UPDATE: Tropical Cyclone Joyce was about 140km north northwest of Broome and 140km west southwest of Cape Leveque at 9am Thursday, moving southwest at 6km/h.

The cyclone could cross the coast with gusts in excess of 165km/h.

Communities in the north of Western Australia are preparing for Cyclone Joyce. Credit:Beau Jenkin

BOM spokesman David Farr said there was a risk of gales as it followed the coast through Broome today, to Pardoo tomorrow and potentially in the next day or two Port Hedland.

"There is always a bit of uncertainty with forecasting the intensity of a system, but given the path that it's taking and the time over water that it has, we do think that there's a good chance it could reach Category three, a severe tropical cyclone," Mr Farr said.