cyclone and tornadoes WA

A HIGH-level red alert is in place for communities in the Pilbara as category two tropical cyclone Carlos tracks along the coast.
Winds at the centre of Carlos are estimated to be up to 130km/h.

``There is a threat to lives and homes. You are in danger and need to act immediately,'' a Fire and Emergency Services Authority (FESA) said in an advisory on Tuesday.

The red alert is for coastal communities between Whim Creek and Mardie including Karratha, Roebourne, Dampier, Wickham and Point Samson, with residents warned to expect high winds and possible flooding.

FESA urged residents in the alert zone to get ready to move to the strongest and safest parts of their homes or to a relocation centre at the Pilbara TAFE in Karratha.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a cyclone warning for coastal areas from Pardoo to Coral Bay and a cyclone watch for areas from Coral Bay to Carnarvon.


Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.
Related CoverageMini-tornado hits Pilbara region
Nine News Cyclone Carlos re-forms
Opinion: Addicted to the weather
Opinion: Extreme weather - get used to it
Cyclone watch: Port Hedland storm radar
.End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.

At 5am (WST) Carlos was about 95km northwest of Port Hedland and 135km northeast of Karratha and moving southwest at 22km/h.

On Monday a cyclone-fuelled mini tornado ripped through parts of Karratha, damaging cars and buildings and bringing down power lines.

A number of roads have been closed while schools in Karratha, Port Hedland and Roebourne will be closed on Tuesday as the cyclone passes.

Oil, gas and port installations in the region have also been battened down in readiness for expected heavy weather.

FESA has issued a yellow alert for Pardoo, Port Hedland, South Hedland and surrounding communities with residents there urged to secure items around their homes and move vehicles under cover.

A relocation centre has been set up at the Civic Centre in Port Hedland.

A lower level blue alert is in place for communities between Mardie and Coral Bay including Onslow, Pannawonica and Exmouth.

The bureau says Carlos is expected to continue moving in a general west southwest track on Tuesday, close to the Pilbara coast.

It says gales with wind gusts to 100km/h are being experienced between Port Hedland and Karratha and they will extend west towards Exmouth later on Tuesday and towards Coral Bay early on Wednesday.

There was a risk of destructive winds with gusts exceeding 125km/h between Whim Creek and Dampier on Tuesday morning, the bureau said.

``Damaging waves and flooding of low lying coastal areas are possible particularly on Tuesday's high tide in the Karratha region,'' it said.

Elsewhere in Western Australia, flood warnings remain in place for the Greenough, Murchison and Gascoyne River catchments.

A yellow alert is current for people in or near the communities of Pardoo and Whim Creek including Pardoo, Port Hedland, South Hedland, Whim Creek and surrounding communities.

A blue alert is current for people in or near the communities of Mardie and Coral Bay including Onslow, Pannawonica, Exmouth, Coral Bay and surrounding communities.

TC Carlos is expected to gradually intensify during Tuesday as it approaches the Pilbara coast.

People in Pilbara coastal towns are warned that tides may rise significantly above the high water mark as the cyclone moves down the coast, even if it does not cross the coast. Damaging waves and flooding of low lying coastal areas are possible particularly on Tuesday's high tide in the Karratha region.

Heavy rain is expected to cause significant stream rises with possible localised flooding for Pilbara coastal streams during Tuesday.

Most of the rainfall is to the west of the cyclone, so rainfall is expected to ease soon after the cyclone passes.

ROAD CLOSURES:

A number of roads have been closed including:
- North West Coastal Highway from Pannawonica turn off to Madigan Road
- North West Coastal Highway from Port Hedland to Karratha
- Gibb River Road from Derby to Wyndham
- Marble Bar Road from Newman to Port Hedland
- Ripon Hills Road
- Nanutarra-Munjina Road from Bingarn Road to Youngaleena
- Nanutarra-Munjina Road from Paraburdoo-Tom Price Road to Bingarn Road

Motorists should avoid the area and should not drive into water of unknown depth and current.

For further details call Main Roads WA on 138 138 or visit www.mainroads.wa.gov.au

At Carnarvon, 910km north of Perth, the Gascoyne River's peak was among the highest ever recorded on Saturday because of rain from Cyclone Dianne.

This week, the town is expected to be affected by the re-formed Cyclone Carlos, which is now a category two storm.

After moving over the Top End from the east, Cyclone Carlos is expected to move west, southwest roughly parallel to the Pilbara coast and intensify over the next two days, the Bureau of Meteorology says.

A cyclone warning is current for coastal areas in or near Pardoo to Mardie including Pardoo, Port Hedland, South Hedland, Whim Creek, Roebourne, Wickham, Point Samson, Roebourne, Karratha, Dampier, Mardie and surrounding communities.

Parts of Port Hedland have tonight been told to 'prepare to relocate' as homes could be impacted by the cyclone.

Tornado hits Karratha

Meanwhile a mini-tornado has damaged buildings and cars in the Pilbara town of Karratha as residents there brace for more heavy weather bearing down with tropical cyclone Carlos.

The 10-minute burst of destructive winds hit just before 3pm on Monday with residents reporting cars being thrown about, roofing iron ripped off, power lines brought down, fences smashed and other debris blown about.

For the latest weather information visit

www.bom.gov.au