Western Australia's remote is bracing for Tropical Cyclone Joyce amid initial fears it would grow into an even more severe storm off the west Kimberley coast.
A red alert has been issued for areas south of Broome to the Aboriginal community of Bidyadanga in the Kimberley, with people urged to take shelter and stay away from doors and windows.
"There is a threat to lives and homes. You are in danger and need to act immediately," the alert from Emergency WA states.
There is also a yellow alert to prepare to take shelter for areas from Beagle Bay down to Broome, and for areas south of Bidyadanga to Wallal.
Joyce was declared a category one cyclone on Thursday morning with winds of 65kmh, and had been forecast to grow to a far more dangerous category three on Friday with winds up to 180kmh.
But the Bureau of Meteorology now says Joyce is expected to cross the Kimberley coast as a category one cyclone.
"It's passed Bidyadanga, but sitting near the coast it means that it hasn't strengthened overnight," forecaster Craig Earl-Spurr told the ABC.
"So the good thing about it getting to the coast a bit sooner is that it has less time to develop and we don't expect to see any impacts greater than a category one".
It is the region's second cyclone in a fortnight after Tropical Cyclone Hilda hit the Broome area.
Tropical cyclone Joyce, Western Australia. Source: Bureau of Meteorology
Joyce was declared a category one cyclone on Thursday morning with winds of 65kmh.
Department of Fire and Emergency Services regional head Glenn Hall on Thursday ordered the closure of the Great Northern Highway between Port Hedland and Broome for 36 to 48 hours.
Emergency crews have been sent to Broome from Perth while an evacuation centre set up is already providing shelter for almost 150 people.
