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Tropical Cyclone Narelle traveled a very strange path across northern Australia. This huge storm system brought strong winds and heavy rain to areas that were already very wet. Between March 20 and March 23, 2026, Narelle made landfall in three different states and territories. This sequence was very rare for the continent, as cyclones usually do not strike the mainland more than once.
Satellite images captured the storm at 2 p.m. local time on March 19. The pictures showed Narelle ready to make its first and strongest landfall. The storm grew very powerful while moving over the Coral Sea. Experts noticed that the sea surface temperatures were 0.5 to 1.0 degrees Celsius above average. These warmer waters gave the storm extra energy, helping the system grow stronger very quickly.
As Narelle moved toward Queensland, it became even stronger, reaching Category 5 on Australia's tropical cyclone scale. This scale measures wind speed and the danger of damage. At its peak, the storm had maximum sustained winds of 225 kilometers per hour (about 140 miles per hour). These wind speeds are comparable to a Category 4 hurricane in the Atlantic. However, Narelle was a compact storm; because it was small, the strongest winds stayed close to the center. Narelle finally hit the Cape York Peninsula on the morning of March 20. This area in northern Queensland is not very populated.
After hitting Queensland, Narelle weakened slightly before crossing the Gulf of Carpentaria. The storm re-entered the water as a less intense cyclone. Wind speeds continued to drop as the system approached the Northern Territory coast. The storm made its second landfall on the afternoon of March 21, with maximum sustained winds up to 148 kilometers per hour (92 miles per hour). After landing, the storm traveled across the "Top End" of the territory until March 22.
The rain from Narelle was very heavy over a wide area of the Northern Territory. Reports indicated that more than 100 millimeters (4 inches) of rain fell. The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) in Australia warned of minor to major flooding for several rivers. The storm arrived during a severe wet season that had already caused damaging floods. These earlier events forced evacuations in many communities before Narelle even arrived.
Once the storm left the Northern Territory, it crossed the water again, reaching the northern Kimberley region of Western Australia as a tropical low on March 23. Even after striking northern Australia multiple times, the storm had not dissipated completely. On March 23, the BOM stated that Narelle could potentially strengthen again off the coast of Western Australia. If this occurred, the storm might turn south, tracking along the coastline toward the major city of Perth. This possibility highlighted how unpredictable the system was.
Cyclones that hit the Australian mainland several times are rare, though not impossible. In 2005, a storm named Ingrid followed a similar path, making landfall three times as well. However, there was a key difference between the two events: Ingrid made landfall each time as a Category 3 tropical cyclone or higher, whereas Narelle weakened significantly between its strikes. Yet, Narelle also retained the potential to regain strength.
The images of this event were taken by the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS). These instruments were aboard the NOAA-21 satellite, which orbits the Earth and provides detailed views of weather patterns. The data used to create these images came from the NASA EOSDIS LANCE system and the Joint Polar Satellite System. The story was written by Lindsey Doermann, and the images were provided by the NASA Earth Observatory.
The path of Narelle demonstrates how complex tropical weather can be. Warm ocean waters, atmospheric conditions, and the shape of the land all interact in unique ways. For Narelle, above-average sea temperatures and a favorable atmospheric environment allowed it to maintain strength long enough to cross the continent. Its compact size meant the area with the highest winds was smaller than in many other major storms, a factor crucial for understanding risks to different communities.
The warnings from the Bureau of Meteorology were vital for public safety. By predicting flooding and the storm's path, officials could prepare communities effectively. The region was already saturated with water from earlier rains, meaning even moderate rainfall could trigger dangerous floods. This explains why the BOM took the storm so seriously, remaining concerned even as wind speeds dropped after the first landfall.
The possibility of Narelle strengthening again off Western Australia added further complexity to the situation. Had it intensified, it would have posed a new threat to the coast. The potential trajectory toward Perth meant residents there needed to stay alert, underscoring why meteorologists must monitor storms continuously. They utilize data from satellites like NOAA-21 to track changes in real time.
Understanding these events helps scientists improve their forecasting models. By studying storms like Narelle and Ingrid, researchers can better predict tropical cyclones. The data reveals how sea surface temperatures affect storm strength and how storms interact with land—sometimes weakening but occasionally recovering. As the world monitors climate patterns, storms like Narelle remind us of nature's power while highlighting the critical role of modern technology. Without satellite data and advanced imaging, tracking such complex events would be significantly harder. The work of the teams behind these images ensures this vital data is available to everyone. Narelle is a unique story of how science and preparation work together to save lives.