Summary
A slow moving tropical low formed in the Timor Sea on Thursday 24 February. The low initially moved south on Friday 25 February and intensified, being named Tropical Cyclone Anika later that evening. As Tropical Cyclone Anika continued south, it reached category 2 intensity (50 knots (kn)) shortly before crossing the Kimberley coast east of Kalumburu on the night of Saturday 26 February. After crossing the coast, Tropical Cyclone Anika weakened into a tropical low and tracked southwest just inland from the northwest Kimberley coast between Kalumburu and Cape Leveque.
During Tuesday 1 March ex-tropical cyclone Anika then moved back over water to the north of Broome and tracked south just off the west Kimberley coast. It initially struggled to redevelop, then on Wednesday 2 March, it re-intensified into a tropical cyclone. Tropical Cyclone Anika rapidly strengthened into a category 2 system, again reaching an intensity of 50 knots shortly before crossing the WA coast again along 80 Mile Beach, near Wallal Downs, at 1200 Universal Time Coordinated (UTC) (UTC=Australian Western Standard Time (AWST) - 8 hours) Wednesday 2 March.
Very heavy rain and damaging wind gusts extended over the eastern Pilbara during Thursday 3 March as Tropical Cyclone Anika tracked further inland towards the southeast. It maintained tropical cyclone intensity as it passed to the west of Telfer, then weakened into a tropical low by 1200 UTC 3 March.
A wind gust of 44 kn (81 kilometres per hour (km/h)) was recorded at Truscott at 2013 UTC Saturday 26 February. Rainfall of 333 millimetres (mm) and 250 mm was reported in the 24 hours to 0100 UTC Sunday 27 February at Truscott and Kalumburu respectively.
A wind gust of 50 kn (93 km/h) was reported at Mandora at 1410 UTC on Wednesday 2 March, just after Tropical Cyclone Anika crossed the coast for the second time, and Telfer reported a wind gust of 58 kn (107 km/h) at 0339 UTC on Thursday 3 March. Daily rainfall totals in excess of 100 mm were recorded at various sites in the west Kimberley and east Pilbara.
For more information see the TC Anika Report (pdf).
Track and Intensity
