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Western Australia is on high alert as Tropical Cyclone Fina approaches, bringing with it winds that could reach up to 200 km/h as it moves toward the Kimberley region.
According to Jonathan How from the Bureau of Meteorology, Cyclone Fina has intensified into a severe Category 4 storm while traversing the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf.
Currently, the storm’s main impact is over open waters, but it is packing sustained winds of 185 km/h, with gusts near its center reaching an alarming 260 km/h, How reported.
The cyclone is presently situated about 300 km southwest of Darwin and is advancing at a pace of approximately 8 km/h in a southwesterly direction.
A tropical cyclone warning is in effect for the northern coast of Western Australia. Fina is anticipated to make landfall once more in the northeastern Kimberley region, either tonight or early tomorrow morning.
It’s expected to weaken to a category 3 storm before that point, but How said gusts of 120km/hr to 185km/hr were expected to come after landfall.
Local “heavy to intense” rainfall, along with possible flash flooding, is also expected along the northern Kimberley coastline.
Cyclone warnings have been lifted in the Northern Territory, but flood warnings remain in place for the affected catchments.
Falls of up to 140mm have been recorded near Darwin, while a severe whether warning for heavy rain is in place for the Daly district.