Cyclone Mitchell: ‘Shelter indoors now’ emergency warning remains as Exmouth battered by category two systemPerthNowMon, 9 February 2026 8:29AMCommentsComments
Residents in WA’s north are urged to shelter indoors ahead of potential flash flooding and more intense rainfall as Cyclone Mitchell impacts coastal areas including Exmouth.
Packing damaging winds up to 120km/h and cutting power to almost 2000 properties, the cyclone was sitting off the Ningaloo coast, about 115km south-west of Exmouth and 230km north of Carnarvon, at 7am on Monday.
The Bureau of Meteorology said strong were hitting the coast from east of Giralia to Coral Bay.
Senior meteorologist Angus Hines said the cyclone was still a “really powerful weather system” despite being lowered from a category three to a category two.
He said the cyclone “narrowly” missed the coast on Sunday and was forecast to likely to make landfall on Monday afternoon.
“Legendre Island recorded a wind gust of 169km/h as the tropical cyclone passed early on Sunday,” Mr Hines said.
“And a little bit later on in the day, 148km/h gusts were recorded at Barrow Island over the mainland.”
Strong winds have also been at Onslow (120km/h), Karratha (100km/h) and Mardie (96km/h).”
Mr Hines said trees had come down as a result of the winds.
“Despite staying off the coastline, the tropical cyclone did cross directly over some of the Pilbara islands and that showed us the full force of the winds with this weather system,” he said.
Mr Hines said 124mm of rain had been recorded in Karratha over the weekend and that heavier rainfalls had occurred in the north-west.
“Flooding remains a concern near and along the path of the tropical cyclone, not just around the western Pilbara and the Gascoyne regions for Monday, but also in the coming days as this decaying tropical cyclone plunges southwards into the interior of Western Australia.,” he said.
Horizon Power said 1675 customers in Exmouth were without power. It is estimated power will be restored by 4pm on Monday.
A cyclone emergency warning remains for those in Exmouth and south to the Wooramel Roadouse south of Carnarvon.
The warning extends inland through parts of the western Pilbara and western Gascoyne.
The Department of Fire and Emergency Services has urged against people leaving their homes, instead advising to shelter in the safest part of a building.
The cyclone is moving in a south south-westerly direction at a speed of 13km/h, according to a 6am update.
It is expected to move south towards the coastlines of Ningaloo and Carnarvon on Monday morning before tracking southeast, crossing the Gascoyne coastline and continuing over land as a category two system on Monday night.
At least 17 schools have been forced to close on Monday as a result of the cyclone.
Share Bay Recreation Centre, Exmouth Shire Hall, Onslow Multi Purpose Centre and Carnarvon PCYC have been converted into evacuation centres.
Residents are advised that pets are not allowed at the centres for health and safety reasons, unless they are recognised assistance animals.
For the latest cyclone updates visit EmergencyWA.
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