Summary
Tropical cyclone Fay was a long-lived intense cyclone off northern Australia. Fay formed from a tropical low in the Gulf of Carpentaria, was named in the Timor Sea and then reached category 5 intensity off the Kimberley coast on 20 - 21 March. Fay went through a weakening then re-intensification period taking a generally southerly track before finally crossing the Pilbara coast east of Port Hedland as a category 4 cyclone on 27 March.
Fortunately Fay made landfall in a remote part of the east Pilbara coastline and consequently only impacted sparsely populated pastoral and mining areas. Damage was reported from the Yarrie mine site where 200 workers were locked down for 8 hours. Heavy rain caused East Pilbara rivers to flood particularly at Nullagine and along the De Grey River. The coral at Scott Reef was severely damaged.
For more details see the TC Fay Report (pdf)
Track and intensity
All times in WST - add 1.5 hours to convert to CST.
