A tropical low south of Christmas Island is expected to track close to WA later this week and has a high chance of developing into a cyclone, the Bureau of Meteorology has warned.

The bureau is monitoring three tropical lows in northern Australian waters but says there is a low risk of cyclones developing from systems in the Gulf of Carpentaria and the Coral Sea. 

The system west of Australia in the Indian Ocean may bring strong to gale force winds at Christmas Island today as it travels east-southeast towards the mainland. 

“The most likely scenario is that it may remain offshore, but due to its proximity to the coast, there could be possible impacts along the Pilbara coast on the weekend,” the bureau said. 

A track map shows the low intensifying to category 1 strength by Friday morning as it moves in the general direction of Karratha, with a broad range of pathways possible. 

The northwest WA region between Broome and Exmouth is typically most prone to coastal crossings during the Australian cyclone season, which runs from November 1 to April 30. 

The Australian Reinsurance Pool Corporation has made declarations this season for cyclones Jasper, Anggrek, Kirrily and Lincoln. 

The Insurance Council of Australia declared a catastrophe for Jasper, which brought extensive flooding in Far North Queensland after it dropped below cyclone intensity.