Cyclone Ilsa Reaches Category Two As Residents Prepare For It’s Worst

Tropical Cyclone Ilsa has grown into a category two system off the coast overnight and is expected to reach category four across Thursday and Friday.

The current category two storm was about 350kn north-west of Broome overnight, recording winds up 10 100km/h at its centre.

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It is expected to reach a category system by Wednesday afternoon, before progressing to category four – becoming the biggest cyclone to hit Western Australia in a decade.

Residents across the Kimberley and Pilbara regions are making their final preparations, with severe weather expected to hit remote communities along the Dampier Peninsula, north of Broome, from today.

The tropical low was tracking towards land overnight and is expected to hit between Broom and Port Hedland over the next two days.

Bureau of Meteorology spokesman Todd Smith told the ABC coastal communities could be hit with gale force winds, heavy rain and storm surges.

"We're expecting it to take a turn to the south [today], before moving south east on Thursday," Mr Smith said.

"The damaging winds and heavy rainfall will extend many hundreds of kilometres inland."

The latest advice on Cyclone Ilsa can be viewed on the Bureau of Meteorology website.

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