Tracing Tropical Cyclone Narelle’s ‘very unusual’ path to hit Australia on three coastlines

A tracking map shows the path of Tropical Cyclone Narelle across Australia and over WA. Photograph: Guardian Australia

When it crossed the Western Australian coast on Friday afternoon, Tropical Cyclone Narelle became the first storm system in over 20 years to make landfall in three of Australia’s states and territories.

In the preceding week, the severe storm has pummelled communities across far north Queensland and the Northern Territory.