UPDATE: Pilbara Ports will also now have all berths cleared from the Ports of Dampier, Ashburton, Varanus Island and Cape Preston by 1:00am Sunday, 19 January 2025.

PILBARA PORTS has closed Port Hedland as of 0900 today [18 January] Western Australian time due to the likelihood of an approaching tropical low degenerating into a full cyclone. 

As at 05:00 on Saturday, 18 January 2025, the Bureau of Meteorology advised Tropical Low 11U is located northeast of Port Hedland. Pilbara Ports said. 

The system has a high chance of developing into a tropical cyclone on Sunday as it moves in a general west or west-southwest direction parallel north of the Pilbara coast. 

The system is expected to continue to intensify during Sunday, and by Monday, 11U is expected to have intensified into a Category 3 cyclone. By this time the cyclone is expected to be located well to the west of  

Exmouth and continuing to southwest, away from the coast. 

Pilbara Ports has instructed that all vessels in all port inner anchorages are to leave by 18:00 today, and all recreational vessel owners must safely secure their vessels for cyclonic conditions. 

In its latest cyclone bulletin, issued at 0845 WST, the BOM said gale-force winds are expected along the Pilbara coast as the tropical cyclone develops, with a warning zone from De Grey to Mardie, including Port Hedland, Karratha and Dampier, and a watch zone from Mardie to Ningaloo, including Onslow and Exmouth. 

Current Intensity: Tropical Low, sustained winds near the centre of 55 kilometres per hour with wind gusts to 85 kilometres per hour. 

Location: within 45 kilometres of 19.3 degrees South 119.2 degrees East, estimated to be 130 kilometres north northeast of Port Hedland and 290 kilometres east northeast of Karratha. 

Movement: west southwest at 16 kilometres per hour. 

Hazards: gales with damaging wind gusts may develop about coastal and island communities between De Grey and Dampier including Port Hedland, Karratha and Dampier from early Sunday morning extending west to Mardie later Sunday morning. Gales with damaging wind gusts may extend from Mardie to Exmouth later on Sunday and to Ningaloo early Monday as the system moves further west. 

As the system moves westwards, parallel to north WA coast during the weekend, a storm tide is expected between De Grey and Exmouth during Sunday and Monday. Large waves may produce minor flooding along the foreshore. People living in areas likely to be affected by this flooding should take measures to protect their property as much as possible and be prepared to help their neighbours. 

For the latest cyclone warnings visit www.bom.gov.au/cyclone