Tropical Cyclone Anika nearing WA coast

Phoebe Loomes and Marty Silk | February 27, 2022

Residents in Western Australia are bracing as Tropical Cyclone Anika slowly approaches the northern Kimberley coast.

Destructive winds gusting up to 130km/h are expected in areas including Kalumburu and Wyndham in the state’s north from as early as Saturday night.

People living in those areas are urged to “take action and get ready to shelter from the cyclone”, which is anticipated to be the first to impact the WA mainland in the current cyclone season.

Anika is expected to bring heavy rain to the northern parts of the Kimberley on Saturday night, continuing to Tuesday next week as the cyclone moves back to the coast.

Heavy rainfall and flooding are forecast for the northern Kimberley with rainfall totals of upto 300mm.

A flood watch has been issued for downstream Fitzroy River, and the East, North and West Kimberley Rivers.

Gale force winds up to 100km/h could extend to the Daly River region in the Northern Territory as the system travels east on Sunday.

The category one system is currently in the south Timor Sea and is tracking south.

It is expected to intensify into a category two cyclone before making landfall over northern WA.

From Sunday afternoon the system is expected to weaken over land, before moving in a westerly and southwesterly direction near the Kimberley coast.

It is expected it will move offshore near Kuri Bay by Tuesday, strengthening as it heads away from land. 

People living between Wyndham and the Northern Territory border are urged to prepare for cyclonic weather and organise emergency plans, including a first aid kit, portable radio, food and water.

A previously issued warning for Dundee Beach and Daly River mouth has been cancelled as Anika’s drift to the south altered the warning area, reducing the risk for these regions, the BoM said.

Meanwhile, the more intense category four Tropical Cyclone Vernon, which is packing winds up to 260km/h, is about 710km off the Cocos Islands and barrelling west.

The BoM said the system poses no threat to Australian territories.