Damien slammed into northwest Australian coast with heavy rain, high winds
By
Maura Kelly, AccuWeather meteorologist
Published Feb 6, 2020 5:49 PM EDT
As Damien moved ashore as a Category 3 severe tropical cyclone near the towns of Damien and Karratha in northwestern Australia, damaging wind gusts, torrential downpours and life-threatening storm surge inundated the small coastal towns.
Damien bringing heavy rain and strong winds to northwestern Australia on Saturday night. (Courtesy of RAMMB/CIRA)
This storm started as a broad area of low pressure in a swath of tropical moisture over northern Australia earlier this week, where rounds of tropical downpours increased the risk for flash flooding.
Late in the day on Wednesday, the storm moved over the Timor Sea and into an environment more conducive for tropical development.
The storm quickly developed into a Category 1 tropical cyclone and was given the name Damien by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM). This is equivalent to a tropical storm in the Atlantic and East Pacific basins.
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As of Friday afternoon local time, Damien strengthened into a Category 3 severe tropical cyclone on the BOM scale.
As the storm made landfall on Saturday, wind gusts of 183 km/h (114 mph) were recorded at Karratha, near where the eye of the storm originated.
Widespread rainfall totals along the Pilbara coast reached 100-300 mm (4-12 inches) throughout the weekend.
Conditions improved across this area throughout the day on Sunday in the wake of Damien, revealing downed trees and power lines as well as structural damage across the area.
Farther inland, winds began to weaken rapidly as the storm interacted with land. Damien weakened to a Category 2 tropical cyclone on Saturday night, equivalent to a strong tropical storm in the Atlantic Ocean.
Damien has since weakened into a tropical rainstorm and will continue to bring showers and thunderstorms to parts of Western Australia as the storm drifts southward.
Widespread rainfall totals of 25-50 mm (1-2 inches) are likely near and along the track of the storm. Higher amounts are expected in the northern part of the state before the storm begins to use up tropical moisture. Rainfall totals in these areas will be closer to 50-100 mm (2-4 inches) with locally higher amounts.
Localized flooding is possible in central and southern parts of Western Australia that receive any heavy rain.
The system is expected to continue to weaken before dissipating over the Great Australian Bight into the middle of this week.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com for the latest updates on this storm and your forecast.
Report a Typo
News / Hurricane
Damien slammed into northwest Australian coast with heavy rain, high winds
By Maura Kelly, AccuWeather meteorologist
Published Feb 6, 2020 5:49 PM EDT
As Damien moved ashore as a Category 3 severe tropical cyclone near the towns of Damien and Karratha in northwestern Australia, damaging wind gusts, torrential downpours and life-threatening storm surge inundated the small coastal towns.
Damien bringing heavy rain and strong winds to northwestern Australia on Saturday night. (Courtesy of RAMMB/CIRA)
This storm started as a broad area of low pressure in a swath of tropical moisture over northern Australia earlier this week, where rounds of tropical downpours increased the risk for flash flooding.
Late in the day on Wednesday, the storm moved over the Timor Sea and into an environment more conducive for tropical development.
The storm quickly developed into a Category 1 tropical cyclone and was given the name Damien by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM). This is equivalent to a tropical storm in the Atlantic and East Pacific basins.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
As of Friday afternoon local time, Damien strengthened into a Category 3 severe tropical cyclone on the BOM scale.
As the storm made landfall on Saturday, wind gusts of 183 km/h (114 mph) were recorded at Karratha, near where the eye of the storm originated.
Widespread rainfall totals along the Pilbara coast reached 100-300 mm (4-12 inches) throughout the weekend.
Conditions improved across this area throughout the day on Sunday in the wake of Damien, revealing downed trees and power lines as well as structural damage across the area.
Farther inland, winds began to weaken rapidly as the storm interacted with land. Damien weakened to a Category 2 tropical cyclone on Saturday night, equivalent to a strong tropical storm in the Atlantic Ocean.
Damien has since weakened into a tropical rainstorm and will continue to bring showers and thunderstorms to parts of Western Australia as the storm drifts southward.
Related:
Widespread rainfall totals of 25-50 mm (1-2 inches) are likely near and along the track of the storm. Higher amounts are expected in the northern part of the state before the storm begins to use up tropical moisture. Rainfall totals in these areas will be closer to 50-100 mm (2-4 inches) with locally higher amounts.
Localized flooding is possible in central and southern parts of Western Australia that receive any heavy rain.
The system is expected to continue to weaken before dissipating over the Great Australian Bight into the middle of this week.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com for the latest updates on this storm and your forecast.
Report a Typo