Cyclones of the Pilbara

2008

FEBRUARY = Nicholas: February 13th it was named a category 1 and was off the Kimberley coast. Feb 17th and 18th it was off the Pilbara coast as a category 3 but it continued southwards and was a category 1 as it crossed beneath Coral Bay about 9am on Feb 20th. The end of Nicholas.

MARCH = Ophelia, who made her presence known on 1st March and dithered westward for nearly a week before fading away into obscurity without troubling anyone.

MARCH = Pancho, who stayed well out to sea and thoughtfully dumped much rain on the Pilbara coast.

DECEMBER = Billy , who didn't cross the coast.

2007

JANUARY = Isobel, which became a cyclone on 2nd January and crossed the coast as a Category 1 near Pardoo on the 3rd of January.

MARCH = George, began life in the Northern Territory, it crossed the Kimberley coast north of Wyndham late on Sunday 4th March as a category 1 cyclone. It weakened into a low, then redeveloped as a cyclone and hit near Pt Hedland late on 8th March as a severe category 4, causing loss of life and major destruction at construction camps. At one point, Cyclone George and Cyclone Jacob were on the same map.

MARCH = Jacob, which threatened Christmas Island briefly, then did a complete circle and headed toward the WA coast, weakening and crossing on 12th March near Pt Hedland. Here is it's entire track.

MARCH = Kara, which weakened and crossed the coast near 80 mile beach as a low on 28th March.

DECEMBER = Melanie, which didn't cross the coast on 30 December, the last Pilbara cyclone threat for 2007.

2006

JANUARY = Clare, 8th January.

JANUARY = Daryl, 18th Jan began off the north Kimberley coast. It gave us delicious rain then wandered off out to sea like a good little cyclone, and disintegrated to a low pressure system.

FEBRUARY = Emma, 27th Feb. Emma dumped humongous rain on Dampier and Karratha, (11 inches overnight), and on 28th Feb at 11am it crossed near Mardie station.

MARCH = Glenda, 27th March it began it's journey along the Kimberley and Pilbara coasts, crossing between Mardie and Onslow. Near it's end, this is how it looked.

APRIL = Hubert, which started on April 6th and crossed somewhere between Exmouth and Onslow about 2 days later.

2005

JANUARY = Ray, 2nd January, Ray petered out at sea without bothering us.

JANUARY = Tim, 25th January, Tim petered out at sea without bothering us.

FEBRUARY = Vivienne, 8 Feb it appeared stationary well north of Dampier.

MARCH = Willy. 10 March saw a category 1 form. By the 14 March it was pretty much all over, and hadn't blessed us with rain or worried us with winds.

MARCH = Ingrid, 14 March who began life off the Queensland coast. It moved across the top end, changing between severe category 5, down to 3 and then back to 5 when it became a threat to WA and wiped out Faraway Bay resort. Image over NT, Image over Darwin, Image over WA, and ex-cyclone Ingrid on 17 March.

2004

JANUARY = KEN, 4th - 6th January, a Category 1 cyclone that dumped delicious rain on us but went on by relatively harmlessly. Didn't ever cross the coast as a cyclone.

FEBRUARY = MONTY, 27th Feb, a severe Category 4 cyclone, moved along the coast, slowed down and strengthened. Ruined a lot of plans over our Labour Day holiday period and dumped the second highest amount of rain in 180 years on Roebourne. Monty position map.

MARCH = FAY, 18th March it wandered from the Northern Territory to WA coast and by 21st March had become a severe category 4 that was going West away from the Kimberley coast. Finally it crossed at Pardoo on 28th March, at 9am and petered out at 6pm on Sunday 28th March, near Telfer.

2003

FEBRUARY = GRAHAM which was named on Thursday 27^th Feb. On Friday afternoon Broome was on Yellow Alert as the cyclone was moving East Southeast at 10km/hr.

MARCH = INIGO a severe category 5 on Saturday 5^th April 2003. Here is a colour image and here is advice #13. Text for advice #13 was Location: 14.5S 113.2E, Recent Movement: SW at 11 km/h, The cyclone is not expected to affect the coast today or Sunday. On Monday the cyclone is expected to track south-eastwards and weaken as it approaches the Pilbara coast. Although the cyclone is not expected to be at category 5 intensity there is a significant risk that the cyclone will be severe as it crosses the coast.

2002

FEBRUARY = CHRIS which came to being on 2^nd Feb. The eye of Cyclone Chris crossed the coast 6am on Feb 6^th, between Wallal and Pardoo. At 7am Cyclone Chris was still a Category 4, with Pt Hedland still on yellow alert. Following is the warning we listened to at that time...Very destructive winds with gusts to 255 kilometres per hour are expected near the cyclone centre. Gales with gusts to 125 kilometres per hour are expected in coastal communities between Bidyadanga and Port Hedland this morning, and extending further inland to Tom Price, Marble Bar and Nullagine during today. Very heavy rain is expected to lead to flooding in the eastern Pilbara. Details of Severe Tropical Cyclone Chris at 7.00am WST. Location of centre : within 40 kilometres of Latitude 20.2 South Longitude 119.9 East. Recent movement : South south west at 12 kilometres per hour. Central Pressure : 935 hPa. Maximum wind gusts : 255 kilometres per hour near the centre. Severity category : 4. The SES advises of the following community alerts: RED ALERT: Sandfire, Wallal, Pardoo, De Grey, Mandora, Warralong, Marble Bar. YELLOW ALERT: Port Hedland, South Hedland, Yandeyarra. BLUE ALERT: Wittenoom, Tom Price, Paraburdoo, Munjina, Nullagine, Telfer.

2001

JANUARY = TERRI began to look threatening on January 30th. On January 31st it crossed the coast at 10am above Port Hedland, and moved onto Marble Bar and Nullagine during the day.

FEBRUARY = VINCENT, which burst into TC life on Feb 12th. It flaffed around worrying various sections of our coastline for several days, until late on Feb 15th it was downgraded to a low. Here is how it finished.

APRIL = ALISTAIR, which started up near Darwin, dumped rain on Broome and continued toward the Pilbara.

2000

MARCH = STEVE. Cyclone Steve actually began in QLD, where it caused wide spread flooding. It then went through the Northern Territory flooding more plains, and on through Western Australia, flooding the Kimberley and Pilbara. It was an exciting and worrying time for thousands of Australians, here is a picture of its last few days.

MARCH = OLGA. This cyclone didn't cross the coast, and ended up veering out to sea, westward, about level with Exmouth.

APRIL = ROSITA. This cyclone turned a nice neat little curve and tucked in to cross the coast just below Broome, on the Wednesday night before Easter.

DECEMBER = SAM, who started life as a little Category 1 and 2, then slowed down to beef up to a 5 and cross the coast on 9th December north of Sandfire Roadhouse.

1999

MARCH = ELAINE. Cyclone Elaine crossed the coast fairly weak, but wreaked havoc as a large rain-bearing depression. The banks of the Moore River burst, and the town of Moora suffered immense flood damage. The tragedy and importance of this was largely undermined by the advent of Cyclone Vance several days later.

MARCH = VANCE. This cyclone passed through Exmouth Gulf, and caused widespread damage to the town of Exmouth as it unleashed 267km/hour winds. The eye of the cyclone passed within 15 kms of the town at 1030hrs on Monday 22nd March, destroying more than 100 homes, and seriously damaging 200 others. A new boat marina was extensively damaged. Vance continued inland, past Meekatharra at 30kms/hour. This was, at the time, the most severe cyclone to ever cross the Australian coast.

APRIL= GWENDA. After it crossed the coast somewhere between Port Hedland and Pardoo it weakened quickly and caused more widespread flooding in the area.

DECEMBER = JOHN. This eclipsed Vance as the most severe cyclone to ever cross the Australian mainland. It crossed at Whim Creek, destroying much of the top level of the Whim Creek Hotel. Some Pastoral stations were badly affected, knocking out miles of fence line and 100's of windmills. 14th December was the date it crossed.

DECEMBER = ILSA. This cyclone followed on the heels of John, but caused very little damage. It crossed above Pt Hedland.

1998

JANUARY/FEBRUARY = LES, and TIFFANY {DIDN'T CROSS THE COAST}.

DECEMBER = BILLY, THELMA.

1997

JANUARY = RACHEL at Pt Hedland

1996

FEBRUARY = JACOB

MARCH = KIRSTY crossed at Pardoo

APRIL= OLIVIA, Cyclone Olivia blasted the inland mining town of Pannawonica, demolishing 21 houses and damaging 61 other buildings.

DECEMBER = PHIL, NICHOLAS + OPHELIA

1995

FEBRUARY = BOBBY. During Cyclone Bobby, 7 people were lost at sea from trawlers at Onslow. It was a devastating time, and we offer our sympathies to all affected, and pray it doesn't happen again.

APRIL = CHLOE. Dissipated as a low near Derby, 3 - 5 April.

1994

JANUARY = OSCAR AND PEARL, {neither crossed the coastline}
DECEMBER = ANNETTE. It crossed the coast about 230km NE of Pt Hedland, killing livestock and damaging station property.

1993

DECEMBER = NAOMI

1992

FEBRUARY = IAN from 23 Feb to 4 March that affected Barrow Island and crossed between Onslow and Dampier.

1991

FEBRUARY = DAPHNE, which formed off the Queensland coast 15 Feb, travelled right across Australia and fizzled out on the WA coast on 27 Feb.

FEBRUARY = CHRIS on 16 Feb, (didn't cross the coast} and fizzled out 23 Feb

MARCH = ERROL, 25 March, didn't cross the WA coast but may have been responsible for the loss of an Indonesian Long Line fishing vessel of which no traces have been found since last contact on 25 March 1991.

APRIL = MARIAN, 10 - 19 April.

APRIL = FIFI, altho' not strictly a cyclone that affected the Pilbara coast, it caused the loss of 26 crew from the sinking of the "Mineral Diamond", a Hong Kong registered bulk carrier of 141,000 tonne loaded with iron ore that sailed from the port of Dampier on 11 April. On the afternoon of 17 April the vessel reported by radio that it had slowed to 6 knots and was battling very rough seas in winds of force 9 or 10. The location of the vessel was given as 30° 21' S and 87° 48' E; the next day it failed to keep it's daily radio schedule at 1400hrs. No trace of the vessel or crew has been found.

1990

JANUARY = SAM. {didn't cross the coastline}

FEBRUARY = VINCENT, {didn't cross the coastline, fizzled out on 6 March}.

MARCH = ALEX {didn't cross the coastline, fizzled out 24 March.}

DECEMBER = LAURENCE, {didn't cross the coastline}

1989

APRIL = ORSON. This cyclone ripped through Dampier, leaving a $20million damage bill.

1988

FEBRUARY = KIRRILY, {didn't cross the coastline}

DECEMBER = ILONA

1987

JANUARY = CONNIE,

FEBRUARY = ELSIE at Mandora station

APRIL = KAY, {didn't cross the coastline}

1986

JANUARY = HECTOR,

FEBRUARY = RHONDA, SELWYN, AND TIFFANY, {none of which crossed the coastline},

MARCH = VICTOR {didn't cross the coastline}

1985

FEBRUARY = HUBERT, ISOBEL, JACON, {none of which crossed the coastline}

MARCH = LINDSAY,

APRIL = MARGOT {didn't cross the coastline},

DECEMBER = NICHOLAS {didn't cross the coastline}

1984

JANUARY = TIM, {didn't cross the coastline},

FEBRUARY = WILLY, ANNETTE AND BOBBY {none of which crossed the coastline}, CHLOE WHICH CARRIED INTO MARCH

MARCH = DARYL, {didn't cross the coastline},

DECEMBER = EMMA, AND FRANK {didn't cross the coastline}

1983

JANUARY =JANE,

MARCH = KEN,

APRIL = LENA,

NOVEMBER = QUENTON,

DECEMBER = ESTHER, AND SHARON {didn't cross the coastline}.

1982

JANUARY=ERROL, BRUNO, DAPHNE AND FIFI {last 3 didn't cross the coastline}.

FEBRUARY = GRAHAM, HARRIET {didn't cross the coastline},

MARCH = IAN.

1981

JANUARY = MABEL, {didn't cross the coastline},

MARCH = MAX {didn't cross the coastline}, NEIL

DECEMBER = AMELIA, {didn't cross the coastline}

1980

JANUARY = AMY, DEAN,

FEBRUARY = ENID,

DECEMBER = BERT, CAROL, DAN, EDNA, FELIX, {I think this may have been the year none of the December cyclones crossed the coastline}

1979

MARCH=HAZEL,

APRIL=JANE AND IDYLLE {neither crossed the coastline}

1978

JANUARY/FEBRUARY = VERN,

MARCH = ALBY {didnt' cross our Pilbara coast, but did worry Perth}

APRIL = BRENDA {didn't cross the coastline}

1977

MARCH = KAREN, LEO.

1976

JANUARY = VANESSA {didn't cross the coastline

MARCH = WALLY

1975

FEBRUARY = TRIXIE,

MARCH = VIDA, BEVERLEY,

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER = JOAN.

1974

JANUARY = ERICA {from Dec '73}, FIONA, GWENDA , {didn't cross the coastline}.

MARCH = HELEN, JESSIE AND JENNY, {none of which crossed the coastline}

1973

JANUARY = JEAN , KERRY. MAUD, {didn't cross the coastline}. Cyclone Jean was one of the wettest cyclones on record.

DECEMBER = BERYL, ERICA, {went on thru the New Year into 1974}

1972

MARCH = VICKY.

1971

JAN/FEB = SHEILA-SOPHIE,

MARCH = MAVIS,

DECEMBER = KITTY AND SALLY.

1898

An un-named cyclone crossed the coast near Cosssack on 2nd April 1898 and at Whim Creek there was 927 mm of rain recorded in 36 hours. Of that volume 747 mm was recorded in 24 hours which is the highest daily rainfall ever rcorded in WA.

RIVERVALE ALPACAS

Here are our adorable alpacas, move the mouse over each one, if you get a hand then click to see the garments/yarns we have crafted from their fibre.

ELVIS - our alpha male wether

CHESTER - the loyal adjutant

MATHEW - rescued & now loved

IVORY - a great mother

RASBERRY - love that girl

ZOE - our first born

ZEKE - our second born

ZSAZSA - our third born

ZENA - our fourth born