Dominic

History

Tropical Cyclone Dominic was a short-lived system that affected the Pilbara coast of Western Australia during the 2008–09 Australian region cyclone season, a season that ran officially from 1 November 2008 to 30 April 2009 and produced near-average activity. The system began on 22 January, when the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre in Perth identified a tropical low, designated 08U, that had developed over land to the north of Broome in the state's north-west. The United States Joint Typhoon Warning Center assessed the potential for the low to develop into a significant tropical cyclone as good.

As the low tracked towards the coastal waters of the Pilbara, Perth began issuing advisories and, at 11:15 am WST on 25 January, a tropical cyclone warning was put in place for coastal districts stretching from Wickham west to Exmouth. The JTWC followed later the same day with a tropical cyclone formation alert, indicating development was likely within 48 hours. The low was named Dominic on 26 January, and strengthening continued over the following hours, taking it to Category 2 on the Australian scale, which was its peak intensity.

Dominic did not remain offshore for long. Shortly after 7 am WST on the morning of 27 January, the cyclone crossed the coast near Onslow. Interaction with land quickly eroded the system's structure: it was downgraded to Category 1 later that day and then declined further to a tropical low as it moved inland. The JTWC issued its final advisory on Dominic on 27 January, with the weakening system continuing to dissipate over the interior of Western Australia. Warnings for the affected coastal stretch were progressively withdrawn as the threat passed.

Sources: Bureau of Meteorology report Wikipedia