As it happened Cyclone Ilsa: Strongest wind gust ever as Ilsa passes over WA

Ilsa didn’t pack quite the punch we feared it would last night, thankfully avoiding densely populated areas as it crossed the Western Australian coast.

But with a wind gust of 289km/h recorded by the Bureau of Meteorology over Bedout Island, she certainly was a serious cyclone.

The Bureau is checking its data, but it looks like this gust was the strongest ever recorded in Australia.

As Ilsa heads further inland into the Northern Territory, authorities warn there is still danger, with destructive winds and the possibility of flash flooding.

The Bureau’s Todd Smith said people living in communities inland needed to be vigilant.

We wish them well as we close the blog for the day.

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DFES Commissioner Darren Klemm was concerned the cyclone would change direction through the night and have a bigger impact.

“I think when you look at the track, when it was over the sea – the last 24 hours over the ocean, it was sort of wobbling around a fair bit and the forecast track certainly had it ducking off to the left and heading east and there was great anticipation around that happening,” he says.

“For me overnight and for our crews, that was our major concern. We’d be dealing with a different situation.”

Waves at Port Hedland. Credit: Ezra Holt

Now, Klemm says, the focus will be on ensuring roads in the area are back open.

“Obviously there’s a number of bridges throughout that area, and floodways, which will have to be assessed, but early indications are ... that they have anticipated somewhere in the vicinity of 48 hours in terms of closure.”

WA Premier Mark McGowan has released a statement.

Premier’s statement

At about midnight last night, Severe Tropical Cyclone Ilsa crossed the coast, around 150km north of Port Hedland.

It was the first Category 5 system to make landfall in WA since 2009, and brought very destructive winds and heavy rain to an area between De Grey and Pardoo Roadhouse.

Fortunately, major towns and communities like Port Hedland and Bidyadanga were spared the worst of the cyclone.

Early assessments show damage to those areas is fairly minimal, and no one was injured – a huge relief for those living in the area. Our thoughts go out to the owners and staff at Pardoo Roadhouse who weathered the full impact of the cyclone, and have no doubt endured an intense and frightening evening.

It’s important to note that this situation is still developing. Tropical Cyclone Ilsa is continuing to move eastward as a Category 3 system, and there are several remote communities which may yet be impacted.

I will continue to receive updates from the Department of Fire and Emergency Services WA on the extent of the damage, and any ongoing threat to communities. I would like to thank the volunteers, staff, community groups and businesses who worked around the clock to prepare, including sandbagging and tying down loose items, right up until the cyclone reached the coast.

To all those in the Pilbara and Kimberley, take care of yourselves and your family members, and stay safe.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he is ‘ready to assist’ the WA state government to repair communities affected by Cyclone Ilsa.

The PM took to Twitter on Friday to pledge his support for Western Australia, saying that he was “in regular contact with the WA state government and stands ready to assist”.

He adds that several communities remained in the path of Cyclone Ilsa and that there was still a risk of flash flooding for parts of the state.

Tropical Cyclone Ilsa has weakened to a category 2 level and is located near Telfer in the far east of the Pilbara.

On Friday Ilsa is expected to continue moving east southeast and maintain tropical cyclone intensity as it tracks away from Telfer across the northern parts of the interior.

Ilsa is expected to weaken below tropical cyclone strength tonight and then move into southern parts of the Northern Territory on Saturday morning.

The massive iron ore export port of Port Hedland will reopen at 11am WST after the Pilbara Ports Authority confirmed it was safe to operate.

The port used by miners BHP, Andrew Forrest’s Fortescue and Gina Rinehart’s Roy Hill will have been closed for just 25 hours after Cyclone Ilsa crossed the coast about 140 kilometres to the east.

Port Hedland Port empty as Cyclone Ilsa approaches.Credit: Pilbara Ports Authority

The decision to open was made after navigation aids, berths and the shipping channel had been inspected, an Authority spokeswoman said.

“Pilbara Ports Authority is liaising with terminal and vessel operators and stakeholders to plan the recommencement of shipping,” she said.

All vessels had vacated the port before Cyclone Ilsa arrived.

Images have come through from the remote Pardoo Roadhouse, and it’s sad news.

Devastating photos taken by the family who own and operate the roadhouse have emerged the morning after it was at the epicentre of a category 5 cyclone.

Meteorologists predict wind speeds as Ilsa passed over the roadhouse would have been in excess of 280 km/h.

Pardoo Roadhouse has been badly damaged.Credit: Ezra Holt, Nine News Perth

“The team from Pardoo Roadhouse and Tavern wish to let everyone know that all staff are safe and well, and for that, we are truly grateful,” owners of the roadhouse posted on Facebook.

“Pardoo Roadhouse is a family-run business, and we are a very close-knit team. This is not just where we work, this is our community and home.

“We have been inundated with messages from across the globe, and on behalf of our team, I want to thank everyone who reached out to us. You have lifted our spirits during this challenging time.”

Pardoo Roadhouse. Credit: Facebook

Kelly Anne says she estimates $4 million worth of damage has been done.

“We are insured but we are in a very remote area and we estimate the rebuild will cost a lot more than that,” she says.

“We are reaching out for help. If you can help us out in any way big or small, please contact us. We face a massive clean-up with plans to rebuild.”

She adds that she and her family were “all still a bit shaken and emotional to see the damage from Cyclone Ilsa” but that “she may have wiped us out, but she can’t take away our spirit”.

Pardoo Roadhouse.Credit: Facebook

Pardoo Roadhouse.Credit: Facebook

Flooding near Port Hedland.Credit: DFES

A bedraggled galah is saved. Credit: DFES

DFES workers survey the scene.Credit: DFES

The morning after.Credit: DFES

Tania Baxter, Bidyadanga community CEO, said her community was another one counting their lucky stars.

She said they copped “a little bit of rain, and a little bit of wind”.

“We were prepared for the worst,” she said.

Authorities kept the community up to date throughout and the community came through the night relatively unscathed. Elderly and more vulnerable people had been evacuated from the community safely but most of the community of 300-400 people stayed.

Baxter said she had experienced multiple cyclones and this was not as fierce as others she had been through.

“I have done a couple of drives around the community, and it’s relief, because there’s not any damage that I can see.”

Port Hedland mayor Peter Carter says the town has “dodged a bullet” and it feels “surreal” to see only minimal destruction and damage in the Pilbara town.

“It’s been a sleepless night,” he said.

“But as I wake up this morning and look around, I’m so grateful that the community was ready for it. They cleaned up their yards and the emergency services have been fantastic.

Port Hedland Mayor Peter Carter.

“We dodged a major bullet.”

Carter says although the town is used to bracing for such destructive weather, he didn’t think anyone was ever ready for a Cat 5.

“That’s Cyclone Tracey material,” he said, referring to the 1974 cyclone that devastated Darwin.

“If it came near our town, I wouldn’t be standing here now talking to you.”

Carter is grateful the fast moving weather system avoided the area.

“Cyclone’s are what they are,” he said.

“They are really vicious, they can turn. Luckily for us, it turned at the right time.”

After living through many cyclone threats, Carter said Ilsa was unusual in its pattern, making it hard to predict how it would impact.

“Every cyclone is different,” he said.

“Some of them rain for weeks and weeks – this one, it’s really strange. It’s been so fast moving and not much rain at all. We were just very lucky. I’m very grateful.”