Tropical Cyclone Narelle rapidly intensified to the equivalent of a major hurricane on Wednesday.\u00a0 At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday the center of Tropical Cyclone Narelle was located at latitude 18.6\u00b0S and longitude 116.8\u00b0E which put the center about 150 miles (240 km) north of Karratha, Australia.\u00a0 Narelle was moving toward the west-southwest at 9 m.p.h. (15 km\/h).\u00a0 The maximum sustained wind speed was 120 m.p.h. (195 km\/h) and there were wind gusts to 150 m.p.h. (240 km\/h).\u00a0 The minimum surface pressure was 954 mb.<\/p>\n
The Australian Bureau of Meteorology issued a Warning that is in effect for the portion of the coast from Pardoo Roadhouse to Cape Cuvier.\u00a0 The Warning includes Port Hedland, Karratha, Onslow, Exmouth, and Coral Bay.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n A Watch is in effect for the portion of the coast from Cape Cuvier to Dongara.\u00a0 The Watch includes Carnarvon, Denham, and Geraldton.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Tropical Cyclone Narelle rapidly intensified to the equivalent of a major hurricane on Wednesday.\u00a0 The inner end of a rainband wrapped around the center of Narelle’s circulation.\u00a0 A large circular eye with a diameter of 45 miles (75 km) formed at the center of Tropical Cyclone Narelle.\u00a0 The eye was surrounded by a ring of thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms.\u00a0 Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the center of Narelle’s circulation.\u00a0 Storms near the center of Narelle generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the tropical cyclone.\u00a0 The removal of mass caused the surface pressure to decrease.<\/p>\n The size of the circulation around Tropical Cyclone Narelle increased significantly on Wednesday.\u00a0 Winds to hurricane\/typhoon force extended out 80 miles (130 km) from the center of Narelle’s circulation.\u00a0 Winds to tropical storm force extended out 185 miles (295 km) from the center of Tropical Cyclone Narelle.<\/p>\n The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Tropical Cyclone Narelle was 22.1\u00a0 The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was 24.7 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 46.8.\u00a0 Tropical Cyclone Narelle was similar in size and intensity to Hurricane Jeanne when Jeanne hit southern Florida in 2004.<\/p>\n Tropical Cyclone Narelle will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.\u00a0 Narelle will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29\u00b0C.\u00a0 It will move under the northern part of an upper level ridge that is over Western Australia.\u00a0 The upper level ridge will produce easterly winds that will blow toward the top of Narelle\u2019s circulation.\u00a0 Those winds will cause some vertical wind shear, but the wind shear will not be enough to prevent intensification.\u00a0 Tropical Cyclone Narelle will intensify during the next 24 hours.<\/p>\n Tropical Cyclone Narelle will move around the western side of a high pressure system that is over Australia.\u00a0 The high pressure system will steer Narelle toward the southwest during the next 24 hours.\u00a0 On its anticipated track, Tropical Cyclone Narelle will approach the coast of Western Australia near Exmouth in 24 hours.\u00a0 Narelle will move toward the south on Friday when it moves around the western end of the high pressure system.<\/p>\n Tropical Cyclone Narelle will bring strong winds and heavy rain to the coast of Western Australia.\u00a0 Narelle will be capable of causing major damage.\u00a0 Heavy is likely to cause flash floods in some locations.<\/p>\n Flood Watches are in effect for western parts of the Pilbara, Gascoyne, Central Coastal, and Lower West Coast catchments.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Tropical Cyclone Narelle could also cause a storm surge of up to 13 feet (4 meters) along parts of the coast.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Tropical Cyclone Narelle rapidly intensified to the equivalent of a major hurricane on Wednesday.\u00a0 At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday the center of Tropical Cyclone Narelle was located at latitude 18.6\u00b0S and longitude 116.8\u00b0E which put the center about 150 miles (240 km) north of Karratha, Australia.\u00a0 Narelle was moving toward the west-southwest at 9 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