Forecast

Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Tropical Cyclone Advice
Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre

Media: Transmitters serving the area between Birany Birany to north of Numbulwar, are requested to USE the Standard Emergency Warning Signal before broadcasting the following warning.

TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST

TROPICAL CYCLONE ADVICE NUMBER 34
Issued at 04:17 AM CST on Sunday 22 March 2026

Headline:
Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle is crossing the eastern Top End coast near Cape Shield.

Areas Affected:
Warning zone: Milingimbi to Nathan River, including Nhulunbuy, Galiwin'ku, Numbulwar, Alyangula, Gapuwiyak, Bulman, and Ngukurr.

Watch zone: King George River Mouth to the WA/NT Border.

Cancelled zone: None.

Details of Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle 34U at 3:30 am ACST:
Intensity: Category 3, sustained winds near the centre of 120 kilometres per hour with wind gusts to 165 kilometres per hour.
Location: within 30 kilometres of 13.4 degrees South 136.0 degrees East, estimated to be 160 kilometres south southwest of Nhulunbuy and 65 kilometres northwest of Alyangula.
Movement: west southwest at 17 kilometres per hour.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle is crossing the coast of the eastern Top End near Cape Shield to the northwest of Groote Eylandt. Narelle will weaken and track across the Top End on Sunday and Monday as a tropical low and a Severe Weather Warning is current for heavy, locally intense rainfall and damaging winds.
During Monday, Narelle is expected to move over the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf and gales are forecast to redevelop to the north of the centre. There is a Moderate chance that Narelle redevelops into a tropical cyclone while in the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf near the NT/WA Border.

Hazards:
VERY DESTRUCTIVE WINDS with gusts to 170 km/h are occurring close to the core in coastal areas between about Cape Shield and Alyangula.
DESTRUCTIVE WIND GUSTS to 160 km/h are occurring between Birany Birany and Numbulwar.
GALES with DAMAGING WIND GUSTS to 120 km/h are occurring in coastal and adjacent inland areas between Milingimbi and Nathan River, including Nhulunbuy and Galiwin'ku. These GALES may extend west to Bulman, and Ngukurr during Sunday morning.
HEAVY RAINFALL which may lead to FLASH FLOODING is occurring about coastal and adjacent inland areas over the eastern Top End between Milingimbi and Nathan River, and is forecast to extend further inland during Sunday. LOCALLY INTENSE RAINFALL leading to DANGEROUS AND LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODING is likely over the eastern Top End between Birany Birany and Numbulwar, including Groote Eylandt, extending inland towards Bulman later on Sunday.
Tides will be higher than normal between Milingimbi and Nathan River this morning. LARGE WAVES may produce MINOR FLOODING of low-lying coastal areas. A DANGEROUS STORM TIDE between Birany Birany and Port Roper, including Groote Eylandt, is possible as the cyclone centre crosses the coast with DAMAGING WAVES and DANGEROUS FLOODING. A separate coastal hazard warning is current for abnormally high tides south of Port Roper, with elevated water levels likely to persist across the Gulf of Carpentaria after the passage of Narelle.
Western Australia:
GALES with DAMAGING WIND GUSTS to 90 km/h are possible between King George River Mouth and the WA/NT border during Monday.
HEAVY RAINFALL which may lead to FLASH FLOODING is possible for the north Kimberley during Monday.

Recommended Action:
NTES advises:
People between Nhulunbuy and Numbulwar, including Groote Eylandt (Alyangula) and Gapuwiyak, should remain inside until the cyclone has passed and listen to the next advice at 7.30 am.
- Do not venture outside if you find yourself in the eye of the cyclone - very destructive winds from a different direction could resume at any time
- Heed the advice and follow the instructions of Emergency Services personnel and local authorities.
People in remaining areas between Milingimbi and Nathan River, including Numbulwar, Bulman, and Ngukurr, should take precautions and listen to the next advice at 7:30 am.
- Outside property, including boats, playground equipment, chairs and tables should be secured.
- For cyclone preparedness and safety advice, visit the Secure NT website at https://securent.nt.gov.au
- For emergency assistance call the Northern Territory Emergency Service (NTES) on 132 500 (for assistance with storm damage, rising flood water, fallen trees on buildings or roof damage).
DFES advises:
Ensure you know what to do in a cyclone. For the latest DFES community alerts and warnings visit www.emergency.wa.gov.au or download the Emergency WA app.

Cyclone advices and DFES Alerts are available by dialling 13 DFES (13 3337)

A map showing the track of the cyclone is available at:
http://www.bom.gov.au/cyclone

Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Northern Territory

TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST

Severe Weather Warning
for Heavy, Locally Intense Rainfall And Damaging Winds

for Daly and parts of Arnhem, Carpentaria and Gregory districts.

Issued at 10:56 pm Saturday, 21 March 2026.

LOCALLY INTENSE RAINFALL AND DAMAGING WIND GUSTS DEVELOPING OVER THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN TOP END FROM SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

Weather Situation
Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle is approaching the eastern Top End coast and is expected to continue moving steadily west-southwestwards over the next few days. The system is expected to make landfall over the eastern Top End coast overnight tonight into early Sunday morning, before continuing over land across the central Top End while transitioning to a deep tropical low.

Warnings for Saturday 21 March

HEAVY, LOCALLY INTENSE RAINFALL and DAMAGING WINDS for the following areas:
Daly, Arnhem, Carpentaria and Gregory
HEAVY RAINFALL which may lead to FLASH FLOODING is forecast for the central Top End, including Katherine, from early Sunday afternoon, before shifting more into the Daly district from late Sunday. Six-hourly rainfall totals between 80 and 120 mm are likely. 24-hourly rainfall totals between 180 to 230 mm are likely.
Locally INTENSE RAINFALL which may lead to DANGEROUS AND LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODING is also possible north of Katherine from Sunday afternoon with six-hourly rainfall totals up to 180 mm. 24-hourly rainfall totals of around 300 mm are possible.
Localised DAMAGING WIND GUSTS with peak gusts of around 100 km/h are possible in the warning area during Sunday afternoon and evening, particularly in the Carpentaria and Arnhem districts.
A Tropical Cyclone Advice is also current for this system. Flood Watches and Warnings are also current for the area. A separate warning for ABNORMALLY HIGH TIDES is current for parts of the southern Gulf of Carpentaria coast. Please refer to https://www.bom.gov.au/weather-and-climate/warnings-and-alerts/ for more information.
Locations which may be affected include Katherine, Jabiru, Maningrida, Wadeye, Nauiyu and Batchelor.

The Northern Territory Emergency Service advises that people should:
* secure loose outside objects and seek shelter when conditions deteriorate
* pull over if it is raining heavily and you cannot see, park with your hazard lights on until the rain clears
* avoid driving into water of unknown depth and current
* create your own sandbags if there is flooding, by using pillow cases or shopping bags filled with sand and place them around doorways to protect your home
* stay away from flooded drains, rivers, streams and waterways
* ensure pets and animals are safe
* be prepared in case of power outages, have an emergency kit with a radio, torch, spare batteries and first aid kit
* for emergency help in floods, storms and cyclones, contact the NTES on 132 500. For more safety tips visit www.securent.nt.gov.au

The next Severe Weather Warning will be issued by 5:00 am ACST Sunday.
Check https://www.bom.gov.au/weather-and-climate/warnings-and-alerts. Warnings are also available through TV and Radio broadcasts or call 1300 659 210. The Bureau and Northern Territory Emergency Service would appreciate warnings being broadcast regularly.

Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Northern Territory

TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST

Severe Weather Warning
for Heavy, Locally Intense Rainfall And Damaging Winds

for Daly and parts of Arnhem, Carpentaria and Gregory districts.

Issued at 10:56 pm Saturday, 21 March 2026.

LOCALLY INTENSE RAINFALL AND DAMAGING WIND GUSTS DEVELOPING OVER THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN TOP END FROM SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

Weather Situation
Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle is approaching the eastern Top End coast and is expected to continue moving steadily west-southwestwards over the next few days. The system is expected to make landfall over the eastern Top End coast overnight tonight into early Sunday morning, before continuing over land across the central Top End while transitioning to a deep tropical low.

Warnings for Saturday 21 March

HEAVY, LOCALLY INTENSE RAINFALL and DAMAGING WINDS for the following areas:
Daly, Arnhem, Carpentaria and Gregory
HEAVY RAINFALL which may lead to FLASH FLOODING is forecast for the central Top End, including Katherine, from early Sunday afternoon, before shifting more into the Daly district from late Sunday. Six-hourly rainfall totals between 80 and 120 mm are likely. 24-hourly rainfall totals between 180 to 230 mm are likely.
Locally INTENSE RAINFALL which may lead to DANGEROUS AND LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODING is also possible north of Katherine from Sunday afternoon with six-hourly rainfall totals up to 180 mm. 24-hourly rainfall totals of around 300 mm are possible.
Localised DAMAGING WIND GUSTS with peak gusts of around 100 km/h are possible in the warning area during Sunday afternoon and evening, particularly in the Carpentaria and Arnhem districts.
A Tropical Cyclone Advice is also current for this system. Flood Watches and Warnings are also current for the area. A separate warning for ABNORMALLY HIGH TIDES is current for parts of the southern Gulf of Carpentaria coast. Please refer to https://www.bom.gov.au/weather-and-climate/warnings-and-alerts/ for more information.
Locations which may be affected include Katherine, Jabiru, Maningrida, Wadeye, Nauiyu and Batchelor.

The Northern Territory Emergency Service advises that people should:
* secure loose outside objects and seek shelter when conditions deteriorate
* pull over if it is raining heavily and you cannot see, park with your hazard lights on until the rain clears
* avoid driving into water of unknown depth and current
* create your own sandbags if there is flooding, by using pillow cases or shopping bags filled with sand and place them around doorways to protect your home
* stay away from flooded drains, rivers, streams and waterways
* ensure pets and animals are safe
* be prepared in case of power outages, have an emergency kit with a radio, torch, spare batteries and first aid kit
* for emergency help in floods, storms and cyclones, contact the NTES on 132 500. For more safety tips visit www.securent.nt.gov.au

The next Severe Weather Warning will be issued by 5:00 am ACST Sunday.
Check https://www.bom.gov.au/weather-and-climate/warnings-and-alerts. Warnings are also available through TV and Radio broadcasts or call 1300 659 210. The Bureau and Northern Territory Emergency Service would appreciate warnings being broadcast regularly.