Rusty building to Tracy strength

MONSTER: Tropical Cyclone Rusty has intensified to a category three storm with 195km/h winds at its centre. Source: PerthNow

TROPICAL Cyclone Rusty is sitting menacingly over the Pilbara, bringing extremely heavy rainfall and very dangerous winds to a vast swathe of the West Australian coast.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a cyclone warning for coastal areas from Bidyadanga to Mardie including Port Hedland, Karratha and Dampier, and adjacent inland areas of the Pilbara, including Marble Bar, Nullagine and Millstream.

The State Emergency Service says communities between Pardoo and Whim Creek, including Port Hedland and South Hedland are on a red alert and people need to go to shelter immediately.

A yellow alert has been extended inland to include Marble Bar as well as communities between Wallal and Pardoo.

The Bureau of Meteorology predicts the system to intensify to a Category 4 system, equal to Cyclone Tracy which obliterated Darwin, in the next 24 hours before the eye of the storm crosses the coast tomorrow.

At 5.00 pm (WST) Rusty, currently a Category 3 storm, was estimated to be 125 kilometres north-northeast of Port Hedland and moving south-southwest at 4km/h towards the coast.

The Bureau warns the slow motion and large size of Rusty means very destructive winds will hit the WA coast well before the eye of the storm.

Wind gusts of 120km/h have already hit Port Hedland and gale force winds will rip along the coast between Sandfire Roadhouse and Whim Creek, with the destructive winds extending from near Port Hedland to around Wallal.

The Bureau is warning of very destructive winds of up to 165 km/h between Whim Creek and Pardoo during Wednesday.

Catch up with Channel 9's Sally Ayhan for local weather and a sneak peek into what to expect over the next 24 hours.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Rusty's intensity, size and slow movement is also likely to lead to a very dangerous storm tide as the cyclone centre nears the coast.

NASA's Terra satellite has taken images from space of Rusty as it approaches the coast, with satellite data reporting the storm developing an eye 20 nautical miles wide.

While Port Hedland and South Hedland residents have been urged to leave their homes immediately, the shire's deputy mayor, George Daccache, is bunkering down in his security screen-clad home.

A Port Hedland resident of 40 years, Mr Daccache has seen his fair share of wet season wild weather, but expects this cyclone will be one of the worst the town has ever seen.

RED ALERT: Tropical Cyclone Rusty has intensified to a category three storm with 195km/h winds at its centre and is bearing down on the Pilbara coast. Picture: Geoff Pritchard

"If something hits you at 150km/h, you're going to feel it," he said.

"This one's a bit of a beauty.''

With residents heeding warnings to stay safe, the streets are empty, as are supermarket shelves after a rush to prepare for Rusty's arrival.

"It's going to be a pain waiting for two to three days for this to come and go,'' Mr Daccache said.

RED ALERT: Tropical Cyclone Rusty has intensified to a category three storm with 195km/h winds at its centre and is bearing down on the Pilbara coast.

"We've just to hang in there hour by hour, and batten down the hatches.''

Mr Daccache said he was most concerned about an expected storm tide, which threatens to inundate the lower-lying western part of the town.

Many homes had lost power, but most residents were staying at emergency shelters.

RED ALERT: Tropical Cyclone Rusty has intensified to a category three storm with 195km/h winds at its centre and is bearing down on the Pilbara coast. Picture: Geoff Pritchard

Cyclone Rusty is moving slowly southwards as it threatens to blast the Pilbara coast as it gathers strength.

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