Tropical cyclone weakens but damaging winds continue
While the weakening tropical cyclone is still bringing damaging winds, residents on the other side of the country are preparing for heavy rain ahead of New Year’s celebrations.
Tropical Cyclone Hayley has been downgraded to a category one storm but is still producing winds of up to 120km/h as it moves through the western Kimberley.
The warning area in Western Australia covers north of Broome and affects Derby, Cockatoo Island, Beagle Bay and Cape Leveque.
While strong winds of up to 100 km per hour occurred in the affected areas, the Bureau of Meteorology also warned that the region was facing heavy rains with the potential for flash floods.
The system is expected to weaken as it moves inland.
An evacuation center has been opened at Broome Recreation and Aquatics Centre.
The storm comes on the heels of Tropical Cyclone Fina, a category three system that hit Darwin in late November.
In 2023, the region experienced heavy rains as former Tropical Cyclone Ellie made landfall, leading to flooding in many communities.
The Kimberley region has been hit hard by massive rainfall totals and severe flooding.
The latest tornado warning comes as other parts of the country are struggling with flooding and multiple severe weather warnings have been issued for New Year’s Eve.
In Queensland, a man in his 70s was found dead in a submerged car in the northern town of Normanton on Tuesday afternoon.
The Bureau of Meteorology has warned that severe falls of 100mm are possible in the Northern Goldfields and Upper Flinders, as well as parts of the North West and Mid-West.
Six-hour rainfall totals from approximately Townsville to Yarrabah are likely to be between 100 and 180 mm, with the potential for isolated falls in excess of 220 mm.
The state’s northernmost town of Innisfail recorded 153mm of rainfall in two hours on Tuesday night.
Disaster assistance has been activated for five north Queensland councils following widespread flooding caused by monsoon rains over the Christmas period.
The extra funding will support councils’ response, clean-up and recovery, including emergency road works and repairs to public assets.
