Originating as an area of low pressure on 22 February well to the northwest of the Kimberley region of Western Australia, the precursor to Rusty steadily developed within a favourable environment.

Gradually decreasing surface pressures in the region signaled intensification and the low was classified as Tropical Cyclone Rusty on 23 February.

The cyclone achieved its peak intensity two days later with maximum ten-minute sustained winds of 165 km/h (105 mph) and a barometric pressure of 944 hPa (mbar; 27.88 inHg).

[2] Low to moderate upper-level wind shear and favorable diffluence supported tropical cyclogenesis as the system moved slowly south along the edge of a subtropical ridge.

[4] The BoM similarly classified the system as a tropical cyclone hours later as gale-force winds were observed on Bedout Island.

[5] They consequently assigned it the name Rusty, at which time the cyclone was situated roughly 360 km (220 mi) north of Port Hedland, Western Australia.

[1] A large monsoonal cyclone,[5] Rusty featured an expansive cloud mass with a relatively cloud-free centre spanning 160 km (100 mi).

[17] Around 0900 UTC on 27 February Rusty made landfall near Pardoo Station, roughly 110 km (70 mi) east of Port Hedland, with winds of 130 km/h (80 mph).

[19][20] A combination of increasing shear and land interaction ultimately caused the storm to weaken below cyclone strength early on 28 February, at which time it was situated roughly 70 km (43 mi) southeast of Nullagine.

[1] BHP, Rio Tinto and Fortescue Metals Group temporarily shut down or scaled back all operations in the area.

[27] Coastal areas of Pilbara were placed on red alert on 26 February, meaning residents were on full lock down until the cyclone's passage.

[28] As a preventative measure, a 60 km (37 mi) stretch of the Great Northern Highway between Port Hedland and Sandfire was shut down for several days.

[29] As the remnants of Rusty moved south, flood warnings were raised across the Goldfields-Esperance region by 2 March and flood-prone roads were shut down.

[31] Owing to the slow movement of Rusty, many areas along coastal Pilbara experienced prolonged periods of gale-force winds and heavy rain.

[24] The storm also weakened the seasonal monsoon trough over southern areas of the country in early March, triggering an intense heat wave across the region.

[42] The Australian Energy Market Operator reported record electrical demands across the state of Victoria, with usage reaching more than 9,500 MW on 12 March.

[43] Immediately following Rusty's landfall, the Department of Fire and Emergency Services placed 30 personnel on standby and began aerial surveys to determine if residents needed aid.

[44] Residents in Pilbara were warned of the dangers of asbestos in damaged or destroyed structures in early March as they were allowed to return home.

Unprecedented turbidity from the storm stirred up a large column of nutrients from the seafloor and brought it to the surface, causing the rapid increase in algae.