Cyclone Narelle: Category 3 storm steamrolls along Pilbara coast, flights cancelled, towns batten down

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services has issued new storm advice. It is as follows:

Local damaging winds and heavy rainfall are expected in the Central West over the next several hours.

You need to act now and stay safe with severe thunderstorms forecast which are likely to produce damaging winds and heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding in the warning area over the next several hours.

Locations which may be affected include Geraldton, Mullewa and Northampton.

WHAT TO DO

- Pack away, secure or tie down outdoor furniture, trampolines and other loose items around your home that could be picked up and thrown by strong winds.

- Prepare an emergency kit with a radio that runs off batteries, a torch, spare batteries and a first aid kit.

- Review your plan and make sure everyone in your household knows what to do. If you do not have a plan, make one now on Emergency WA emergency.wa.gov.au/plan or in the Emergency WA app.

- Be prepared to stay indoors when the storm hits.

STORM DETAILS

At 8:16 am Thursday, 26 March 2026, the Bureau of Meteorology advised that slow-moving thunderstorms are developing in a very moist airmass along a trough over the Central West of WA.

These storms may bring strong winds from aloft down to the surface, resulting in damaging wind gusts and localised heavy rainfall.

Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging winds and heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding in the warning area.

ROAD CLOSURES AND CONDITIONS

Some roads may be closed.

Motorists are asked to avoid the area, reduce speed and drive carefully. Road information may also be available from Main Roads WA by visiting the Main Roads Travel Map, calling 138 138 or by contacting your Local Government Authority.

WHAT EMERGENCY SERVICES ARE DOING

DFES is monitoring the situation.

For the latest information visit emergency.wa.gov.au or the Emergency WA app.

A slew of weekend events across the metropolitan area have been scrapped as fears surrounding cyclone Narelle’s impact on Perth deepen.

Just some of the events that have been cancelled or changed as the category 3 storm approaches are:

• The City of Kwinana Alcoa Children’s Festival
• Duncraig Adventure Hub
• End of Summer Concert at Ascot Racecourse with Daryl Braithwaite (rescheduled to April 12)
• Station Sounds at Byford Station – METRONET Concert Series
• Perth Classic Car Show (rescheduled to April 19)
• Blast from the Past concert at Artillery Baracks

US singer Jordan Davis has relocated his Ice Cream Factory show to the indoor venue RAC Arena to avoid a last-minute cancellation.

Weekly night and farmers markets have also been cancelled across the Perth area due to the unpredictable weather, with events from Joondalup to Serpentine called off.

WA residents with tickets to events on either Friday, Saturday or Sunday have been encouraged to stay informed and monitor for any changes to plans.

Narelle is expected to strengthen to category 4 system as it passes the North West Cape before potentially crossing around Shark Bay late on Friday and into Saturday as a category 3 storm.

The Bureau or Meteorology’s Jessica Lingard said that while the gigantic storm was currently well off the coast, gale force winds would reach areas around Exmouth and the North West Cape later today.

She warned that residents in those areas needed to be prepared.

“Residents in those areas do need to be preparing for a very, very windy night with potentially destructive winds,” she said.

Curtin University has postponed its Open Day on Sunday, saying the weather would put student and staff at risk.

“Curtin University has made the difficult decision to postpone its Open Day scheduled for this Sunday due to the approaching cyclone and forecast severe weather,” the university said in a statement.

“With more than 25,000 people expected to attend, the safety of future students, families, staff and visitors is the priority.

“Given the expected conditions, the University is not able to safely set up, prepare for or deliver the event.”

Mid West iron ore miner Fenix Resources has warned that a lack of fuel supply is “beginning to impact operations” and the pain is being exacerbated by cyclone Narelle.

It is the first admission from a miner in WA’s vital iron ore system that fuel is running dry as bombing in the Middle East triggers an oil and gas shock.

Shipping from Geraldton Port has been suspended as tropical cyclone Narelle bears down on WA’s coast and Fenix plans to dip into its ore stockpiles instead of mining to conserve diesel once the cyclonic weather passes.

Full story here.

The anxiousness among residents in the Pilbara and Kimberley as cyclone Narelle threatens was best summed up by Exmouth business owner Matt Gates this morning.

He said the situation brought back memories of severe tropical cyclone Vance.

It crossed the coast as a category 5 system on March 22, 1999 and is remembered as one of the most intense cyclones to ever make landfall in WA.

“The forecasts were a little bit less favorable than they were when we just went to bed last night,” Mr Gates told 6PR this morning.

“We won’t be opening today. I think by lunchtime it’s going to be pretty ugly.

“It’s already sort of overcast, it’s not windy but it’s got a real eerie feel about it.

“It reminds me of Vance, unfortunately .... never want to relive that again.”

• ➡️ Tracking parallel to the Pilbara coast
• 📆 Friday: Expected to turn south, passing near North West Cape as a category 4
• 📆 Saturday: Weakening while moving south-southeast, impacting Central West and inland areas

Impact zones

• ⚠️ Severe impacts possible from late Thursday on far western Pilbara coast
• ⬇️ Extending south to Denham by Friday
• 🌧️ Impacts spreading across south west land division by Saturday

Wind threat

• 💥 Up to 275km/h gusts possible west of Onslow (Thursday)
• 💨 Up to 220km/h in Carnarvon (Friday)
• 🌬️ Up to 195km/h reaching Denham (late Friday/Saturday)
• ⚠️ 125km/h+ destructive winds possible from Karratha to Exmouth then south

Gales

• 🌊 Up to 120km/h along coast from Port Hedland to Karratha
• ⬇️ Extending to Exmouth, Kalbarri, Geraldton (into Saturday)

Rain & flooding

• 🌧️ Heavy rainfall with risk of flash flooding in Pilbara & Gascoyne

Coastal hazards

• 🌊 Dangerous storm tide between Onslow and Denham
• ⚠️ Damaging waves and coastal flooding likely
• 🌊 Elevated tides and minor flooding from Port Hedland to Onslow

Key warning

• 📱 Monitor Emergency WA/DFES alerts and know your cyclone plan

Senior Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist Angus Hines says winds from Cyclone Narelle will increase through today and tomorrow.

There are active tropical cyclone warnings in place from Pardoo Roadhouse to Cape Cuvier including Port Hedland, Karratha, Onslow, Exmouth and Coral Bay, and inland to Pannawonica.

Winds could get above 200km/h later on Thursday, Mr Hines said.

Cyclone Narelle is likely to move south-south west along the Pilbara coast today before heading south on Friday and crossing the WA mainland somewhere between north of Exmouth and south of Carnarvon.

Warnings of damaging winds are also in place for residents along the Darling Scarp this morning, with those in the hills and foothills told to expect wind of up to 90km/h until about 10am.

Those in Armadale, Ellenbrook, Kalamunda, Gingin, Dwellingup and Harvey are urged to secure or pack away outdoor furniture, trampolines and any other loose items around the home.

An international flight from Bali was unable to land in Perth overnight because of strong winds caused by Cyclone Narelle.

Batik Air flight OD193 made a number of attempts to land in Perth but was forced to divert to Geraldton.

After landing at Geraldton Airport, the aircraft refuelled and passengers reboarded.

The flight was able to safely land in Perth at 3.45am this morning.

The diversion was said to be “at the pilot’s discretion”.

A Perth Airport spokeswoman said it was the only international flight in Perth that has been impacted due to the wild weather conditions.

“No other international flights departing or arriving into Perth were affected overnight,” she said.

“A number of cancellations have occurred domestically, however, for Qantas and Virgin flights heading to WA’s north due to the weather risk.”

According to the Perth Airport website, 16 departing flights and 20 arriving domestic flights have been cancelled on Thursday due to Cyclone Narelle.