Pilbara preparing for category 3 cyclone

A cyclone of up to category 3 strength is expected to hit the Pilbara coast around 80 Mile Beach by the end of the week, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.

Picture: Satellite imagery of cyclone Heidi, the last tropical cyclone to hit Port Hedland.

At the time the North West Telegraph went to print, a tropical low lying 470km north-east of Karratha was expected to develop into a tropical cyclone by Tuesday at the earliest.

A BOM spokesman said the cyclone was expected to move easterly towards the Pilbara coast, making landfall near 80 Mile Beach towards the end of the week or on the weekend.

“It is too early to say, but we expect the cyclone could intensify to around category 3 strength by later in the week and cross the coast around Friday or Saturday,” he said.

He said another tropical low in the Timor and Arafura Sea area off the Northern Territory was likely to develop into a cyclone.