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Major Hurricane Narelle Track Map & Archive

Dissipated

Local time · Active from 17 Mar 2026 10:00 GMT+10 to 28 Mar 2026 14:00 GMT+8

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Estimated Storm Impact Analysis

Real-time analysis of population and infrastructure exposure within the storm's wind field.

Radius: ~600 km
👥 Estimated Population at Risk
13.84Mpeople
🏥 Hospitals & Medical Centers
252facilities
🏕️ Evacuation Shelters & Centers
769centers
🏫 Schools & Critical Infrastructure
1846buildings

Basic Information

Peak Category

Tropical Depression

Minimum Pressure

933 hPa

Maximum Wind Speed

227 km/h

Region

South Pacific

Key Events

Formation

17 Mar 2026 10:00 GMT+10

-12.3°N, 156.6°E

Dissipation

28 Mar 2026 14:00 GMT+8

-32.3°N, 119.0°E

Frequently Asked Questions about Narelle

No, Narelle is no longer active. It dissipated or transitioned into an extratropical cyclone on 2026-03-28T06:00:00.000Z.
Narelle formed on 2026-03-17T00:00:00.000Z and dissipated on 2026-03-28T06:00:00.000Z, reaching a peak intensity of tropical_depression.

Storm Timeline

Narelle at 32.3°S, 119.0°E as Tropical Depression with winds of 50 km/h (31 mph)

Narelle at 31.2°S, 118.1°E as Tropical Depression with winds of 58 km/h (36 mph)

Narelle at 30.0°S, 117.2°E as Tropical Storm with winds of 65 km/h (40 mph)

Narelle at 28.5°S, 116.2°E as Tropical Storm with winds of 68 km/h (42 mph)

Narelle at 27.1°S, 115.3°E as Tropical Storm with winds of 72 km/h (45 mph)

Narelle at 26.2°S, 114.6°E as Tropical Storm with winds of 94 km/h (58 mph)

Narelle at 25.4°S, 114.2°E as Category 1 with winds of 115 km/h (71 mph)

Narelle at 24.5°S, 113.9°E as Category 1 (equivalent to Category 1 Hurricane) with winds of 137 km/h (85 mph)

Narelle at 23.6°S, 113.7°E as Category 2 (equivalent to Category 2 Hurricane) with winds of 155 km/h (96 mph)

Narelle at 23.0°S, 113.6°E as Category 2 (equivalent to Category 2 Hurricane) with winds of 169 km/h (105 mph)

Narelle’s Historic Three-Coast Crossing Matches Cyclone Ingrid’s 2005 Record

Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle formed from Tropical Low 34U near the southern Solomon Islands region on 15 March 2026 and was named a tropical cyclone on 17 March. Narelle reached category 5 intensity on 19 March with maximum 10-minute mean winds of 115 kn (215 km/h). The cyclone crossed the Far North Queensland coast, Northern Territory coast and Western Australia coast during its March 2026 lifecycle. Narelle weakened and dissipated on 28 March after tracking from the Coral Sea region across northern Australia and into southern waters.

Coral Sea Formation: Tropical Low 34U’s Rapid Rise to Category 5 Intensity

Tropical Low 34U developed near the southern Solomon Islands region on 15 March 2026 and moved generally westward over the following days. The system strengthened into Tropical Cyclone Narelle on 17 March while positioned east of Queensland, beginning a period of intensification over warm tropical waters.

Narelle strengthened quickly after formation. By 17 March, the cyclone had reached category 1 intensity with maximum 10-minute mean winds of 64 kn (118 km/h). On 18 March, the system intensified further to category 3 with winds reaching 99 kn (183 km/h) as it moved westward toward northern Queensland waters.

On 19 March, Narelle reached its first peak intensity near the coast of Far North Queensland. The cyclone attained category 5 intensity under the Australian tropical cyclone classification, with maximum 10-minute mean winds of 115 kn (215 km/h). The peak position was recorded near 13.6°S, 146.5°E before the system began approaching land.

Narelle crossed the Far North Queensland coast between Coen and Lockhart River on the morning of 20 March while maintaining category 4 intensity. Strong winds affected Cape York Peninsula communities, with trees and branches brought down, power outages reported, and minor building damage recorded. Lockhart River observed the strongest reported gust during the Queensland crossing, reaching 62 kn (115 km/h).

Heavy rainfall accompanied the coastal crossing, causing flooding of roads and properties in affected areas. After moving over Cape York Peninsula, Narelle weakened while continuing westward toward the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Cape York Peninsula to Northern Territory: Rainfall Impacts Across Flood-Affected Catchments

After crossing Cape York Peninsula, Narelle entered the Gulf of Carpentaria and maintained a westward track. The cyclone weakened over land but retained a broad circulation before moving across northern Australia toward the Northern Territory.

Narelle approached the Northern Territory coast on 22 March as a category 3 system. The cyclone crossed the coast between Nhulunbuy and Groote Eylandt, bringing strong winds and heavy rainfall to parts of the Top End of the Northern Territory.

Wind impacts in the Northern Territory were mainly associated with fallen trees, damaged vegetation and power interruptions. The strongest recorded gust during this phase reached 49 kn (91 km/h) at Ngayawili.

The system weakened below tropical cyclone intensity after moving inland across the Northern Territory, but its rainfall continued to affect already saturated catchments. The Daly River region received additional heavy rainfall after experiencing significant flooding in previous weeks, increasing pressure on local river systems and low-lying areas.

Narelle then moved across Joseph Bonaparte Gulf and northern Kimberley areas. The remaining tropical low crossed northern Western Australia before moving offshore again on 24 March, allowing the system to regain tropical cyclone characteristics.

Kimberley to Pilbara Coast: Narelle’s Category 3 Return Over Open Water

Narelle redeveloped into a tropical cyclone northwest of Broome on 25 March after moving back over open water. The cyclone strengthened while traveling west-southwest parallel to the Pilbara coast of Western Australia.

Later on 25 March, Narelle reached category 3 intensity north of Port Hedland. The cyclone recorded maximum 10-minute mean winds of 105 kn (194 km/h) during this strengthening phase.

The storm developed a large circulation area, allowing strong winds to extend well beyond the cyclone center. Coastal locations east of Onslow experienced prolonged periods of gale-force and storm-force winds as Narelle moved parallel to the Pilbara coastline.

The cyclone affected regional operations, including port, airport and industrial activities. Coastal authorities monitored marine conditions and wind impacts as the system approached the western Pilbara region.

On 26 March, Narelle turned southwest and moved closer to the west Pilbara coast. The cyclone reached its final peak intensity during this period, maintaining category 3 strength with maximum 10-minute mean winds of 85 kn (155 km/h).

Western Australia Coast to Southern Waters: The Final Weakening of Narelle

After reaching its final category 3 peak near Western Australia, Narelle began weakening while moving southward. The cyclone gradually lost tropical characteristics as environmental conditions changed and land interaction continued.

By 27 March, Narelle had weakened to category 1 intensity, with maximum 10-minute mean winds of 64 kn (118 km/h). The system continued moving southward across Western Australia before weakening into a tropical depression on 28 March.

The final position recorded for Narelle was near 32.3°S, 119.0°E at 06:00 UTC on 28 March 2026. At that time, maximum winds had decreased to 29 kn (53 km/h), marking the end of the cyclone lifecycle.