Severe Tropical Cyclone 1a

[summer blizzard]

IDW24100

Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology

Western Australia

Media: The Emergency Warning Signal should NOT be used with this warning.

TOP PRIORITY

TROPICAL CYCLONE ADVICE NUMBER 21

Issued at 2:45 pm WST on Tuesday, 27 March 2007

BY THE BUREAU OF METEOROLOGY

TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNING CENTRE PERTH

A CYCLONE WARNING for a SEVERE CATEGORY 3 CYCLONE is current for coastal areas

from Whim Creek to Bidyadanga.

The CYCLONE WARNING between Roebourne and Whim Creek has been cancelled.

At 2:00 pm WST Severe Tropical Cyclone Kara was estimated to be

190 kilometres north northwest of Port Hedland and

300 kilometres west northwest of Wallal,

moving east southeast at 20 kilometres per hour.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Kara is now showing marked signs of weakening and is

expected to continue to weaken overnight. If Kara maintains an east

southeasterly track it is likely to cross Eighty Mile beach during Wednesday.

GALES may develop in coastal communities overnight tonight or during Wednesday

as the system moves closer to the coast. Kara is not expected to cause

destructive winds on the coast.

HEAVY RAIN may cause areas of flooding in the east Pilbara and west Kimberley.

Details of Severe Tropical Cyclone Kara at 2:00 pm WST.

Location of centre : within 20 kilometres of

latitude 18.7 south longitude 118.0 east

Recent movement : east southeast at 20 kilometres per hour

Central Pressure : 958 hectopascals

Maximum wind gusts : 195 kilometres per hour near the centre.

Severity category : 3

FESA-State Emergency Service advises of the following community alerts:

BLUE ALERT: People in or near coastal communities between Whim Creek and

Bidyadanga, including Whim Creek, Port Hedland, South Hedland, Pardoo, Wallal

and Bidyadanga should commence taking precautions.

ALL CLEAR WITH CAUTION: People in communities near Pannawonica, Fortescue

Roadhouse, Dampier, Karratha, Roebourne, Wickham and Point Samson are advised

that the Blue Alert has been lifted.

The next advice will be issued by 6:00 pm WST Tuesday 27 March.Cyclone advices

and State Emergency Service Community Alerts are available by

dialling 1300 659 210

A map showing the track of the cyclone is available at:

http://www.bom.gov.au/weather/wa/cyclone

http://www.bom.gov.au/fwo/IDW60280.gif?1174977813809

A funny track, but should make landfall within 24 hours.

[Somerset Squall]

Isn't Kara 20S not 1A?

Anyway, this system looks like it will be very weak at landfall, and problems, if any, will arise from rainfall. As in the "Australia severe weather" thread, TC Becky is currently active in the coral sea and is strengthening. It is far out to sea at the moment though.