Tropical Cyclone Narelle intensifies off WA as it continues rare path across Australia

Storm is not likely to make a direct hit on Perth, though the city may experience heavy rainfall on Friday and Saturday

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Tropical Cyclone Narelle was again intensifying into a severe storm off Western Australia’s Kimberley coast on Wednesday with communities in the state’s world heritage-listed Shark Bay preparing for a potential direct hit on Friday night.

Narelle had made a rare trip for a cyclone system by forming in the Coral Sea off Queensland and maintaining structure all the way west to the Indian Ocean, where it was expected to build into a major category four system.