Tropical Cyclone Ilsa continues to intensify today off the northwest Australian coast.
Widespread significant impacts are likely across large parts of Western Australia and eventually
Central Australia over the coming days. Taking a look at this system in our current satellite
imagery we can see the deep tropical convection off the coast to the north of Broome. Tropical
Cyclone Ilsa, currently a category 2 system, sits in the middle of this rotating bands of convection
showers and thunderstorms. Having a look at our Tropical Cyclone track map, we can see how
Tropical Cyclone Ilsa strengthens to a category 3 severe Tropical Cyclone by later today. Because of
this intensification we do have a Tropical Cyclone watch zone current from Beagle Bay
down to Whim Creek and extending into the inland areas to Telfer and beyond. These areas could see
winds in excess of 90 to 100 kilometers an hour starting to develop in the next 24 to 48 hours.
Through tomorrow Ilsa is expected to intensify into a category 4 system eventually making a
coastal crossing somewhere between Broome and Port Hedland either late tomorrow or early Friday
morning. Over the next two days we are expecting to issue Tropical Cyclone warnings for these
parts of the coast and likely large parts of the inland as well as this system moves through. The
exact location of the coastal crossing is still uncertain, and this is indicated by these areas
of white uncertainty here. Following the coastal crossing Ilsa is expected to move
southeast inland starting to decay quite rapidly by Saturday morning back to a tropical low.
As TC Ilsa makes its coastal crossing we are expecting to see the most impacts in
those coastal regions. Wind gusts in excess of 250 kilometres an hour are possible and
winds of their strength have the ability not only to bring down trees and power
lines but lift items from your yard and home, caravans, trampolines it's essential to make
sure that your home and property are secure and that you yourself are safe at this time
Breaking down our forecast a little bit further we can see how as Tropical Cyclone Ilsa intensifies
to severe tropical cyclone the moisture and winds wrap tightly around the system and begin to impact
the coastal parts in our watch area. As Tropical Cyclone Ilsa makes its coastal crossing this is
when we're seeing the most intense rainfall and those most intense winds that I mentioned
before. These impacts are really going to ease back as Tropical Cyclone Ilsa decays over the
later part of the week into the weekend. Our forecast accumulations over the coming
days are initially going to build across northern parts of the Kimberly but then very quickly along
the Tropical Cyclone track as it moves across the Kimberly Pilbara coast and quickly inland.
Along that track area we could very easily see rainfall accumulations in the 50 to 150
millimetre range and close to the coast where we have that intense Tropical Cyclone coastal
crossing we could see rainfall totals well in excess of two to three hundred millimetres.
This sort of rainfall could very easily lead to flash and riverine flooding and this is
why we have large flood watch areas across parts of Western Australia extending into
Central Australia as well as that system moves inland. In these areas not only flash flooding
is a risk but also the riverine flooding which can impact roads and access routes making tracks
muddy or even impassable. This may access this may impact access to some remote communities so it's
essential to be aware of these flood warnings that may change as the system moves close to the coast.
As Tropical Cyclone Ilsa intensifies today and nears the Kimberly coast
it's essential to keep up to date with the latest forecasts and warnings via
the Bureau's website and the BOM weather app. Make sure you listen to and follow all advice
from your local emergency services and keep yourself safe, bye for now.