Source: Bureau of Meteorology

Media: Transmitters serving the area between Beagle Bay and Cockatoo Island, including Derby, are requested to USE the Standard Emergency Warning Signal before broadcasting the following warning.

TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST

TROPICAL CYCLONE ADVICE NUMBER 17

Issued at 2:15 pm WST on Saturday 24 January 2026

Headline:
Tropical Cyclone Luana is crossing the Kimberley coast between Beagle Bay and Cape Leveque.

Areas Affected:
Warning zone: Broome to Kuri Bay, including Derby and adjacent inland areas.

Watch zone: None.

Cancelled zone: None.

Details of Tropical Cyclone Luana 16U at 2:00 pm AWST:
Intensity: Category 2, sustained winds near the centre of 95 kilometres per hour with wind gusts to 130 kilometres per hour.
Location: within 20 kilometres of 16.8 degrees South 122.7 degrees East, estimated to be 50 kilometres southwest of Cape Leveque and 120 kilometres west northwest of Derby.
Movement: east southeast at 12 kilometres per hour.

Tropical Cyclone Luana has strengthened to category 2 and is crossing the Kimberley coast between Beagle Bay and Cape Leveque. Wind and rain impacts are occurring from north of Broome to Kuri Bay and are expected to extend south this evening and overnight.

Luana may remain near or move over the waters of King Sound tonight, and may maintain category 2 intensity until it is close to Derby. It will weaken below tropical cyclone strength during Sunday morning after moving further inland.

Hazards:
DESTRUCTIVE WIND GUSTS to 130 km/h may occur near the system centre between Beagle Bay and Cockatoo Island today as the system moves further over land.
These DESTRUCTIVE WIND GUSTS may extend to Derby tonight if the system maintains strength longer than forecast.

GALES with DAMAGING WIND GUSTS to 120 km/h currently extend from north of Broome to Kuri Bay. These gales may extend south to Derby and Broome this afternoon and evening, and to adjacent inland areas overnight tonight.

HEAVY RAINFALL which may lead to FLASH FLOODING is possible for the northwest Kimberley district, including the coast and adjacent inland areas today and Sunday.

Coastal residents within King Sound are specifically warned of the potential for a DANGEROUS STORM TIDE as the cyclone passes close to the Sound. Tides are likely to rise significantly above the normal high tide, with DAMAGING WAVES and DANGEROUS FLOODING.

Tides will be higher than normal between Beagle Bay and Kuri Bay today and LARGE WAVES may produce MINOR FLOODING of low-lying coastal areas as the system crosses the coast.

A separate Severe Weather Warning is current for peripheral areas in the Kimberley.

Recommended Action:
Ensure you know what to do in a cyclone. For the latest DFES community alerts and warnings visit www.emergency.wa.gov.au or download the Emergency WA app.


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