SEVERE Tropical Cyclone Laurence is steering clear of Broome, giving residents relief after a wet weekend which brought more than 100mm of rain, the desert is next.
Laurence, which intensified to a severe category five cyclone, has moved south of Broome and is now focusing its severe weather on sparsely populated communities, Sandfire Roadhouse and Wallal.
In the next 24 hours or so Laurence should make landfall close to Wallal. Destructive winds and flooding rain will be a feature anywhere near the cyclone, but especially to its east, including Sandfire Roadhouse.
Laurence is forecast to track southeast over the Western Australian Pilbara and Interior over the next few days taking heavy rain and strong winds with him.
Laurence will lose energy over land, but it may take about 1000 kilometres of land travel before it weakens to a tropical low. The low will continue to head southeast and bring soaking rain to many desert areas but also the southern capital cities.
Rain should arrive in Adelaide on Wednesday night, Hobart and Melbourne on Christmas Eve, Canberra and Sydney on Christmas Day and Brisbane on Boxing Day. Rain should clear from Adelaide early on Christmas Day.
Email a friend