Storm system Lincoln, the extreme weather event that has crossed the continent from east to west, is now  striking an expected new course to the southeast, bringing heavy rain and strong winds to WA’s interior.

The system crossed the coast, near Carnarvon in the northwest late on Saturday night as a tropical low.  It was previously forecast to intensify to a category 1 or 2 cyclone however the Bureau of Meteorology downgraded it on Friday.

Although Lincoln didn’t intensify as predicted, it still brought heavy rain and strong winds.

Since 7am on Saturday morning Carnarvon has received 78mm of rain, and at Geraldton wind gusts of up to 76km/h were recorded. Flood watches are in place for the Pilbara, Gascoyne Coast and Central West District Rivers, but severe thunderstorm warnings for parts of the Kimberley have been cancelled.

Evacuation centres have been opened in Carnarvon and Exmouth.

Emergency teams standing by

Urban search and rescue specialists are among the dozens of emergency service personnel deployed to communities likely to be affected.

The Bureau of Meteorology said the system is expected to move south towards WA’s wheatbelt on Sunday before dissipating on Monday.

Rain of up to 50mm is predicted for area’s in Lincoln’s path but there is a chance of severe storms and higher falls.

“The rain moving into these areas, particularly around the wheatbelt will be very welcome for what has been a very hot and very dry summer so far for that part of the country,” senior meteorologist Angus Hines told AAP.

Lincoln crossed the Northern Territory coast from the Gulf of Carpentaria late last week as a category 1 cyclone before moving inland across the Top End and into WA as a storm.

It dumped heavy rain across a wide area triggering flood watches and warnings in northwest Queensland, the NT and northern WA before moving offshore again on Wednesday.

-AAP