Darwin and Tiwi Islandsโข braceโค for Severe tropical Cyclone Fina as it intensifies to Categoryโ 3
Severeโฃ Tropical Cyclone Fina has intensified to a Category 3 system, bringing “veryโ destructive winds” and posing a significant threat to Darwin and the Tiwi Islands. The Bureau of meteorologyโฃ (BOM)โ reports the cyclone currently has maximum โmean wind speeds of 130 km/h and gusts โขup to 185 km/h.
A Category 3 tropical cyclone is defined as having veryโค destructive winds, capable of causing significant damage to crops and trees,โ some damage to roofs and structures, and โคdestruction of some caravans. Power โคfailures โฃare likely. โคThe systemโฃ is now officially โฃclassedโข as a severe tropical cyclone.
Asโ of the latest BOMโ advice, Cyclone โFina is โlocated 85 kilometres north-east of Darwin and 80 kilometres east of Wurrumiyanga, movingโค west south-west at โ9 km/h.
Aโฃ cyclone warning is inโ place for the Dalyโฃ River Mouth to Cape โDon, including โthe Tiwi Islands, Dundee Beach, Darwin, Milikapiti, Pirlangimpi and Wurrumiyanga. A cyclone watch extends from โคsouth ofโ Dalyโฃ River Mouth to Troughton Island in โWestern Australia,โ encompassing Wadeye and Kalumburu. Alerts for Minilangโ to Wurruwi have been cancelled.
BOMโ forecasts Cyclone Fina will maintain itsโฃ severe intensityโฃ on Sunday or early Monday as โit tracks through the southern Timor Sea, beginning to weakenโฃ near the Kimberley coast on Mondayโ or Tuesday.
The weather bureau is providingโ hourly updates,with the next scheduled for 11:30am ACST.