The fourth tropical cyclone of the season has moved over Western Australia during the weekend.
This one is named Rusty and is gaining a reputation as a slow but steady mover however it is set to intensify.

Residents in Western Australia’s north are preparing and an alert is in place for people in or near the coastal communities of Broome to Whim Creek, including people in or near Port Hedland and Wallal.

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services says although there is no immediate danger, people need to start preparing for dangerous weather and keep up to date. 

The category one system is north of Port Hedland and west of Broome and it’s moving south at only 6 kilometres per hour.Rusty is moving slowly towards the coast and gales are expected on the coast overnight between Wallal and Whim Creek and then extending north to Broome today.

Further intensification is likely as the cyclone approaches the coast on today and tomorrow, and there is a high risk that it will cross the coast as a severe tropical cyclone.The slow speed of the cyclone means the crossing time and location is uncertain.

Rusty is a large tropical cyclone and its slow movement should result in higher than usual rainfall in the Pilbara and western Kimberley.

Very heavy rainfall is expected in near coastal parts of the eastern Pilbara and western Kimberley during much of today.

NSW flooding update

Thousands of people are still stranded across flood-stricken northern New South Wales, but residents in some areas have been given the all clear to return to their homes.

Evacuation orders were still in place for Kempsey overnight after the Macleay River earlier breached the town’s levees and inundated parts of the CBD.

More than 5,000 calls for help across the state since wild weather started a few days ago.

Many of those came from Sydney and the Illawarra region, after , damaging homes and bringing down powerlines and trees.

Two people are confirmed dead as a result of the flooding, which was caused by a slow-moving low pressure system that made its way down the eastern coast.

WeatherWatch.co.nz & Weatherzone