Tropical Cyclone Blake currently lies just offshore from the west Kimberley coast.

Headline:

Tropical Cyclone Blake currently lies just offshore from the west Kimberley coast. It is likely to cross the coast near Wallal Downs as a Category 1 system late today or early Wednesday.

Areas affected:

Warning zone: Bidyadanga to De Grey, extending inland to Shay Gap.

Watch zone: None.

Cancelled zones: Inland parts of the east Pilbara including Marble Bar.

Details of Tropical Cyclone Blake at 2:00 pm AWST:

Intensity: category 1, sustained winds near the centre of 75 kilometres per hour with wind gusts to 100 kilometres per hour.
Location: within 55 kilometres of 18.8 degrees South, 121.0 degrees East , 85 kilometres west of Bidyadanga and 115 kilometres north northeast of Wallal Downs .
Movement: southwest at 14 kilometres per hour .

Tropical Cyclone Blake lies just offshore from Bidyadanga. It is likely to track close to the west Kimberley coast during this afternoon and evening and may intensify slightly if it remains far enough off the coast. Tropical Cyclone Blake is expected to cross the coast along Eighty Mile Beach near Wallal Downs late today or early Wednesday morning as a category 1 tropical cyclone.

Hazards:

GALES may be occurring along coastal parts between Bidyadanga and Sandfire. GALES could extend to Wallal Downs from late Tuesday afternoon or evening. There is a slight risk of GALES extending further along the Pilbara coast as far as De Grey and to inland parts of the eastern Pilbara as far inland as Shay Gap late Tuesday and into early Wednesday morning.

Heavy rainfall associated with the system is expected in the eastern Pilbara and far southwest Kimberley during the remainder of today and Wednesday. Persistent monsoonal rain and thunderstorm activity is also expected to continue in the northwest Kimberley with heavy falls possible a considerable distance away from the system centre.

Flood Watches and Warnings are current, please refer to http://www.bom.gov.au/wa/warnings/ for further details.

Recommended Action:

DFES advises of the following community alerts:

YELLOW ALERT: People in or near communities from Bidyadanga to Wallal, including Wallal, need to take action and get ready to shelter from a cyclone.

BLUE ALERT: People in or near communities from Wallal to De Grey, extending inland to include Marble Bar, need to prepare for cyclonic weather and organise an emergency kit including first aid kit, torch, portable radio, spare batteries, food and water.