Search the news, stories & people Personalise the news and stay in the know Emergency Backstory Newsletters 中文新闻 BERITA BAHASA INDONESIA TOK PISIN ABC Kimberley Topic:Cyclones Derby is expected to experience wind gusts of up to 100 kilometres per hour as part of Cyclone Dianne. (ABC Kimberley: Andrew Seabourne) Tropical Cyclone Dianne has now crossed the coast just north of the town of Derby. It made landfall as a category one system overnight, with wind gusts between 75km to 100km per hour. The Department of Fire and Emergency Services is urging central Kimberley communities to prepare for isolation. Tropical Cyclone Dianne has crossed the West Australian coast, near Cockatoo Island just north of the town of Derby, and will weaken rapidly as it moves inland this morning. The cyclone made landfall as a category one system overnight, with wind gusts between 75km to 100km per hour across a 223km stretch of WA’s far north between Kuri Bay and Derby. The location of Tropical Cyclone Dianne at 2:55am AWST Saturday 29 March 2025. (Supplied: BOM) Tropical Cyclone Dianne reached category one strength shortly before 6pm on Friday. It is the eighth tropical cyclone to develop off WA so far this season. The Bureau of Meteorology said winds up to 75 kilometres per hour were lashing island communities at the time of its formation. Damaging wind gusts reaching up to 100 kilometres per hour are likely to develop in coastal areas, while gale-force winds could reach Derby on Saturday. Derby is expected to receive heavy rainfall as Tropical Cyclone Dianne will hit the coast in the early hours of Saturday. (ABC Kimberley: Anthony Pancia) Heavy rainfall is forecast between Derby and Fitzroy Crossing as the cyclone moves inland and rapidly weakens to a tropical low. “We’re expecting to see rainfall storm totals of anywhere from about 75 to 150 millimetres,” said BOM forecaster Bob Tarr. The Department of Fire and Emergency Services is nevertheless urging communities in the central Kimberley to prepare for isolation, with some flash flooding possible. Derby residents spent Friday afternoon making final preparations as the weather system moves closer. Kaye Few has lived in the remote town for 25 years but told the ABC she had never been through a cyclone before. “We have a lot of cyclone warnings up here in Derby,” she said. “We can get complacent when you’ve been here for years and years and years and nothing happens. Derby residents Bryce and Kaye Few went to the SES unit on Friday afternoon to collect sandbags in preparation for cyclone Dianne. (ABC Kimberley: Anthony Pancia) Nurse Liya Thomas stopped by the supermarket to pick up some supplies with her family. Ms Thomas was confident the community was ready should conditions get worse. “I’m preparing myself [and] my family but, in reality, I don’t know how it is going to be. Sand was made available at the Derby SES depot on Friday. (Supplied: Shire of Derby-West Kimberley) The State Emergency Service depot in Derby opened on Friday to provide sand and sandbags to residents. Work crews and rangers from the Shire of Derby-West Kimberley were also out helping prepare homes and tidy yards. Topic:World Politics Topic:Superannuation LIVE Topic:Arts, Culture and Entertainment LIVE Topic:Arts, Culture and Entertainment Topic:Superannuation Topic:World Politics Climate Change Cyclones Derby Extreme Weather Events Fitzroy Crossing Weather Topic:World Politics Topic:Superannuation Topic:Federal Government Topic:Arts, Culture and Entertainment Topic:Stock Market Topic:Courts Topic:Trade Topic:Diet and Nutrition Topic:Explainer We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn, and work. This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced. AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time)
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Please check the original article here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-28/tropical-cyclone-dianne-formed-category-one/105110224.