Some relief for the ongoing destructive wildfires in parts of Australia - Tropical Cyclone #06S forms along the coast of Western Australia today

Tropical Cyclone #06S has formed off the northwest coast of Western Australia today, originated from the Invest #91S. It is expected to gradually strengthen before making landfall in the next 48 hours (sometime on Wednesday morning local time, Jan 8th). 06S is the first Tropical Cyclone of the 2019-2020 Australian Cyclone season. It will likely remain a relatively weak system, but its heavy and excessive rainfall should at least help to limit some of the destructive wildfires in the western parts of Australia.

Some pretty impressive satellite images lately, indicating a very explosive deep convection around the virtual center of the system. Infrared scans are reporting cloud tops temperature below -83 °C! The SE quadrant is already affecting Western Australia with heavy rains.

The JTWC forecast for cyclone’s track towards the landfall in Northwest Australia on Wednesday morning local time, Jan 7th 18 UTC – #06S should become a Category 1 Tropical Cyclone on Monday’s night while nearing the town of Broome:

ECMWF model guidance for the future track and intensity of TC 06S – it will be drifting south while gradually intensifying prior to the landfall in Western Australia on Wednesday:

Here are cumulative winds and total rainfall through the next 5 days – a lot of rain in expected along its track across Western Australia, helping to reduce the ongoing wildfires there at least.

Stay tuned for additional updates soon!