Australia braces for 'very destructive winds' as Category 5 cyclone nears landfall
Northern Australia is bracing for a Category 5 tropical cyclone that is expected to bring “very destructive winds” to its coastline on Friday.
Northern Australia is bracing for a Category 5 tropical cyclone that is expected to bring “very destructive winds” and “very heavy rain” to its coastline Friday, with meteorologists warning of gusts up to 180 mph.
As of Thursday, the slow-moving Cyclone Zelia was 90 miles north of Port Hedland and was forecast to hit the Pilbara Coast as early as Friday morning with winds of up to 130 mph, Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology said in an advisory.
“Severe Tropical Cyclone Zelia is rapidly intensifying with very strong convection surrounding a warm eye,” the weather bulletin read, adding that the cyclone was moving off with heavy rainfall in its eastern rain bands.
More than a dozen schools have been closed in the northern part of the state of Western Australia, with authorities along the coast warning residents to take shelter as the cyclone, which was upgraded to the highest possible Category 5 Thursday afternoon, unleashed winds of up to 115 mph.
“Heavy rainfall is expected on the coast during the next couple of days,” the Bureau of Meteorology advisory read, warning of rainfall intensifying “near and to the east of the center of the cyclone as it crosses the coast.”
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