Category 5 Cyclone Zelia to make landfall over Pilbara coast, bringing very destructive winds and flooding, Western Australia
Severe Tropical Cyclone Zelia rapidly intensified after forming off the coast of Western Australia on February 11, 2025, reaching Category 5 strength at 03:00 UTC on February 13. The system remains slow-moving over warm ocean waters north-northwest of Port Hedland and is expected to maintain Category 5 intensity until landfall on February 14.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Zelia satellite image at 08:50 UTC on February 13, 2025. Credit: JMA/Himawari-9, RAMMB/CIRA, The Watchers
- Severe Tropical Cyclone Zelia is expected to make landfall on the night of February 14 (local time) along the Pilbara coast of Western Australia, most likely between Port Hedland and Roebourne. The system will remain slow-moving and maintain its Category 5 intensity until landfall.
- At landfall, gusts up to 320 km/h (200 mph) are expected, capable of causing widespread destruction, including uprooted trees, structural damage, and disruptions to power and communication networks.
- Heavy rainfall is expected to intensify as the cyclone nears the coast, with its slow movement contributing to high rainfall totals over a short period. Flood watches and warnings have been issued, particularly for the De Grey River catchment, where recent heavy rainfall increases the risk of rapid river rises and flooding. Additional flood risks extend to the Pilbara coastal catchments, Onslow coast, and Fortescue and Ashburton river systems, with potential impacts on roads and transport infrastructure.
- Residents in the Pilbara region, especially between Port Hedland and Roebourne, should prepare for severe impacts, including prolonged power outages, impassable roads, and potential evacuations.
Severe tropical Cyclone Zelia rapidly intensified after forming off the coast of Western Australia on February 11 and reached Category 5 at 03:00 UTC on February 13 — the strongest intensity on the Australian tropical cyclone scale.
The system is still sitting to the north-northwest of Port Hedland, slow-moving over warm ocean waters that will help it maintain its Category 5 intensity all the way through to the time of its coastal crossing tomorrow night (LT), February 14.
At 06:00 UTC on February 13, the center of Severe Tropical Cyclone Zelia was located approximately 130 km (80 miles) northwest of Port Hedland, Western Australia. The cyclone is currently moving west-southwest at 2 km/h (1.2 mph) and producing a maximum 10-minute sustained winds of 205 km/h (130 mph) with peak 3-second wind gusts reaching 285 km/h (180 mph).
According to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), feeder bands of showers and storms are pulling into this system and spreading out across parts of the Kimberley and Pilbara, delivering locally heavy falls to some of those areas.
“Now, that strong core of the system, the tropical cyclone eye, is less well-defined than it was earlier today. That is because Severe Tropical Cyclone Zelia is currently undergoing an eyewall replacement cycle, something that only happens in our most intense cyclones,” BOM meteorologists said.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Zelia is expected to make a southerly turn in its track overnight tonight into tomorrow morning, February 14. It will move gradually towards the Pilbara coast through tomorrow, most likely to make landfall somewhere between Port Hedland and Roebourne tomorrow night.
“We are likely to see destructive wind gusts up to 160 km/h (100 mph) developing about those coastal areas through tomorrow morning, becoming more likely later tomorrow as the system nears the coast. But the strongest and most destructive winds will occur when the core of that system moves across the coast,” BOM said.
At that time of landfall, wind gusts up to 320 km/h (200 mph) can be expected. Winds that strong will destroy anything in their path — trees, cars, and permanent structures will all be wiped away, BOM warned.
Heavy rainfall is also likely to increase as this system nears the coast.
As Zelia crosses the coast, its slow movement will assist with high rainfall totals because it won’t be moving away very quickly, creating a potential to dump more rain over a shorter space of time.
Radar observations show bands of showers and storms extending over southern parts of the Kimberley. Many of these areas are now outside the tropical cyclone warning zone as the system continues moving west and south. However, a severe weather warning for heavy rainfall and damaging wind gusts has been issued for the coast between Wallal Downs and De Grey to address hazards linked to the cyclone that fall outside the primary warning area.
Heavy rain and damaging wind gusts are expected in those areas over the next 24 hours or so as the system continues to move away to the south. In anticipation of all the rain that is likely to move into these catchments, a number of flood watches and warnings are in place, most notably for the De Grey River catchment, which is sitting at a minor flood level.
The biggest concern is placed on the De Grey River catchment due to heavy winter rainfall over the area so any further rainfall is likely to lead to quick rises and further potential flooding.
Generalized flood warnings are also in place for the Pilbara coastal catchments. We have flood watches in place for much broader areas, including the Onslow coast, the Fortescue and Ashburton rivers, and parts of the Sandy Desert catchment, BOM said.
In those areas, rainfall that’s anticipated over the next 24 to 48 hours may lead to further river rises, as well as impacts on roads and transport as water moves over those access routes, potentially cutting some of them off.
Potential hazards
Wind impacts
Damaging wind gusts up to 120 km/h (75 mph) are developing near the coastal fringe between De Grey and Whim Creek, including Port Hedland. These winds may extend along the coast between Wallal Downs and Dampier, including Karratha, overnight and into Friday morning. If the system tracks further west, these winds could reach Onslow on Friday.
Destructive wind gusts up to 160 km/h (100 mph) are expected from Friday morning in coastal areas between De Grey and Roebourne, including Port Hedland. These winds may also impact Roebourne, Dampier, and Karratha, and could extend westward to Mardie late Friday if the system shifts west.
Very destructive wind gusts up to 320 km/h (200 mph) are expected near the cyclone’s core at landfall.
Rainfall and flooding risks
Heavy to locally intense rainfall is expected overnight and during Friday along coastal and adjacent inland areas between Wallal Downs and Karratha, extending west to Mardie and inland to Nullagine by late Friday.
Flash flooding is possible due to intense rainfall. Isolated heavy rain is also forecast between Bidyadanga and Dampier, and inland to Nullagine tonight and during Friday.
A Flood Watch is in effect for catchments in the Pilbara, western Kimberley, and northern Gascoyne.
Storm surge and coastal flooding
Residents between Wallal Downs and Dampier, including Port Hedland and Karratha, should prepare for a dangerous storm tide as the cyclone crosses the coast.
Tides are expected to rise significantly above the normal high tide mark, with damaging waves and coastal flooding in low-lying areas near the shore.
References:
1 Severe Tropical Cyclone Zelia (18U) – Technical Bulletin – BOM – February 13, 2025
2 Severe Tropical Cyclone Zelia (18U) – Forecast track – BOM – February 12, 2025
3 Severe Tropical Cyclone Zelia (18U) – Tropical cyclone advice – BOM – February 12, 2025
I'm a dedicated researcher, journalist, and editor at The Watchers. With over 20 years of experience in the media industry, I specialize in hard science news, focusing on extreme weather, seismic and volcanic activity, space weather, and astronomy, including near-Earth objects and planetary defense strategies. You can reach me at teo /at/ watchers.news.
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