Cyclone Laurence over Northern West Australia on Dec. 17 at 02:00 UTC (9 p.m. ET Dec. 16) as it continued to hug the coast and track west. At 8:00 p.m. local time (7 a.m. ET) December 17, the center of Tropical Cyclone Laurence was about 59 miles (95 kilometers) east of Derby, near 17.4 degrees South and 124.5 degrees East, and moving south at 7 mph (6 kilometers per hour). Estimated minimum central pressure is 993 millibars. Although the center of Tropical Cyclone Laurence has been over land for two days, it’s still holding together and bringing heavy rains and gusty winds to the northern coastal areas of West Australia and will do so into the weekend. Warnings and watches are still in effect in some areas as Laurence will continue moving west before re-entering the Southern Indian Ocean. |
