Zelia was a tropical cyclone over Australia Friday afternoon Australian Western Time, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center said in its latest advisory. The tropical cyclone had sustained wind speeds of 121 miles per hour, which would make it a Category 3 hurricane if it were in the Atlantic Ocean.

Tropical Cyclone Zelia made landfall Friday on Australia's west coast as a Category 4 storm with maximum sustained wind gusts at 180 mph, though minimal damage ensued.

Cyclone Zelia made landfall on the Pilbara coast on Friday, bringing category-four wind and rain to Western Australia.

Cyclone Zelia makes landfall in Western Australia as residents told its ‘too late to evacuate’ - Rapidly intensifying to the highest Category 5 level, Zelia packed wind speeds of up to 290kmph

The storm’s winds equaled those of a Category 4 hurricane, and residents were told to stay indoors to shelter from destructive winds and flooding.

One of the biggest cyclones in years is expected to bring up to 500mm of rain over the weekend, after crossing the WA coastline on Friday as a category 5.

Pilbara Weather Guy’ Damon Knight says a “cleanup operation” is underway in WA after Ex-Tropical Cyclone Zelia made landfall.