Satellite images have shown the enormity of Tropical Cyclone Narelle as it has created a rare path of destruction across Australia, landing in three different states and territories within a single week.

Tropical Cyclone Narelle was first spotted in the Coral Sea on 16 March 2026 before rapidly developing as it was heading towards the Queensland coast.

On 19 March 2026, images captured by the NASA/NOAA satellite’s VIIRS instrument aboard the NOAA 21 satellite showed the enormity of the cyclone’s.

Cloud bands spinning across the Coral Sea, resembling a tightly wrapped vortex that resembled a large white pinwheel stamped across the sea from hundreds of kilometres above the Earth’s surface.

The sea surface temperature along the path of the tropical cyclone ranged from 0.5 to 1.0 °C above average, which assisted in the rapid development of the cyclone.

It eventually became a Category 5 tropical cyclone on the Australian tropical cyclone intensity scale, with winds reaching a maximum of 225 km/h, before it made landfall in Queensland on 20 March.

What transpired next was what made Narelle so unique and visually arresting from orbit.

It is incredibly uncommon for a single storm to affect three Australian jurisdictions.

The cyclone swept across the Top End before reemerging on March 21 to hit the Northern Territory and Western Australia.

A storm that refused to die

The Earth data platform, run by NASA, had posted an animated image using brightness temperature data from NOAA 20, showing the structure of Narelle in dark purple colors as it moved across the continent from 19th to 27th March.

The images tracked its movement from the warm waters of the Coral Sea, through the Gulf of Carpentaria and out across the Indian Ocean off the Pilbara coast of Western Australia.

The storm had weakened as it crossed the land but strengthened again as it passed through the eastern Indian Ocean, reaching category 3 strength on the 25th of March before intensifying further to category 4 as it approached the North West Cape region of Western Australia.

The storm finally made landfall on the southern side of Coral Bay, Western Australia, approximately 9:30 am on the 27th of March, as a category 3 storm, with gusts reaching up to 195 kilometers per hour.

During Narelle’s journey, large portions of the Northern Territory received more than 100 millimeters of rain, exacerbating an already dire wet season.

The satellite image of Narelle provides more than just visual interest.

The satellite, along with the VIIRS satellite, was able to track not only the form but also the rainfall intensity of the cyclone in real time, using the satellite data from the NASA satellite, the Global Precipitation Measurement satellite.

As of late on the 27th of March, the cyclone had started to turn southerly, weakening rapidly as it moved into the land east of Perth changing into a mid latitude cyclone.

The satellite images, however will be remembered for the power and the relentlessness of one tropical cyclone.

Tropical Cyclone Narelle is intensifying over the Indian Ocean and is moving towards a possible crossing of the coast in WA Gascoyne region, with the prediction Perth could expect between 50 and 100 mm of rain as the storm barrels south over the weekend.

Currently, as of Wednesday morning, Tropical Cyclone Narelle has strengthened back to category one strength and is positioned just over 200 kilometres northwest of Broome, moving in a southwest direction at 20 km/h.

However, the Bureau of Meteorology is predicting that by Wednesday evening, the storm will have strengthened to category two.

Severe category three by Thursday morning and by the end of Thursday, a category four storm with wind gusts exceeding 260 km/h will be possible.

Narelle, a severe category three cyclone, is expected to turn south on Friday and cross the coast between Carnarvon and Kalbarri in the early hours of Saturday, most likely close to Shark Bay and Denham.

After that, it is anticipated that the system will push inland, cross the Wheatbelt to the south, pass east of Perth and then proceed toward the Esperance coast.

The Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Angus Hines stated in his Wednesday update that the heaviest rainfall is expected between Geraldton and Bunbury, and this would include Perth.

He also stated that there would be an amount of 50 to 100 millimeters of rain in these areas. This amount of rain would be ample to cause flash flooding and rivers to burst their banks.

The weather in Perth is set to deteriorate from Friday with rain and storms developing before Narelle arrives.

However, by the time Narelle reaches Perth, it may have weakened to a category one cyclone or be a tropical low.

Narelle has had an incredible journey across Australia. Before making landfall in far north Queensland on March 20 as a category four cyclone, the system first developed over the Coral Sea in mid-March and quickly strengthened to category five.

However, the system weakened to a tropical low over land before moving into WA’s Kimberley region and then offshore to gather strength from the warm waters.

“It is the first occasion since Tropical Cyclone Ingrid in 2005 where a tropical system has affected Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia.”

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In the more immediate term, the Pilbara coast is the area worst affected over the next 48 hours.

Destructive wind gusts of up to 140 km/h are possible between Karratha and Coral Bay this week, as well as large waves and abnormally high tides.

Emergency officials are already advising residents from the Pilbara region down to Perth to monitor the situation closely and to stay in touch with the State Emergency Service as the situation develops.

A standard firearms operation in Perth’s eastern suburbs has turned into a major criminal investigation after bomb squad detectives discovered a number of suspected explosive devices at a High Wycombe home.

Media reports indicate that detectives from the bomb squad, who had attended the High Wycombe home to suspend a firearm license and seize firearms, discovered the devices.

It is alleged that the devices were discovered at an address on Edward Road, High Wycombe.

Media reports from the High Wycombe area indicate that Bomb Response Unit detectives were called to the scene after bomb squad detectives discovered the devices.

A 42 year old man associated with the High Wycombe address is said to face a number of charges.

Police, however, have not indicated a detailed outline of the charges based on the material that was available online.

There was also no indication from reports that any person was injured during the incident.

What can, however, be said with certainty is that a new dimension has been added to a standard firearm investigation that was initially routine.

Case will undoubtedly serve to highlight the issue of firearms control in Western Australia, where there has been a tougher approach to firearms control.

The case will also come at a time when another alleged incident of an explosive device occurred in Perth, which received national attention.

However, there is nothing from the reporting to indicate any connection to the High Wycombe investigation.

For the authorities, the next step will be to determine the nature of the alleged devices and whether charges will be pressed in the coming days.

In the Perth east, the raid will have served to highlight the fact that even a targeted firearms raid can lead to something much more sinister behind the front door.