A tropical low formed close to the Indonesian Island of Roti (southwest of Timor) on 18 January and drifted slowly to the south southwest reaching cyclone intensity on 20 January. Tropical Cyclone Magda developed rapidly during the overnight period reaching category three intensity on the morning of 21 January close to Browse Island. Magda weakened for a period during the day but regained intensity the following night again reaching category three intensity as it crossed the Kimberley coast at Kuri Bay, about 210 km north northeast of Derby, at about 5 am WST 22 January. Magda weakened below cyclone intensity late that day as it moved inland passing east of Derby.
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Some mostly minor damage to infrastructure occurred at Kuri Bay as Magda passed by. Vegetation near the coast was considerably defoliated. Fortunately facilities at Koolan Island and Cockatoo Island only experienced the western peripheral gales and no damage was reported.
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Note: Operationally Magda was rated as a category two cyclone but was upgraded to category three intensity upon post-analysis.
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Magda was the second Tropical Cyclone of the 2009/10 season in Western Australia. Severe cyclone Laurence in December 2009 also impacted the northwest Kimberley coast including Kuri Bay.
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