Cyclone season taking off!!

----URGENT UPDATE - TROPICAL CYCLONE BIANCA HEADING TO PERTH----

We're in the guts of the official Australian cyclone season, and so far we've had 7 tropical cyclones in Australian waters with the most recent being Bianca off the WA coast. Cyclones Vania and Wilma didn't make the count since they were officially out of Australian waters but they impacted our eastern seaboard with powerful swell.

This week is particularly active in Australian waters with three systems that I'm watching closely:

----A dramatic change in the movement and intensity of Bianca is expected. See below----

Bianca formed early on Australia Day, reaching Severe Tropical Cyclone status on Thursday 27th January when it became a category 3 system. Bianca now lies off the WA coast and continues to move in a south-westerly direction away from the coast. Bianca is forecast to gradually weaken as it takes up a southerly track overnight on Friday, changing to a south-easterly direction on Saturday. Early on Sunday Bianca is expected to reach the southwest corner of WA and could maintain Tropical Cyclone strength as it makes landfall. If this situation eventuates, damaging winds up to 120km/h may occur between Jurien Bay and Albany. Ocean conditions will also become dangerous. A cyclone watch is currently in effect for this region.

Anthony has re-developed into a Categoty 1 Tropical Cyclone and is situated in the central Coral Sea. It's expected to take a more N/NW track and could make a coastal crossing between Mackay and Cooktown late Sunday/early Monday.

Wilma is a category 3 Severe Tropical Cyclone well offshore near Norfolk Island and will only have a an indirect impact on Australia in terms of generating powerful swell to the eastern seaboard this weekend. Waves won't necessarily be massive but the swell will be powerful and energetic making for dangerous surf, beach and fishing conditions.