People living on the coast of northern Western have been issued a serious warning to prepare for a tropical cyclone which is likely to form off the coast.
A tropical low in the Timor Sea, about 400 kilometres from Darwin, has made its way southwest at 15 km/h, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
The bureau has forecast that it could intensify into a cyclone later on Saturday.
The weather system is known only as ’29U’ but if it develops into a cyclone, it will potentially be called Errol.
The bureau said the system was due to track near the north of the Kimberley coast and bring damaging winds and heavy rain.
‘Gales with damaging wind gusts could develop between King George River Mouth and Mitchell Plateau Saturday night or early Sunday morning, and west to Kuri Bay later Sunday morning, if the track shifts further south,’ the bureau said.
Extreme weather was likely to steer away from the coastline for the first half of next week, forecaster Angus Hines told the ABC.
‘But it remains a system to watch because there is a chance that the latter half of next week it could veer to the south once again and potentially return to the Pilbara or Kimberley coast, maybe even late next week or next weekend,’ he said.
‘It’s a bit early to lock in the details but communities along the northern coast of Western should certainly watch this space.’
As the system moves past, tides may rise above the normal high tide mark but the sea level should not exceed the highest tide of the year.
The low was was exhibiting sustained winds near its centre of 65km/h and gusting up to 95km/h on Saturday afternoon.
Residents were being warned to secure boats, caravans, trailers, garden sheds, outdoor furniture, rainwater tanks, LPG bottles, loose material and rubbish.
Preparing emergency kits with enough food and water to last at least five days, was also advisable.
The bureau’s seven-day forecast projects the impending cyclone will track out to sea before moving back towards the West Kimberley coastline at the end of next week.
Sydney:
Sunday. Min 18 Max 26. Partly cloudy. The chance of morning fog in the outer west. Slight chance of a shower, most likely in the late morning and afternoon. Light winds becoming east to northeasterly 15 to 20 km/h in the late afternoon then becoming light in the evening.
Monday. Min 17 Max 28. The chance of fog in the west in the early morning. Mostly sunny day. Slight chance of a shower in the evening. Light winds becoming east to southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h in the early afternoon then turning south to southwesterly in the evening.
Tuesday. Min 18 Max 24. Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers. Winds southwesterly 15 to 20 km/h tending southerly 20 to 30 km/h during the morning then becoming light during the evening.
Melbourne:
Sunday. Min 19 Max 31. Sunny. Winds northerly 25 to 35 km/h becoming light in the late evening.
Monday. Min 17 Max 23. Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers, most likely in the morning. Light winds becoming south to southeasterly 20 to 30 km/h in the early afternoon then tending east to southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h in the late evening.
Tuesday. Min 13 Max 26. Partly cloudy. The chance of fog in the morning, mainly about the nearby hills. Winds east to southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h becoming light during the morning then becoming northeast to southeasterly 15 to 25 km/h during the afternoon.
Brisbane:
Sunday. Min 19 Max 27. Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers, most likely in the morning. Winds south to southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h becoming southeasterly 20 to 30 km/h in the morning then becoming south to southeasterly and light in the evening.
Monday. Min 18 Max 26. Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers, most likely in the late morning and afternoon. Winds southerly 15 to 20 km/h tending southeasterly 20 to 30 km/h in the morning then becoming light in the evening.
Tuesday. Min 18 Max 27. Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers, most likely in the morning and afternoon. Light winds becoming south to southeasterly 20 to 30 km/h during the morning then becoming light during the evening.
Canberra:
Sunday. Min 9 Max 27. The chance of fog in the early morning. Sunny afternoon. Light winds.
Monday. Min 7 Max 27. Partly cloudy. The chance of fog in the early morning. Slight chance of a shower in the afternoon and evening. Light winds.
Tuesday. Min 11 Max 22. Partly cloudy. The chance of morning fog. Light winds becoming easterly 15 to 20 km/h during the afternoon then becoming light during the evening.
Adelaide:
Sunday. Min 21 Max 34. Sunny. Winds north to northeasterly 15 to 25 km/h tending northwest to southwesterly in the middle of the day then becoming light in the evening.
Monday. Min 19 Max 32. Sunny. Light winds becoming west to southwesterly 15 to 20 km/h during the day then shifting east to southeasterly during the afternoon.
Tuesday. Min 20 Max 32. Partly cloudy. Winds east to northeasterly 15 to 20 km/h becoming light during the afternoon then becoming easterly 15 to 20 km/h during the evening.
Perth:
Sunday. Min 17 Max 27. Partly cloudy. High chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm. Winds east to southeasterly 15 to 25 km/h tending east to northeasterly 15 to 20 km/h in the morning then tending northwest to northeasterly in the middle of the day.
Monday. Min 17 Max 25. Partly cloudy. High chance of showers, most likely in the morning and afternoon. The chance of a thunderstorm. Winds north to northwesterly 15 to 20 km/h shifting south to southwesterly 20 to 30 km/h during the afternoon.
Tuesday. Min 14 Max 24. Partly cloudy. Light winds becoming southerly 15 to 25 km/h during the day then becoming light during the evening.
Darwin:
Sunday. Min 24 Max 32. Partly cloudy. High chance of showers, most likely in the afternoon and evening. The chance of a thunderstorm. Light winds.
Monday. Min 24 Max 32. Partly cloudy. High chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm. Light winds.
Tuesday. Min 24 Max 33. Partly cloudy. High chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm. Light winds.
Hobart:
Sunday. Min 11 Max 23. Partly cloudy. Very high chance of showers, most likely in the afternoon and evening. Light winds becoming westerly 15 to 20 km/h in the middle of the day then turning southerly 15 to 25 km/h in the late evening.
Monday. Min 11 Max 16. Cloudy. Medium chance of showers, most likely in the early morning. Winds south to southeasterly 15 to 25 km/h turning east to northeasterly 15 to 20 km/h in the late afternoon.
Tuesday. Min 7 Max 20. Partly cloudy. Winds north to northwesterly 15 to 20 km/h turning northeasterly during the day then tending northerly during the evening.