First cyclone for the season

midal · 21st December 2009, 07:42 PM

Cyclone Laurence category 5, strongest cat, with winds of 285 kph is now crossing the coast in a sparcely populated area between Wallal and Mandora above Pt Hedland and heading inland (hopefully) in the Pilbara.

Extensive flooding in the north eastern Pilbara and lower Kimberly so there will be some road closures. Plenty of rain to come yet which no doubt will effect most roads to some extent.

Thankfully it appears it will miss Hedland directly but they will probably get some glancing blows from the wind and of course a fair bit of moisture. Karratha looks like just getting some rain.

It's a cat 5 so I pity the poor folk who are in it's path like a couple of roadhouses and of course the stations in the area. I hope there are no tourists on the road who left their run a bit late. There is not a lot that will stand up to wind of that magnitude.

Cheers
Mick

**dullbird** · 21st December 2009, 07:55 PM

here's hoping everyone is safe

**LandyAndy** · 21st December 2009, 08:02 PM

To say it was a small cyclone when it first started its huge now.
see this radar image.
512 km composite Pt Hedland Radar Loop
Andrew

**LandyAndy** · 21st December 2009, 08:18 PM

The Fitroy is in for a good clean out.Was chatting with my mate In Derby.Napier Downs got 400mm in 24hrs!!!
Got to be some flooding on the way.
Andrew

Ean Austral · 21st December 2009, 08:19 PM

We went thru a Cat 4 in 1991 and we were anchored about 100mtrs off an Island which surrounded us and stopped the swell, but the wind was that strong the sand that got blown off the Island blasted the paint off the front and 1 side of the boat.It also blasted the windows that bad they had to be replaced as well.

Hope I never go thru another Cat 4 let alone a Cat 5..

Cheers Ean

**BMKal** · 21st December 2009, 08:49 PM

Was just chatting online with a mate in Broome. It's wet up there. haven't heard how they're going out on Cockatoo and Koolan - but no bad news so far.

At least the site I'm working on looks like this one will miss it - we're about 2 hours drive south of Karratha. It's a construction site at the moment, so there is building materials and crap everywhere. We all spent days tying everything down or getting stuff off site before shutting down for the Christmas break.

**dmdigital** · 21st December 2009, 09:00 PM

And to think it started life as a tropical low all the way over here.

Hope it doesn't do too much damage, they are never fun even if Cat 1.

**BigJon** · 21st December 2009, 09:14 PM

My brother flew out of Broome two days ago. He had been sitting on the beach for a week waiting for the weather to clear so he could go to work. There is an offshore drilling programme for a new jetty north of Broome which has been delayed due to the weather.

**Sparksdisco** · 22nd December 2009, 05:32 AM

I missed it. were back in victoria having the baby. been up there for 2 years now and havent had to face a cyclone yet. hope i dont have to either. i just hope the house and housesitter is doing ok

**BMKal** · 22nd December 2009, 04:56 PM

Originally Posted by Sparksdisco

I missed it. were back in victoria having the baby. been up there for 2 years now and havent had to face a cyclone yet. hope i dont have to either. i just hope the house and housesitter is doing ok

Should be OK mate. Sounds like it missed Hedland this time - looks like Sandfire might have copped it again - haven't heard any mention of Pardoo in the news this morning.

Last red alert I saw was for Yarrie and Marble Bar, but now downgraded to a cat 3.

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