Tropical cyclone Luana forms northwest of Broome

Tropical Cyclone Luana formed northwest of Broome on Saturday morning, with destructive winds, heavy rain, large waves and storm surge to impact the west Kimberley coast.

At 2am AWST on Saturday, Tropical Cyclone Luana formed as a category 1 system located around 265 km to the north northwest of Broome, with sustained wind speeds of 75 km/h and gusts of 100 km/h near its centre.

Infrared satellite image showing Tropical Cyclone Luana northwest of Broome early on Saturday morning, January 24, 2026
Image: Infrared satellite imagery showing Luana intensifying northwest of Broome early on Saturday morning, January 24, 2026.

Destructive winds, damaging surf and dangerous storm surge for the Kimberley

Luana is expected to intensify further into a category 2 system before crossing the Kimberley coast on Saturday afternoon. Landfall is expected over Cape Leveque, most likely between Beagle Bay and Cockatoo Island.

Destructive wind gusts reaching 155 km/h are possible near the system centre, with a broader area of gales extending between Beagle Bay and Kuri Bay, and south to Derby. Damaging waves and dangerous storm surge are also warned by the Bureau of Meteorology for King Sound as the system crosses over the sound on Saturday, leading to significantly higher than normal high tides.

Flooding rainfall to spread south across WA’s interior

As the system weakens following landfall, heavy and widespread rainfall is expected to move inland across WA’s interior.

Image: Forecast rainfall accumulations over the next 7 days across WA, showing the track of the tropical system as it transitions over land and brings flooding rain.

The active 2025-26 Australian tropical cyclone continues

Luana is now the eighth tropical cyclone of the 2025-26 Australian tropical cyclone season. The previous seven systems were:

Severe Tropical Cyclone Fina

Severe Tropical Cyclone Bakung

Tropical Cyclone Grant

Severe Tropical Cyclone Hayley

Tropical Cyclone Iggy

Severe Tropical Cyclone Jenna

Tropical Cyclone Koji

The likely landfall of Luana in the next 24 hours would also make it the fourth cyclone to cross the Australian coastline this season after Fina, Hayley and Koji. Severe Tropical Cyclone Hayley also made it’s coastal crossing along the Cape Leveque peninsula, in an area that is likely to be affected again by Tropical Cyclone Luana.

Keep track of the latest advisory and track map on the Weatherzone Tropical Cyclone page.