Updated
Category one Cyclone Kelvin is likely to hit north Western Australia in the early hours of Sunday morning, with the system bringing even more rain to the already drenched region.
The system, which was upgraded from a tropical low to a cyclone this afternoon, could potentially develop into a category two cyclone and is tracking towards the west Kimberley coast.
Wind gusts of up to 100 kilometres per hour are expected on the coast between Bidyadanga and Wallal Downs — intensifying to up to 150kph overnight if the cyclonic conditions strengthen.
Andrew Burton, senior forecaster at the Bureau of Meteorology's tropical cyclone centre, said the Kimberley could also expect a drenching.
"I think we've already seen one of the strongest impacts of this system that Tropical Cyclone Kelvin will have — [that] is the rainfall we've seen in Broome," he said.
"We've had 370.6 millimetres from 9:00am this morning and that rainfall is continuing, so they look like they're on track to get to their wettest year ever."
The cyclone is currently moving "slowly", but the system could pick up strength before making landfall.
The Department of Fire and Emergency Services has issued a Yellow Alert for Broome and Pardoo Roadhouse locals, warning residents there is a possible threat to lives and homes as the cyclone approaches.
The WA Water Corporation is also warning residents not to swim, fish or play in Roebuck Bay or Dampier Creek in Broome due to the heavy rains causing wastewater to overflow.
The Broome South Wastewater Treatment Plant began to overflow treated wastewater — — and has been treated.
The wastewater which overflowed is not raw wastewater. The Water Corporation says the majority of the overflow is stormwater.
Topics: rainfall, weather, cyclone, cyclones, disasters-and-accidents, broome-6725, wa
First posted