Flood Watch Issued for West Kimberley, Sandy Desert, and De Grey River Catchments
This alert is no longer in effect.
BOM issued it on April 6, 2026, 4 months ago. Warnings of this kind stay in effect for hours to a few days, so this page is a historical record of what was issued, not a current warning. For conditions where you are right now, check weather.gov (US), weather.gc.ca (Canada), the Met Office (UK), or the Bureau of Meteorology (Australia).
Areazine synthesizes this BoM weather warning directly from BOM's official public data feed. See our methodology for full source attribution and refresh cadence.
A weak tropical low is expected to bring heavy rainfall and localized flooding to Western Australia's West Kimberley and Pilbara regions, with up to 240 mm of rain possible.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Flood Watch
- Affected area
- Western Australia (West Kimberley and Pilbara)
- Issued
- April 6, 2026
- Issuing authority
- BOM
Flood notices turn on location and timing. Treat the named area as this record's scope; do not assume nearby counties, parishes, or waterways were included.
Record status: historical. It was issued 4 months ago; use the issuing agency's live warning service for current conditions in Western Australia (West Kimberley and Pilbara).
Alert Details
The Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has issued a Flood Watch (IDW39605) for the West Kimberley, Sandy Desert, and De Grey River catchments. This alert provides early advice of possible flooding across parts of the West Kimberley and Pilbara regions due to heavy rainfall associated with a tropical low.
Affected Areas
The watch covers several major catchments and regions in Western Australia, including:
- De Grey River
- West Kimberley Rivers
- Sandy Desert
Specific coastal and near-coastal areas, including the towns of Broome and Derby, are expected to see the highest rainfall totals. Further inland, heavy rain is likely to impact areas where flooding is already occurring.
What You Should Do
Residents and travelers in the warning zones are advised to take the following precautions:
- Do not drive, walk, swim, or play in floodwater, as it is dangerous.
- Stay away from flooded drains, rivers, streams, and waterways.
- Obey all road closure signs and plan travel ahead to avoid flooded roads.
- Monitor the ABC and local media for updates as the situation can change quickly.
- For emergency assistance, contact the SES at 132 500. In life-threatening emergencies, call 000 immediately.
Expected Conditions
A weak tropical low, designated 25U, is currently situated over the southwest Kimberley and is forecast to move west into the Pilbara on Thursday and Friday.
Rainfall Forecasts:
- Coastal Areas (including Broome and Derby): 160 to 240 mm expected over the 48 hours leading into 9:00 AM Thursday.
- Inland Areas: 80 to 120 mm expected over the same 48-hour period.
- Short-term: Up to 50 mm is forecast for the remainder of Tuesday.
Higher isolated rainfall totals are possible in areas affected by thunderstorm activity. Because catchments are already wet from recent rain, these conditions are expected to result in river rises and localized flooding. Some roads may become impassable, potentially isolating communities.
Timeline
The Flood Watch was issued at 11:13 AM AWST on Tuesday, February 17, 2026. The Bureau of Meteorology will continue to monitor the situation closely and will issue specific Flood Warnings as required. The next scheduled Flood Watch update is expected by 12:00 PM AWST on Wednesday, February 18, 2026.
Original source: BOM Official Notice ↗
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