Category 2 Cyclone Dominic washed ashore in Western Australia on January 27, 2009. The storm brought heavy rain that caused flash flooding. Ports along the coast were closed in anticipation of the storm.
This image of Cyclone Dominic was captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite on January 27. By the time of this image, the storm was over land, and it had lost virtually all traces of the classic cyclone appearance, lacking a well-defined eye and bands of spiraling clouds. However, it was still capable of inflicting damage, with torrential rains and gusty winds, and forecasters were warning residents of Western Australia about the risks of driving on flooded roadways.
NASA image created by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of the MODIS Rapid Response team. Caption by Rebecca Lindsey.