Forecast

Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Tropical Cyclone Advice
Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre

Media: Transmitters serving the area between Mardie and Cape Cuvier are requested to USE the Standard Emergency Warning Signal before broadcasting the following warning.

TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST

TROPICAL CYCLONE ADVICE NUMBER 79
Issued at 11:49 PM WST on Thursday 26 March 2026

Headline:
Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle, category 4, is currently impacting the west Pilbara coast with severe impacts extending to the Gascoyne coast Friday morning.

Areas Affected:
Warning zone: Whim Creek to Jurien Bay, including Karratha, Onslow, Exmouth, Coral Bay, Carnarvon, Denham and Geraldton, and extending inland to Pannawonica, Murchison and Dalwallinu.

Watch zone: None.

Cancelled zone: None.

Details of Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle 34U at 12:00 am AWST:
Intensity: Category 4, sustained winds near the centre of 185 kilometres per hour with wind gusts to 260 kilometres per hour.
Location: within 30 kilometres of 20.6 degrees South 114.3 degrees East, estimated to be 145 kilometres northwest of Onslow and 150 kilometres north of Exmouth.
Movement: southwest at 17 kilometres per hour.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle, category 4, is forecast to strengthen further overnight as it approaches the North West Cape.
Narelle is moving southwest, roughly parallel to the Pilbara coast. Narelle is larger than usual and although the cyclone is located north of the Pilbara, gales and destructive winds are occurring over the coast. A Severe Weather Warning is also current for damaging wind gusts east of Whim Creek and for inland parts of the Pilbara.
Early Friday, Narelle will turn towards the south, likely passing close to the North West Cape as a category 4 cyclone. Severe impacts will extend from the western Pilbara coast to the Gascoyne coast early morning Friday, and then extending south to Carnarvon and Denham during Friday.
On Saturday, Narelle is expected to be weakening as it moves quickly to the south southeast, with impacts extending to the Central West and then further inland and south across the South West Land Division. During Saturday the strongest winds are expected to be on the eastern side of the system.

Hazards:
VERY DESTRUCTIVE WIND GUSTS up to 275 km/h may develop between Exmouth and Onslow overnight as Narelle moves closer to the North West Cape, and then extend down the west coast to Cape Cuvier during Friday morning. Carnarvon could see wind gusts up to 200 km/h during Friday, and wind gusts up to 180 km/h could extend to Denham late Friday or early Saturday.
DESTRUCTIVE WIND GUSTS in excess of 125 km/h are occurring along the Pilbara coast between Mardie and west of Onslow, and are expected to extend west to Exmouth early Friday morning. DESTRUCTIVE WIND GUSTS in excess of 125 km/h are expected to extend south to Carnarvon and then to Denham during Friday morning and afternoon, and may extend to Kalbarri and inland parts later on Friday and possibly as far south as Morawa Saturday morning.
GALES with DAMAGING WIND GUSTS to 120 km/h are occurring near the coast between Whim Creek and North West Cape, extending to Exmouth and Learmonth. Gales will extend further south to Kalbarri and inland, possibly as far east as Murchison, during Friday. Gales may extend south to Jurien Bay and inland to Dalwallinu during Saturday morning.
HEAVY RAINFALL which may lead to FLASH FLOODING is possible in western parts of the Pilbara and Gascoyne as Narelle moves past. Areas of INTENSE RAINFALL that may lead to SEVERE FLASH FLOODING is likely to develop about the western Pilbara west of about Onslow overnight and Friday morning, before extending further south into the northwestern Gascoyne later Friday morning.
Coastal residents between Onslow and Denham are specifically warned of a DANGEROUS STORM TIDE as the cyclone moves south down the Gascoyne coast. Tides are likely to rise significantly above the normal high tide, with DAMAGING WAVES and DANGEROUS FLOODING.
Tides will be higher than normal between Port Hedland and Onslow. LARGE WAVES may produce MINOR FLOODING of low-lying coastal areas.

Recommended Action:
DFES advises:
Ensure you know what to do in a cyclone. For the latest DFES community alerts and warnings visit www.emergency.wa.gov.au or download the Emergency WA app.

Cyclone advices and DFES Alerts are available by dialling 13 DFES (13 3337)

A map showing the track of the cyclone is available at:
http://www.bom.gov.au/cyclone

Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Western Australia

Marine Wind Warning Summary for Western Australia

Issued at 10:02 PM WST on Thursday 26 March 2026
for the period until midnight WST Friday 27 March 2026

Wind Warnings for Thursday 26 March
Hurricane Force Wind Warning for the following areas:
Pilbara Coast West and Ningaloo Coast
Gale Warning for the following areas:
Pilbara Coast East
Strong Wind Warning for the following areas:
Gascoyne Coast, Geraldton Coast, Leeuwin Coast, Albany Coast and Esperance Coast

Wind Warnings for Friday 27 March
Hurricane Force Wind Warning for the following areas:
Pilbara Coast West, Ningaloo Coast and Gascoyne Coast
Storm Force Wind Warning for the following areas:
Geraldton Coast
Gale Warning for the following areas:
Pilbara Coast East and Lancelin Coast
Strong Wind Warning for the following areas:
Leeuwin Coast, Albany Coast, Esperance Coast and Eucla Coast

The next marine wind warning summary will be issued by 1:01 am WST Friday.
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Check the latest Coastal Waters Forecast or Local
Waters Forecast at http://www.bom.gov.au/wa/forecasts/map.shtml for information on wind,
wave and weather conditions for these coastal zones.
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Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Western Australia

Warning to Sheep Graziers

for Central West and Lower West forecast districts

Issued at 09:10 PM WST on Thursday 26 March 2026

Warnings for Thursday 26 March

Warning to Sheep Graziers for the following areas:
Central West and Lower West forecast districts
Sheep graziers are warned that cold temperatures, heavy rain and showers and strong easterly winds are expected during Friday. Areas likely to be affected include parts of the Central West and Lower West forecast districts. There is a risk of losses of lambs and sheep exposed to these conditions.
Cancellation of Warning to Sheep Graziers for the following areas:
Great Southern forecast district
The Warning to Sheep Graziers for the Great Southern forecast district has been cancelled.

The next warning will be issued by 5:00 am WST Friday.