Fierce winds as Cyclone Blanche nears Western Australia

Wind gusts up to 150km/h are expected to lash part of Western Australia’s northern coast as Cyclone Blanche continues its southwest journey.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) said gusts up to 120km/h are developing between the border of the Northern Territory and Western Australia as the cyclone moves southwest.

Cyclone Blanche, which is now a category two system, will cross the Kimberley coast later today, BoM advised.

Winds could reach a destructive 150km/h between Kalumburu and Wyndam, with residents there warned to prepare to take shelter.

Gales may pick up between the Northern Territory’s Wadeye and the state border if the cyclone moves in a more westerly direction.Heavy rain is also expected to continue between the Top End and the Kimberley.

Earlier Darwin, which was under warning yesterday, was spared the worst of Blanche, with shelters set up in the city since closed.

The Top End still copped big downpours and strong winds, including damaging gusts up to 95km/h along the Northern Territory's Bathurst Island coasts, where a record 383mm of rain fell.

Cyclone Blanche formed as a category one system yesterday morning south of the Tiwi Islands and has been heading southwest since.