Forecast

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

Media: The Standard Emergency Warning Signal should NOT be used with this warning.

TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST

TROPICAL CYCLONE ADVICE NUMBER 11
Issued at 08:49 PM WST on Friday 23 January 2026

Headline:
Tropical Low 16U to develop into a tropical cyclone overnight and impact the northwest Kimberley Coast on Saturday.

Areas Affected:
Warning zone: Broome to northeast of Kuri Bay, including Derby.

Watch zone: Bidyadanga to Broome and adjacent inland areas to the warning area.

Cancelled zone: None.

Details of Tropical Low 16U at 8:00 pm AWST:
Intensity: Tropical Low, sustained winds near the centre of 65 kilometres per hour with wind gusts to 95 kilometres per hour.
Location: within 55 kilometres of 15.3 degrees South 120.6 degrees East, estimated to be 340 kilometres north northwest of Broome and 275 kilometres west northwest of Cape Leveque.
Movement: south southeast at 17 kilometres per hour.
Tropical Low 16U is currently located to the north northwest of Broome and gradually intensifying. The system is expected to move east southeast and develop into a tropical cyclone early Saturday morning.
16U is in a favourable environment and is forecast to intensify to a category 2 system before crossing the northwest Kimberley coast during Saturday, most likely between Broome and Cockatoo Island. Once 16U has crossed the coast it is expected to weaken below tropical cyclone strength during Sunday morning inland from Derby.

Hazards:
DESTRUCTIVE WIND GUSTS to 155 km/h may develop near the system centre between Beagle Bay and Cockatoo Island during Saturday as the system approaches and moves over the coast.
GALES with DAMAGING WIND GUSTS to 120 km/h are possible between Beagle Bay and Kuri Bay from early Saturday morning. Gales may extend south to Derby and towards Broome during Saturday and to adjacent inland areas overnight Saturday night. If the system takes a track further west, gales may extend from Broome to Bidyadanga later Saturday.
HEAVY RAINFALL which may lead to FLASH FLOODING is possible overnight tonight for the northwest Kimberley district, including the coast and adjacent inland areas during Saturday.
Coastal residents within King Sound are specifically warned of the potential for a DANGEROUS STORM TIDE as the cyclone centre crosses the coast. Tides are likely to rise significantly above the normal high tide, with DAMAGING WAVES and DANGEROUS FLOODING.
Elsewhere, between Cape Leveque and Cockatoo Island tides are likely to rise above the normal high tide mark with LARGE WAVES and MINOR FLOODING of low-lying coastal areas on Saturday as 16U crosses the Kimberley coast. Tides will be higher than normal between Beagle Bay and Mitchell Plateau on Saturday.

Recommended Action:
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 07:01 PM WST on Friday 23 January 2026
for the period until midnight WST Saturday 24 January 2026

Wind Warnings for Friday 23 January
Gale Warning for the following areas:
West Kimberley Coast
Strong Wind Warning for the following areas:
Ningaloo Coast, Gascoyne Coast and Eucla Coast

Wind Warnings for Saturday 24 January
Storm Force Wind Warning for the following areas:
West Kimberley Coast
Gale Warning for the following areas:
North Kimberley Coast

The next marine wind warning summary will be issued by 1:01 am WST Saturday.
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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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