A tropical low formed in the Timor Sea northwest of Darwin on 15 December and moved to the southwest and then to the southeast on 17 December. The low moved into the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf on 18 December and intensified to cyclone intensity north of Wyndham. The slow moving system reached category two intensity before moving to the west southwest crossing the coast near Wyndham early on 20 December.
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Billy passed over Oombulgurri community at Category 2 strength causing tree damage and power outages before weakening over land. Heavy rainfall caused some flooding and road closures in the northeast Kimberley. Wyndham recorded 384 mm in the 48 hours to 9am on 21 December. The low tracked overland to the west southwest redeveloping to cyclone strength after moving off the northwest Kimberley coast near Kuri Bay on 22 December.
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Billy then moved southwest along the coast passing over the northern part of the Dampier Peninsula to the north of Broome. Billy rapidly intensified on 23-24 December after moving westwards into open waters and reached category four intensity late on 24 December about 280 km north of Port Hedland.
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Billy then moved to the west northwest away from the Pilbara coast weakening from late on 25 December due to increasing wind shear. Billy eventually weakened below cyclone intensity late on 28 December about 680 km north northwest of Exmouth.
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**This information is preliminary and subject to change following post analysis.
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