*Perilous Times and Global Warming

Strengthening cyclone bearing down on Australian coast
*
March 26, 2007 03:31pm
Article from: AAP

COMMUNITIES in the Pilbara region of Western Australia have been warned
to take precautions as tropical cyclone Kara, which has grown to a
category three storm, bears down on the coast.

Cyclone Kara was packing winds of up to 195km/h at 11am (WST) today when
it was 375km north-northwest of Karratha and 455km northwest of Port
Hedland.

The Bureau of Meteorology said the erratic cyclone was hard to track but
was expected to weaken as it approached the Pilbara coast.

However, communities in or near the coast between Pardoo and Mardie -
including Dampier, Karratha, Roebourne, Wickham, Port Sampson, Port
Hedland and South Hedland were warned to start taking storm precautions.

The bureau said the cyclone, which intensified significantly overnight,
was tracking south-southwest towards the Pilbara coast at 8km/h.

"Kara is a small but intense tropical cyclone, capable of intensifying
and weakening quite rapidly," the bureau said.

"It may intensify further today but is likely to weaken prior to coastal
impact."

The warning comes less than three weeks after category four cyclone
George killed three people and caused widespread flooding and wind
damage as it swept across the Pilbara.