Ex-Tropical Cyclone Zelia Brings Rain to WA

Heavy rain and flooding are on the way for parts of WA as ex-Tropical Cyclone Zelia moves southwest, bringing wet and stormy conditions across the state.

A major flood warning is in place for the De Grey River catchment in Port Hedland, one of the worst-hit areas in the Pilbara. Flooding is also expected in the Sandy Desert, which stretches across the Pilbara and Kimberley regions. On top of that, showers and gusty thunderstorms are forecast for the Kimberley, Interior, southeast Gascoyne, Goldfields, and Eucla, with the wild weather expected to stick around until Thursday.

Zelia, which slammed into WA’s northwest a week ago, was officially downgraded to a tropical low on Saturday as the gale-force winds died down. However, flooding is still a concern, with moderate warnings in place for the Nullagine and Coongan Rivers in Port Hedland. In Marble Bar, floodwaters in the Shaw and Oakover Rivers are finally starting to ease. Things should calm down in the Pilbara as the week goes on, with flooding in the De Grey River catchment expected to subside soon.

Over on the east coast, things are much quieter. Queensland’s North Tropical Coast and Tablelands are seeing calmer conditions as rain and storms move inland, making way for hot weather. There’s still a major flood warning for the Lower Flinders River in the state’s interior, while minor flooding is easing in the Herbert, Albert, and lower Burdekin rivers. Flooding is also expected for the Diamantina, Norman, and Gilbert Rivers, with showers lingering in the region until Wednesday before easing on Thursday.

Heatwave warnings for the North Tropical Coast and Tablelands, as well as the Herbert and Lower Burdekin Districts, are expected to ease up by mid-week, according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM). In the meantime, daytime temperatures are hovering in the low to mid-30s.

So, if you're in WA, brace for more wet weather, and if you're in Queensland, get ready for the heat!