Severe Tropical Cyclone Zelia has rapidly intensified from a category 1 to a category 5 cyclone in just over 24 hours, bringing dangerous weather to Western Australia’s Pilbara coast. The cyclone’s strength is fueled by exceptionally warm ocean temperatures and limited movement due to competing atmospheric ridges. Zelia’s impending impact will result in destructive winds, flooding rain, and a storm surge.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Zelia is set to strike Western Australia’s Pilbara coast with tremendous winds, heavy rain, and a hazardous storm surge, having escalated to a category five cyclone remarkably quickly. This alarming intensification occurred within just over 24 hours, transitioning from a category 1 to a category 5 cyclone following its formation on Wednesday morning.
The rapid strengthening of Zelia is attributed to several key factors. Firstly, the cyclone has been absorbing energy from extremely warm waters located off the coast of Western Australia. Tropical cyclones require sea temperatures of at least 26.5°C to develop, and in this case, temperatures have been recorded at 30 to 31°C, with some areas even exceeding 32°C.
Additionally, Zelia’s minimal movement over the past 48 hours has contributed to its intensification. Two competing atmospheric ridges have restricted its movement, causing the cyclone to linger around 140 kilometers north of Port Hedland. This prolonged stasis in favorable conditions allowed Zelia to absorb more energy from the warm waters, augmenting its strength further.
After two days of slow movement, Zelia is expected to start moving south-southeast by Friday morning. It will likely make landfall along the Pilbara coast later that afternoon or evening, probably in the vicinity of Port Hedland. The impending impact of Zelia will result in extreme weather conditions, including destructive winds of up to 190 km/h, accompanied by heavy rainfall and a dangerous storm surge.
While Zelia is anticipated to weaken rapidly post-landfall, it will continue to deliver heavy precipitation and potentially damaging winds across inland areas of the Pilbara into Saturday morning.
In summary, Severe Tropical Cyclone Zelia’s rapid intensification can be attributed to the combination of exceptionally warm sea surface temperatures and its slow movement due to competing atmospheric ridges. As it approaches the coast, it poses significant threats from destructive winds and flooding rains. The cyclone’s effects are likely to linger even after its initial landfall, impacting the inland areas of the Pilbara region.
Original Source: www.weatherzone.com.au
