Summary
Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle was a long-lived event that crossed the coasts of far north Queensland, Northern Territory and Western Australia at severe TC intensity, only the second cyclone to do so following Ingrid (2005).
Tropical Low 34U formed near the southern Solomon Islands on 15 March and moved on a general westerly track over following days. Tropical Cyclone Narelle was named on 17 March and reached category 3 intensity the following day, then began a period of rapid intensification to peak at category 5 intensity on 19 March. Narelle weakened slightly to category 4 intensity as it crossed the Far North Queensland coast, passing between Lockhart River and Coen on the morning of 20 March.
Narelle weakened as it moved over Cape York Peninsula and emerged into the Gulf of Carpentaria near Aurukun, south of Weipa, at category 2 intensity late on 20 March. The tropical cyclone continued on a steady westward track, redeveloping into a severe tropical cyclone before crossing the Northern Territory coast between Nhulunbuy and Groote Eylandt early on 21 March at category 3 strength.
Despite soon weakening below tropical cyclone intensity, the system produced heavy rain over previously flooded catchments in the Northern Territory, especially the Daly and Victoria River regions. On 23 March, the low moved across Joseph Bonaparte Gulf and the north Kimberley before moving offshore on 24 March.
Narelle redeveloped into a tropical cyclone northwest of Broome early on 25 March and quickly reached severe category 3 intensity later that day, north of Port Hedland, as it moved west southwest parallel to the Pilbara coast. The system had developed into a large circulation and despite being located about 150 kilometres to the north of the Pilbara coast, many coastal locations experienced a prolonged period of gale force winds as it moved west.
On 26 Narelle turned to the southwest and moved closer to the west Pilbara coast as it reached category 4 intensity. The tropical cyclone then turned south and passed just west of Exmouth early on 27 March. Narelle then turned south southeast and made landfall just to the south of Coral Bay, passing to the east of Carnarvon. The tropical cyclone quickly weakened as it accelerated to the south southeast and was downgraded to below tropical cyclone intensity early on 28 March as it moved over land east of Kalbarri and Geraldton.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle was the tenth tropical cyclone and the sixth severe tropical cyclone in the Australian region for the 2025/26 season. Narelle was the first tropical cyclone to impact Queensland, Northern Territory and Western Australia since Severe Tropical Cyclone Ingrid in 2005. Tropical Cyclone Advices were first issued on 17 March for the Queensland coast and continued through to 28 March over Western Australia. This is believed to be the longest continuous period of advices for any tropical cyclone in Australia.
Note: A comprehensive report will be issued for this event upon completion of a post event reanalysis. All information relating to intensity and track is preliminary information and subject to change following post analysis.
Track and intensity
Weekly rainfall totals
