Summary
A tropical low formed in the Arafura Sea on 4 January then moved slowly westward into the Timor Sea. The low was upgraded to cyclone intensity at 1200 UTC 7 January when Browse Island recorded gales. Clare then intensified further reaching peak intensity at 39 m/s (75 knots) at 0600 UTC 9 January. Legendre Island recorded mean winds of 37 m/s (71 knots).
As Clare approached the Pilbara coast its track became increasingly south-southwesterly. Radar and infra-red imagery showed weakening prior to crossing the Pilbara coast between Dampier and Mardie early on 10 January. Slightly cooler seas surface temperatures of 28°C may have contributed to the weakening prior to coastal crossing. Dampier experienced very destructive winds for a period as the eye wall passed over the town. Downed power lines and flooding disrupted power and telecommunication to many parts of the Pilbara including Dampier and Karratha.
Following landfall the cyclone weakened rapidly as it continued moving further inland through the inland western Pilbara and northern Gascoyne. The remnant low continued to move south producing heavy rain and some flooding through the Gascoyne and inland parts of the Southwest Land Division in the following days.
For more details see the TC Clare Report (pdf)
Track and intensity
All times in WST.
