The northern coast of Western Australia is bracing for flooding rain and damaging winds, which is likely to lash the region by early part of this weekend.
Tropical cyclone Stan is all set to slam the Australian coast.
A low pressure system had developed over western Timor Sea on Tuesday evening and intensified into a tropical cyclone by Friday afternoon.
Stan will intensify further before hitting the coast on Saturday afternoon. Landfall is likely to rock eastern side of Port Hedland. Stan is expected to be a category 2 or a category 3 tropical cyclone at the time of landfall.
The coastal region where the landfall is expected and its nearby areas are at risk of torrential rains and squally winds. Rainfall and wind speed will increase as Stan closes in.
Rainfall of upto 150 mm and wind gusts of around 150 kmph is expected along the northern coastline of Western Australia, Saturday afternoon onwards.
The Port of Port Hedland has been officially closed as sea has become rough. The runoff from the rain would aggravate the already swollen rivers in the region.
By early Sunday, Stan will be close to Newman and will move in southeasterly direction across Western Australia through the weekend. As it moves inland, it will start loosing intensity and will reach Perth as weak weather system.
Despite weakening, heavy rain and wind gusts of upto 95 kmph will occur right through the path of Stan. Localized flash flooding in low lying areas, downed trees, power outages and reduced visibility is expected to occur.
Image credit: arhiva.dalje.com
