Western Australia residents bracing for Cyclone Iggy

Photo / NASA

Residents near Western Australia's Pilbara coast have been warned to brace for destructive gales and flooding as Tropical Cyclone Iggy edges towards the coast.

Winds in excess of 125km/h could hit the Exmouth-Ningaloo region and possibly Onslow on Sunday, the Bureau of Meteorology says.

Iggy is about 400km west-northwest of Exmouth and 640km west of Karratha.

The category 2 cyclone is expected to steadily intensify as it moves to the southeast coast.

Residents in the region between Ningaloo and Mardie, including Exmouth and Onslow, have been warned to expect gales and heavy rain on Saturday night.

Large swells are also expected along the Pilbara and Kimberley coasts.

The strong winds could also reach east as far as Whim Creek, including the Karratha and Dampier region, on Sunday or Monday.

Strong gales are no longer expected at Port Hedland.

The Fire and Emergency Services Authority has warned residents in the midwest Gascoyne and Pilbara regions in coastal areas from Mardie to Coral Bay to prepare their homes and families.

"You should review your family cyclone plan and the community alerts system, and make sure everyone knows what to do," the authority says.

Residents in Karratha and the region south to Paraburdoo, and east to Coral Bay should prepare for possible flooding, it says.

Heavy rainfall generated by Iggy is likely to extend inland to the area bounded by Millstream, Paraburdoo, Lyndon and Minilya over the next few days.

"The heaviest rainfall is likely to be confined to within 100km of the coast," FESA says.

-AAP