Tropical Cyclone Developing off the Coast of Western Australia Expected To Make Landfall This Weekend

Forecasters say a tropical cyclone is forming off the coast of Western Australia and will make landfall this weekend, bringing wind speeds of up to 165km/h.

According to Weatherzone, the weather system is being formed by a weak tropical low that is currently over the Northern Territory but is expected to shift westward in the coming days.

Today, it will continue to bring rain and squally winds to the Top End coast before strengthening and accelerating towards Western Australia's Kimberley or Pilbara coasts.

A tropical cyclone forming off the coast

(Photo : PETER PARKS/AFP via Getty Images)

Forecasters believe it will strengthen to a category one or two tropical cyclones before crossing the coast on Saturday and dissipating over land on Sunday, as per 9News.

Category 1 tropical cyclones have wind gusts ranging from 90km/h to 125km/h, while category 2 storms can have speeds ranging from 126km/h to 165km/h near the center.

As this system crosses the coast, heavy rain is also expected.

Some parts of Western Australia should receive 150mm to 300mm of rain over the course of 12 to 26 hours.

NaHowever, due to its high speed, the impact at landfall will be brief and sharp.

Furthermore, the speed of the weather system could push heavy rainfall deep into WA's interior.

The cyclone warning comes as large parts of the Kimberley continue to recover from prolonged flooding caused by storms late last year.

On December 28, ex-tropical cyclone Ellie crossed into Western Australia from the Northern Territory.

Flooding has occurred along the Fitzroy River from Fitzroy Crossing, with record levels of 15.81m reached.

Daily showers and thunderstorms are expected in the eastern and southeastern states, with some areas receiving more than 30mm of rain over several days.

However, hot weather is expected in those areas on Friday and Saturday, ahead of a developing rainband that is expected to dominate conditions for much of next week.

Also Read: Australia Weather Update: BoM Forecasts Continuance of Cold Front Into the Weekend

Stormy weather for the east coast

A low-pressure system is moving into the Tasman Sea. This could bring some showers in the coming days, especially for coastal NSW, but it should clear up before Australia Day, as per News.com.au.

At the same time, stormy weather is moving eastward.

For the next day or so, the focus will be on inland areas, but severe weather could hit the east coast and cities by Wednesday and Thursday.

It will also bring warmth. In contrast, southerly winds will keep Victoria and Tasmania much cooler.

Sydney will be partly cloudy on Tuesday, with a high of 28 degrees Celsius rising to 29 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, with Australia Day pushing just over the 30-degree mark.

Lows will be around 20 degrees Celsius.

Thunderstorms are possible on Wednesday and Thursday. Storms with rain are expected to occur in the afternoon or evening on Australia Day. They may be severe in the city's western outskirts.

Northern NSW, including Coffs Harbour, will see showers and storms all week, but they'll be more intense on Tuesday and Wednesday than on Australia Day itself.

It's not much better on the south coast, with storms in Ulladulla on most days, including Australia Day.

Sydney will be partly cloudy on Tuesday, with a high of 28 degrees Celsius rising to 29 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, with Australia Day pushing just over the 30 degree mark.

Lows will be around 20 degrees Celsius.

Thunderstorms are possible on Wednesday and Thursday. Storms with rain are expected to occur in the afternoon or evening on Australia Day. They may be severe in the city's western outskirts.

Northern NSW, including Coffs Harbour, will see showers and storms all week, but they'll be more intense on Tuesday and Wednesday than on Australia Day itself.

It's not much better on the south coast, with storms in Ulladulla on most days, including Australia Day.

Canberra's temperature is expected to rise into the thirties, but it could reach 33 degrees Celsius on Thursday.

Minimum temperatures will be around 13 degrees Celsius, with the possibility of a severe storm in the afternoon and evening of Australia Day.

Brisbane is expected to have a consistently warm week, with mostly 33C maximums and 22C minimums, including on Thursday.

Storms are possible every day this week, just like in NSW.

Cairns can expect up to 20mm of rain per day, especially on Friday and Saturday. A shower is possible on Australia Day, with a high of 32 degrees Celsius.