Wasn't Glenda the "good" witch
WA braces for cyclone Glenda
From: AAP
March 27, 2006
RESIDENTS of the far north of Western Australia were tonight bracing for the sixth cyclone of the season.
At Port Hedland and in the Pilbara region, residents were urged to prepare for tropical cyclone Glenda, which today was a category one storm off the Kimberley coastline, to the north.
Authorities at the main iron ore and oil and gas port at Dampier were making sure ships were loaded and packed off to sea and local boats were moved to safety on dry land or up creek beds.
Conditions were ideal for Glenda to whip up into a severe cyclone in the next few days as it headed towards the Pilbara coast, warned weather bureau forecaster Brad Santos.
"At the moment it is a category one cyclone, but this system is expected to rapidly intensify as it moves off the north-west coast," Mr Santos said.
"At this stage we are saying it could be at least a category three, which is severe.
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"It is likely to move offshore from the Kimberley and later on in the week it may affect western parts of the Pilbara."
Dampier Port supports the offshore oil and gas industry from North West Cape to Broome and offshore, the largest oil and gas export area in Australia.
Harbourmaster Vic Justice said Dampier Port had become very proficient at preparing for cyclones this season.
"We've had three arrive so far, Floyd basically knocked on our door now we have this other one coming down the coast and it looks like she might kick down the door," Mr Justice said.
"Ships have been brought in and loaded and they will head on out, leaving berths empty, that way if the cyclone speeds up we will be very well prepared."
Cyclone Glenda was upgraded to a category one cyclone today as Floyd, the fifth cyclone of the November to April season in WA, was downgraded to a tropical low.
At its peak, category four Floyd caused wind gusts of up to 280km an hour, but, like Bertie, the first cyclone of the season last year, it did not threaten the coast or the state's massive resources industry