 11km/h, with the core of the system affecting the coast as of 1pm AWST, moving faster than authorities had warned earlier on Friday.
The system expanded over Thursday night, with the cyclone stretching to Wallal Downs along the coast, and inland through to Tom Price and Newman.The system expanded over Thursday night, with the cyclone stretching to Wallal Downs along the coast, and inland through to Tom Price and Newman.
Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news emailSign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email
Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news emailSign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email
It has also begun to move faster, with the system expected to make landfall earlier than expected – at around 3-4pm on Friday. Matthew Collopy, general manager of the Bureau of Meteorology’s environmental prediction services, said while there was still intense danger in the region, the “storm surge risk in line with the movement of the cyclone is greatly reduced for the Port Hedland area.”
“Port Hedland is not expected to be impacted by the very destructive eye wall winds, but damaging to destructive wind gusts are still likely this afternoon and into the sea on the eastern side of the tropical cyclone track, a dangerous storm surge is possible, which could cause flash flooding of coastal areas.”
Severe Tropical #CycloneZelia has just made landfall as a Category 5 system.Latest forecasts and warnings: https://t.co/4W35o8i7wJ or visit the BOM Weather app pic.twitter.com/0Da94LWjio
He said the system was still producing very heavy rainfall, with rainfall totals expected to be up to 300mm over the next 24 hour with three-day totals of 500mm possible.
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a series of severe weather warnings for the region, warning of very destructive wind gusts that could reach up to 300km/h.The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a series of severe weather warnings for the region, warning of very destructive wind gusts that could reach up to 300km/h.
Angus Hines, a meteorologist at the bureau, said the system was expected to be very damaging, adding that it “does not get any worse.” Angus Hines, a meteorologist at the bureau, said the system was expected to be very damaging, adding that it “does not get any worse”.
“It is a category five system – just a reminder, category five is the top of the scale. It does not get any worse than that, extremely damaging and destructive winds, widespread, rain, flooding and storm surge are all expected.”“It is a category five system – just a reminder, category five is the top of the scale. It does not get any worse than that, extremely damaging and destructive winds, widespread, rain, flooding and storm surge are all expected.”
The system is also due to cross east of Port Hedland, not west as was expected on Thursday.
“It is currently moving slowly in the south-eastwards direction. It is sitting around about 100 kilometres north of Port Hedland. But that number is shrinking as this system is getting closer to the coast every hour,” Hines said.
“We’re expecting destructive winds near the crossing point, we could see wind gusts of 300km/h. It’s hard to fathom how strong that is, but it can take out trees power lines and completely destroy properties and houses.”“We’re expecting destructive winds near the crossing point, we could see wind gusts of 300km/h. It’s hard to fathom how strong that is, but it can take out trees power lines and completely destroy properties and houses.”
Port Hedland local Glen Bedford, a mechanical technical officer at BHP’s port operations, said the sky had been dark now for more than two days.Port Hedland local Glen Bedford, a mechanical technical officer at BHP’s port operations, said the sky had been dark now for more than two days.
He said he remained hauled up in his home, with a toilet that has flooded through the LED light in the ceiling as 90km/h winds hit.He said he remained hauled up in his home, with a toilet that has flooded through the LED light in the ceiling as 90km/h winds hit.
“The shops are empty, all water is gone, canned goods are gone and there is always a line at the bottle shop before a cyclone,” Bedford said.“The shops are empty, all water is gone, canned goods are gone and there is always a line at the bottle shop before a cyclone,” Bedford said.
“Everyone is now locked in their house, no one is allowed out on the streets and I think you get a fine if you get caught out driving around.”“Everyone is now locked in their house, no one is allowed out on the streets and I think you get a fine if you get caught out driving around.”
“My neighbour’s tree is down already.”“My neighbour’s tree is down already.”
The bureau warned that heavy to locally intense rainfall which may lead to flash flooding is likely across the region, with flood watches and warnings current for catchments in the Pilbara, western Kimberley and northern Gascoyne.The bureau warned that heavy to locally intense rainfall which may lead to flash flooding is likely across the region, with flood watches and warnings current for catchments in the Pilbara, western Kimberley and northern Gascoyne.
Up to 500mm of rain is expected to inundate the area, with 90mm of rain having already fallen on Wallal Downs in the past 24 hours.
Residents in Port Hedland and east to Wallal Downs are specifically warned of the potential of a dangerous storm tide as the cyclone centre crosses the coast, with tides likely to rise significantly above the normal high-tide mark, and damaging waves and dangerous flooding of some low-lying areas close to the shoreline.
WA’s Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) issued a warning on Friday morning advising residents between Pardoo and Whim Creek to shelter indoors immediately.WA’s Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) issued a warning on Friday morning advising residents between Pardoo and Whim Creek to shelter indoors immediately.
“There is a threat to lives and homes. You are in danger and need to act immediately,” it said in a warning posted to Facebook.“There is a threat to lives and homes. You are in danger and need to act immediately,” it said in a warning posted to Facebook.
“Shelter indoors now. It is too late to leave. Stay in the strongest, safest part of the building. Stay away from doors and windows, and keep them closed.”“Shelter indoors now. It is too late to leave. Stay in the strongest, safest part of the building. Stay away from doors and windows, and keep them closed.”
The Department of Communities has opened evacuation centres in South Hedland, and Stove Hill, where people are being encouraged to bring bedding such as pillows and blankets if possible. DFES commissioner Darren Klemm told reporters on Friday that emergency services had shifted their focus towards “dealing with the impacts of the destructive weather from this system”.
“It is critical that impacted communities don’t get complacent, because the hazards won’t ease once the cyclone has passed.”
“Conditions after a cyclone can be just as dangerous as the cyclone itself, including damaged buildings, fallen power lines and debris. It is extremely important that people remain indoors until the warnings change.”
The Department of Communities has opened evacuation centres in South Hedland, and Stove Hill, where people were being encouraged to bring bedding such as pillows and blankets if possible.
It comes as major roads across the area have been closed due to rising flood waters, including Port Hedland Road, parts of the Great Northern Highway, Marble Bar Road and Ripon Hills Road.It comes as major roads across the area have been closed due to rising flood waters, including Port Hedland Road, parts of the Great Northern Highway, Marble Bar Road and Ripon Hills Road.
The DFES has dedicated incident management teams in the Pilbara and Kimberley who are working with local communities, stakeholders, retail suppliers and transporters to plan for resupply if needed.
More than 10,000 sandbags have been handed out in the Pilbara to help people prepare their properties, with extra personnel sent to the region to prepare for the system.More than 10,000 sandbags have been handed out in the Pilbara to help people prepare their properties, with extra personnel sent to the region to prepare for the system.
Twenty-one schools in the region have been closed, including Baller primary school, Hedland senior high school, Karratha primary school and Port Hedland primary school.Twenty-one schools in the region have been closed, including Baller primary school, Hedland senior high school, Karratha primary school and Port Hedland primary school.
On Thursday the WA premier, Roger Cook, said Zelia was “going to be a big one”.
“This is a dangerous system. It’s big, it’s strong and it’s very unpredictable,” he said. “People in the Pilbara need to be prepared, and they need to be prepared now.”