Forecast

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

Transmitters serving the Karratha to Onslow areas, including Mardie, are requested to USE the Standard Emergency Warning Signal before broadcasting the following warning.

TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST

TROPICAL CYCLONE ADVICE NUMBER 20
Issued at 11:07 PM WST on Saturday 07 February 2026

Headline:
Severe Tropical Cyclone Mitchell (21U), category 3, is moving southwest to the north of Dampier.

Areas Affected:
Warning zone: Whim Creek to Coral Bay, including Karratha, Onslow, and Exmouth, and extending inland through the western Pilbara to include Pannawonica.

Watch zone: Coral Bay to Carnarvon and adjacent inland areas.

Cancelled zone: None.

Details of Severe Tropical Cyclone Mitchell 21U at 11:00 pm AWST:
Intensity: Category 3, sustained winds near the centre of 130 kilometres per hour with wind gusts to 185 kilometres per hour.
Location: within 30 kilometres of 20.1 degrees South 116.4 degrees East, estimated to be 220 kilometres northeast of Onslow and 85 kilometres north northwest of Karratha.
Movement: west southwest at 15 kilometres per hour.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Mitchell (21U) is north of Dampier and is at category 3 strength.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Mitchell is forecast to move to the southwest closer to the Pilbara coast overnight, and then track close to the west Pilbara coast during Sunday. Late on Sunday it is forecast to move over land near Onslow, before taking a more southerly track over land during Monday.

Hazards:
VERY DESTRUCTIVE WIND GUSTS to 205 km/h are possible over the coastal parts of the Pilbara around Karratha, Dampier, and Wickham tonight especially if Mitchell moves closer than forecast, extending west to Onslow during Sunday as the destructive core of Mitchell moves along the coast.
DESTRUCTIVE WIND GUSTS to 160 km/h are forecast around Karratha, Dampier, and Wickham tonight, extending west towards Onslow during Sunday and possibly Exmouth Sunday night.
GALES with DAMAGING WIND GUSTS to 120 km/h are occurring along coastal areas between Whim Creek and Dampier, extending west to Mardie and possibly Pannawonica later tonight. GALES with DAMAGING WIND GUSTS to 120 km/h are forecast to extend west to Onslow, Exmouth, and inland parts of the western Pilbara on Sunday.
Widespread moderate to HEAVY RAINFALL which may lead to FLASH FLOODING is likely overnight with this risk persisting through the weekend for the central and west Pilbara coast, extending to the west Gascoyne region on Monday. Local areas of INTENSE rainfall leading to SEVERE FLASH FLOODING may develop around the central Pilbara coast west of Wickham overnight and Sunday morning.
ABNORMALLY HIGH TIDES could cause SERIOUS FLOODING in the Karratha region early Sunday morning, and then in the Onslow region on the Sunday afternoon.
Elsewhere on the west Pilbara coast including Exmouth, tides are likely to rise above the normal high tide mark on Saturday and Sunday which may produce FLOODING of low-lying coastal areas.

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 09:25 PM WST on Saturday 07 February 2026
for the period until midnight WST Sunday 08 February 2026

Wind Warnings for Saturday 07 February
Hurricane Force Wind Warning for the following areas:
Pilbara Coast East and Pilbara Coast West
Strong Wind Warning for the following areas:
Perth Local Waters, Gascoyne Coast, Geraldton Coast, Lancelin Coast, Perth Coast, Bunbury Geographe Coast and Leeuwin Coast

Wind Warnings for Sunday 08 February
Hurricane Force Wind Warning for the following areas:
Pilbara Coast East, Pilbara Coast West and Ningaloo Coast
Strong Wind Warning for the following areas:
Gascoyne Coast and Geraldton Coast

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

Fire Weather Warning

for Exmouth Gulf Coast fire weather district

Issued at 03:12 PM WST on Saturday 07 February 2026

Weather Situation
Very windy conditions expected over the western Pilbara ahead of Tropical Cyclone Mitchell. The tropical cyclone is expected to cross the western Pilbara coast on Sunday afternoon. Rainfall and winds speeds will depend on the strength and position of the tropical cyclone. For up to date forecast and conditions see current tropical cyclone forecasts and warnings.

For Sunday 08 February:
Extreme Fire Danger for the following areas:
Exmouth Gulf Coast

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services advises you to:
Action your Bushfire Survival Plan now.
Monitor the fire and weather situation through your local radio station, www.emergency.wa.gov.au and www.bom.gov.au.
Call 000 (Triple Zero) in an emergency.

For information on preparing for bushfires go to www.dfes.wa.gov.au.
The next warning will be issued by 5:00 am WST Sunday.