Tropical Cyclone Narelle’s rare landfall and blood-red sky phenomenon in Western Australia
Consensus Summary
Tropical Cyclone Narelle made historic landfall in Western Australia on 27 March 2013, becoming the first storm in over two decades to strike three Australian regions. Its arrival triggered a dramatic blood-red sky over Shark Bay, caused by iron-rich dust from the Pilbara region stirred into the atmosphere by the cyclone’s winds. Witnesses, including locals like Kerrie Shepherd, described the eerie phenomenon as lasting several hours before clearing with rain. The storm caused widespread destruction, particularly in Exmouth where the airport was obliterated and roofs torn off buildings, while agricultural areas like Carnarvon suffered severe crop losses. Meteorologists confirmed the red sky was a result of the region’s rust-colored soil combined with thick cloud cover blocking sunlight, creating an unusual visual spectacle that gained global attention. While all sources agree on the core event, details like the exact timing of the sky’s transformation and government relief measures vary slightly between reports.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Cyclone Narelle made landfall in Western Australia on 27 March 2013, becoming the first storm in over 20 years to hit three of Australia’s states/territories
- The blood-red sky in Shark Bay was caused by iron-rich dust from the Pilbara/Gascoyne region stirred up by Cyclone Narelle’s winds
- Shark Bay (Denham) saw the eerie red sky around 3:30 PM on 27 March, lasting several hours before clearing with rain
- The red dirt was washed off by Cyclone Narelle’s rainfall, restoring normal conditions
- Exmouth, where Cyclone Narelle made landfall, suffered severe damage including destroyed roofs, marina damage, and airport obliteration
- Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Angus Hines attributed the red sky to iron-rich soil and thick cloud cover blocking sunlight
- Cyclone Narelle caused extensive damage to 30 pastoral properties and disrupted agriculture, particularly banana crops in Carnarvon
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Cyclone Narelle crossed the WA coast on Friday afternoon (27 March) and was the first storm in over 20 years to make landfall in three states/territories
- Video footage from 27 March showed the red sky phenomenon ahead of the cyclone’s arrival
- Kerrie Shepherd from Shark Bay Caravan Park described the sky turning ‘that colour’ (red) at 3:30 PM and clearing within half an hour of wind picking up
- The red sky lasted for several hours, beginning around midday, and was described as ‘apocalyptic-like’ by locals and media
- WA Premier Roger Cook announced one-off payments of $2,000 for major home damage and up to $4,000 for destroyed homes
- A banana grower in Carnarvon reported over 80% of their crop destroyed by the cyclone
- The cyclone-proof evacuation centre in Exmouth had part of its roof peeled back despite sheltering 40 people
- Jessica Lingard (Bureau of Meteorology) stated Narelle ‘whipped up dust from the landscape’ and pushed it through Shark Bay
- Onslow experienced a similar red-dust phenomenon in January 2013 from inland thunderstorms
- The event was described as a ‘perfect combination’ of strong winds, dry ground, and photographic timing
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- Guardian Article 1 states Cyclone Narelle made landfall on Friday afternoon, while Guardian Article 3 does not specify the exact time but implies it was on 27 March (no direct time conflict, but Article 1 adds ‘Friday afternoon’ detail)
- ABC mentions the red sky began around midday and lasted several hours, while Guardian Article 3 does not specify the exact duration beyond ‘several hours’
- ABC reports the red sky cleared ‘within half an hour of wind picking up,’ while Guardian Article 1 does not mention this specific timing
- Guardian Article 1 does not mention the $2,000/$4,000 government payouts for cyclone damage, only ABC does
- Guardian Article 3 does not reference the ‘apocalyptic-like’ or ‘worldwide news’ aspects emphasized by ABC
Source Articles
Apocalyptic scenes from Australia ahead of cyclone make worldwide news
Cyclone Narelle turned the sky over parts of Western Australia's north into an ominous red, sparking headlines across the globe....
How Tropical Cyclone Narelle turned the sky red in Western Australia
Dry ground, iron-rich earth and strong winds combined to create an eerie dust storm that was filmed in Denham Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast The skies of Shark Bay in Wes...
Sky turns blood-red in Western Australia’s Shark Bay before arrival of Cyclone Narelle – video
Footage from 27 March shows a red sky in Western Australia’s Shark Bay ahead of the arrival of a Tropical Cyclone Narelle, partially thanks to copious amounts of iron-rich dirt picked up by the storm ...