The third named storm of the 2009–10 Australian region cyclone season, Magda originated from a tropical low near the Indonesian island of Roti on 18 January.

Although the storm made landfall with winds of 130 km/h (81 mph), damage was limited due to the sparsely populated region it struck.

[1] Later that day, the small cyclone underwent a period of rapid intensification as an eye feature became apparent in satellite imagery.

Upon reaching this strength, Magda attained ten-minute sustained winds of 120 km/h (75 mph) and a barometric pressure of 978 mbar (hPa; 28.88 inHg).

[1] As the storm continued to near landfall in Australia, it re-intensified as deep convection redeveloped over its centre, combined with the formation of an eye.

The system made its second landfall near Kuri Bay, a remote area in the Kimberley region, at peak strength before it began to weaken.

[1] Early on 22 January, the storm briefly moved back over water, having weakened slightly, before making another landfall east of the Buccaneer Archipelago with winds of 110 km/h (68 mph).

Once the trough which initially steered Magda into Western Australia relaxed, the system slowly turned towards the south-southwest before fully dissipating early on 24 January east of Port Hedland.

[1] As Cyclone Magda approached the Western Australian coastline, severe weather warnings were issued for parts of the Kimberley region.

A mining company, working in Mount Gibson on Koolan Island, evacuated 228 employees due to the threat of the cyclone.