Cyclone Errol Intensifies, Threatens WA Kimberley Communities

Tropical Cyclone Errol has rapidly intensified into a Category 4 storm off Western Australia's northern coast, making a sharp U-turn that now threatens isolated Kimberley communities. The Bureau of Meteorology warns that if Errol accelerates, destructive wind gusts up to 130km/h could impact areas between Cockatoo Island and Beagle Bay, with damaging winds possibly reaching Broome if the cyclone shifts south. Errol is forecast to weaken to Category 1 as it approaches the Dampier Peninsula on Saturday, but residents are advised to prepare for strong winds, heavy rainfall, and thunderstorms from Friday through the weekend. Cyclone watches have been issued, and authorities are urging communities to secure property and prepare for potential flooding and road closures. The region is still recovering from previous cyclones this season, heightening the risk for remote communities. Meteorologists emphasize that significant impacts may occur even as the cyclone weakens.