Narelle

Tropical Cyclone Narelle, a severe weather event, impacted Australia in late March 2026. The cyclone is considered unusual due to its longevity and multiple land impacts, with winds exceeding 250 km/h. Narelle is newsworthy due to its widespread effects, including significant wildlife mortality along the Western Australian coastline, particularly affecting turtles, dolphins, and seabirds. The cyclone also caused dramatic red skies in areas like Shark Bay due to dust rich in iron oxide. Furthermore, Narelle disrupted natural gas production, causing shutdowns at major LNG facilities like Gorgon, Wheatstone, and Karratha, adding pressure to already fragile energy markets. Initially a category four storm, Narelle weakened to a tropical low but still brought heavy rain and flooding to parts of the Northern Territory and Queensland. The storm's rare crossing of the continent and its diverse impacts across multiple sectors make it a significant event.