Cyclone Errol has intensified to a category four storm overnight off Western Australia’s northern coast and communities along the West Kimberly coast are being advised to prepare. 

Senior meteorologist Angus Hines, told Nine News, that Cyclone Errol is expected to weaken rapidly today, dropping to a category two system before continuing to lose strength over the weekend, but it’s effects are still likely to be felt into Friday.

“While it is forecast to weaken, while doing so, it may bring impacts such as heavy rain, thunderstorms and damaging wind to parts of the Kimberley and Eastern Pilbara over the weekend,” he said.

Over the past 24 hours Tropical Cyclone Errol has been moving in a westerly direction off the northern Kimberley coast, as of 2am(WST) Thursday Errol was 510 km northwest of Broome.

The Bureau of Meteorology warns that if the storm picks up speed, it could bring wind gusts of up to 130 km/h between Cockatoo Island and Beagle Bay late tomorrow, damaging winds may also extend to Broome if the storm shifts south. 

A cyclone watch has been issued by the Bureau for the Kimberley coast stretching from Kuri Bay to Broome.