Communities in the northwest of Western Australia are battening down the hatches as ex-tropical Cyclone Lincoln approaches the Pilbara coast.
The cyclone is expected to re-form on Friday as it moves southwest along the Pilbara coast, prompting several weather warnings.
The Bureau of Meteorology predicts an 85 percent chance of the system reforming before crossing the coast as a Category 2 system near Coral Bay on Saturday.
The tropical cyclone is expected to destroy the western Pilbara coast and the northern Gascoyne coast before rapidly weakening on Sunday.
“We will see the most intense impacts as it makes landfall,” meteorologist Miriam Bradbury said in a weather update Thursday.
‘Destructive wind gusts of up to 140 kilometers per hour are possible and very heavy rainfall that could lead to flash flooding.’
Wind gusts of up to 100 km/h strong enough to down trees and power lines were possible near the western Pilbara coast and northern Gascoyne coast on Friday
Communities in the north-west of Western Australia are battening down the hatches as ex-tropical cyclone Lincoln hits the Pilbara coast (photo: the storm off the Pilbara coast)
Ms Bradbury said gusts of up to 100 kilometers per hour were possible on Friday, strong enough to knock down trees and power lines.
Residents in warning zones have been ordered to prepare food and water supplies and emergency kits as the storm prepares to make landfall.
Urban search and rescue specialists are among dozens of emergency services deployed to communities likely to be affected by the cyclone.
Authorities expect the North West Coastal Highway to be closed in several locations due to flooding and say some communities could remain isolated for days.
A cyclone blue alert has been issued for the area from Mardie South to Wooramel, with residents urged to prepare for devastating winds and possible flooding.
The weather system is expected to re-form on Friday as it tracks south-westerly along the Pilbara coast before crossing the coast on Saturday
The ex-tropical cyclone (pictured) is expected to devastate the western Pilbara coast and northern Gascoyne coast before rapidly weakening on Sunday
Multiple flood warnings have been issued for catchments along the Pilbara and Gascoyne coastlines.
Lincoln crossed the Northern Territory coast late last week as a Category 1 tropical cyclone from the Gulf of Carpentaria.
The system then moved inland over the Top End and into WA as a storm.
It dumped heavy rain over a wide area, triggering a series of flood warnings and warnings in north-west Queensland, the NT and northern WA.
The weather moved toward the coast on Wednesday, giving residents just a few days to prepare for the storm that would re-form on Friday and wreak havoc again.