Cyclone Narelle devastates Western Australia’s Pilbara and Gascoyne regions in March 2026
Consensus Summary
Cyclone Narelle struck Western Australia’s Pilbara and Gascoyne regions as a category-four system on March 28, 2026, causing catastrophic damage to Exmouth, Carnarvon, and surrounding areas. The storm, which originated in Queensland and tracked across the NT before hitting WA, brought winds exceeding 250km/h, widespread flooding, and power outages affecting thousands of homes. Exmouth’s airport was obliterated, roofs were torn off buildings, and the town’s evacuation centre sustained wind damage, forcing evacuations. Carnarvon faced banana crop losses and dust storms, while Chevron’s Gorgon and Wheatstone LNG plants faced production disruptions. The cyclone was downgraded to a tropical low by March 29 but continued to bring heavy rain and gusts up to 100km/h, triggering flash flooding risks. Emergency services worked to restore power and assess damage, with federal support offered for recovery efforts. Residents described the event as one of the worst cyclones in decades, with Exmouth’s infrastructure and tourism industry severely impacted ahead of Easter school holidays.
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Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Cyclone Narelle made landfall near Coral Bay, WA, on Friday evening March 28, 2026, as a category-four system with winds exceeding 250km/h (Guardian, ABC, Newscomaau, Guardian).
- Exmouth, 1,250km north of Perth, suffered catastrophic damage including obliterated airport infrastructure, roof damage, flooding, and power outages (ABC, Guardian, Newscomaau, ABC).
- The town’s evacuation centre (hosting ~50 people) sustained wind damage, forcing evacuations (Guardian, ABC).
- Cyclone Narelle caused 2,000+ homes to lose power in Exmouth and Carnarvon (ABC, Guardian, Newscomaau).
- Winds of 120–133km/h were recorded at Carnarvon airport and Gascoyne Junction (Newscomaau, Guardian).
- Rainfall totals of 70–100mm were recorded across the Gascoyne region (Newscomaau, Guardian).
- Chevron’s Gorgon and Wheatstone LNG plants in the Pilbara experienced production disruptions due to the cyclone (Guardian).
- The cyclone was downgraded to a tropical low on Saturday morning, March 29, 2026, as it moved inland (ABC, Guardian, Newscomaau, ABC).
- Exmouth’s sealed road into town was closed due to flooding (ABC, Guardian).
- The Bureau of Meteorology issued severe weather warnings for WA’s south, including Esperance, Kalgoorlie, and Merredin (ABC, Guardian).
- Cyclone Narelle tracked across WA’s north from Queensland, affecting the Pilbara and North West Cape before weakening (Guardian, ABC).
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Craig Kitson (local Exmouth resident) described the town as ‘fundamentally changed’ with roofs torn off, homes flooded, and some completely destroyed (Article 1).
- Chevron’s Gorgon facility (Australia’s largest LNG plant) was specifically named as one of two major plants disrupted (Article 1).
- The Water Corporation warned of low water pressure in Exmouth due to power outages affecting two borefields (Article 4).
- Angus Hines (BoM meteorologist) described the system as a ‘really powerful weather system’ despite being downgraded (Article 5).
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s statement about federal support was quoted directly in the Guardian’s summary (Article 5).
- Exmouth’s airport runway (shared with RAAF) was described as ‘obliterated’ with windows blown out, ceilings collapsed, and electrical switchboards torn apart (Article 3).
- Brett Hopkinson (farmer at Hill Springs Station) reported his parents’ home was completely destroyed, including roof, verandah, and ceiling (Article 3).
- BOM forecaster Jess Lingard confirmed 300mm+ of rain fell at Exmouth’s Learmonth air base (Article 3).
- ABC’s live coverage included specific mention of Coral Bay’s direct hit with ‘horizontal rain’ and relentless winds (Article 6).
- Bluey Timewell (Exmouth resident) reported nine solar panels punched through his roof, causing water damage (Article 6).
- Live updates included a wrap of destruction by ABC colleagues Esse Deves and Alistair Bates (Article 2).
- No specific damage details beyond general warnings; focused on real-time tracking and BoM updates (Article 2).
- Doriana Mangili (banana grower in Carnarvon) warned 50% of crops were lost to Cyclone Mitchell and heatwaves, with Narelle risking total crop failure (Article 4).
- Virgin and Qantas cancelled dozens of flights to WA’s northwest, with Geraldton Airport closed on Saturday (Article 4).
- DFES advised roads in the Gascoyne region remained closed due to damage assessments (Article 4).
- Exmouth residents faced storm surge flooding through residential canals (Article 4).
- Federal Emergency Management Minister Kristy McBain’s estimate of 2,000 homes without power was attributed to ABC (Article 5).
- DFES commissioner Darren Klemm’s comment on ‘significant’ damage and ongoing assessments was included (Article 5).
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- The Guardian (Article 1) reports Narelle weakened to a category-three system near Kalbarri, while ABC (Article 6) states it was downgraded to category two by Carnarvon.
- Newscomaau (Article 4) mentions wind gusts of 180–190km/h in Carnarvon, but the Guardian (Article 5) records gusts of 133km/h at Carnarvon airport and 122km/h at Gascoyne Junction.
- ABC (Article 3) states Exmouth’s evacuation centre had ~40 people sheltering, while the Guardian (Article 1) reports ~50 people had to abandon it.
- Newscomaau (Article 4) claims Exmouth residents sheltered for hours on Friday, but ABC (Article 6) does not specify shelter duration beyond general lockdowns.
- The Guardian (Article 1) says Narelle dumped a year’s worth of rain in a day, while ABC (Article 3) cites 300mm+ at Learmonth air base (no equivalent daily comparison provided).
Source Articles
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Cyclone Narelle downgraded to tropical low but severe weather warnings remain for storm-ravaged WA
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Destructive cyclone wreaks havoc across WA
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Live: Cyclone Narelle continues to track along West coast
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Live: Ex-Cyclone Narelle downgraded, continues to track along West coast
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Exmouth isolated and inundated in wake of Cyclone Narelle as Chevron works to restart stalled gas plants
Roofs torn off buildings in Exmouth, power lost and homes flooded Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Authorities were still working on Sunday to restore power to communities ...