During 9 January 2012 a tropical low formed near 12.0S 118.0E, around 950 kilometres north of Port Hedland in favourable conditions. The low moved south and was named Tropical Cyclone Heidi at 11pm WST 10 January around 350 kilometres to the north-northeast of Port Hedland.
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The system became evident on the Port Hedland RADAR during the morning of 11 January 2012. It continued to move slowly south and strengthened to a category 2 system at 2pm 11 January. Bedout Island recorded sustained winds at of 119 kilometres an hour with a maximum gust of 144 kilometres per hour around 09:00pm WST. The system maintained intensity as it moved toward the coast in favourable conditions.
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Around 4am 12 January Heidi crossed the Pilbara coast around 15 kilometres to the east of Port Hedland with maximum winds of around 110 kilometres per hour. Wind speeds of up to 98 kilometres per hour with gusts to 131 kilometres per hour were reported by the Port Hedland airport Automatic weather station at around 4am.
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The system began to weaken as it moved inland, following a south-southwest track. It was downgraded to a category 1 system at 8pm 12 January and further weakened below cyclone intensity by 11pm 12 January. Significant rainfall and squally conditions continued to the south and east of the track as the system moved south-southwest over the inland Pilbara and northern Gascoyne districts.
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Heavy rainfall was reported at various locations in the Pilbara and western Kimberley associated with Tropical Cyclone Heidi. Pardoo station recorded 168.5 millimetres in 24 hours, with Port Hedland aerodrome recording 108.4 millimetres.
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FESA reported that Ex-Tropical Cyclone Heidi uprooted trees across properties and roadways with minor flooding on roads and large scale power outages in South Hedland and Wedgefield. The majority of damage was caused by very strong winds and heavy rainfall.
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***All information relating to intensity and track is preliminary information based on operational estimates and subject to change following post analysis.***
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