Forecast

Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Northern Territory

TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST

Severe Weather Warning
for Heavy Rainfall

for parts of Simpson, Lasseter and Tanami districts.

Issued at 4:28 pm Monday, 16 March 2026.

Heavy rainfall occurring through the south.

Weather Situation
A tropical low situated in the southwest of the state is feeding rich tropical moisture along a surface trough to its southeast. An upper trough is moving through southwestern SA. The combination of these two systems will bring the risk of heavy rainfall to southern parts of the state today and into Tuesday morning.
HEAVY RAINFALL for the following areas:
Simpson, Lasseter and Tanami
HEAVY RAINFALL which may lead to FLASH FLOODING is forecast for parts of the Lasseter, Simpson and Tanami. Six-hourly rainfall totals between 50 and 80 mm are likely. 24-hourly rainfall totals between 80 and 120 mm are likely, with falls up to 160 mm possible.
Heavy rainfall is expected to ease in the Tanami district later this evening.
Flood Watches and Warnings are current for the area. Please refer to https://www.bom.gov.au/weather-and-climate/warnings-and-alerts/ for more information.
Locations which may be affected include Yulara, Yuendumu, Kulgera, Papunya, Hermannsburg and Curtin Springs.
71.0 mm was recorded at Yulara in the 6 hours to 3:00 pm.

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 11:00 pm ACST Monday.
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 Rainfall

for parts of Simpson, Lasseter and Tanami districts.

Issued at 4:28 pm Monday, 16 March 2026.

Heavy rainfall occurring through the south.

Weather Situation
A tropical low situated in the southwest of the state is feeding rich tropical moisture along a surface trough to its southeast. An upper trough is moving through southwestern SA. The combination of these two systems will bring the risk of heavy rainfall to southern parts of the state today and into Tuesday morning.
HEAVY RAINFALL for the following areas:
Simpson, Lasseter and Tanami
HEAVY RAINFALL which may lead to FLASH FLOODING is forecast for parts of the Lasseter, Simpson and Tanami. Six-hourly rainfall totals between 50 and 80 mm are likely. 24-hourly rainfall totals between 80 and 120 mm are likely, with falls up to 160 mm possible.
Heavy rainfall is expected to ease in the Tanami district later this evening.
Flood Watches and Warnings are current for the area. Please refer to https://www.bom.gov.au/weather-and-climate/warnings-and-alerts/ for more information.
Locations which may be affected include Yulara, Yuendumu, Kulgera, Papunya, Hermannsburg and Curtin Springs.
71.0 mm was recorded at Yulara in the 6 hours to 3:00 pm.

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 11:00 pm ACST Monday.
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, Australia

Flood Watch For Parts Of The Central, Western And Eastern Inland Areas
Issued at 12:07 PM ACST on Monday 16 March 2026
Flood Watch Number: 20
FLOODING OCCURRING IN PARTS OF FLOOD WATCH AREA WITH FURTHER FLOODING POSSIBLE

Catchments likely to be affected include:
East Kimberley Rivers
Upper Victoria River
Victoria River below Kalkarindji
Fitzmaurice River
Moyle River
Katherine River
Daly River above Douglas River
Lower Daly River
Roper River
Finke River and Stephenson Creek
MacDonnell Ranges
Simpson Desert
Sturt Creek District
Western Desert
Central Desert
Tanami Desert

Flood Warnings are current for the Daly River, Victoria River and Katherine River.
Flooding is no longer expected in the following catchment(s): East Kimberley, Fitzmaurice, Moyle and Roper

For the latest flood and weather warnings see www.bom.gov.au/weather-and-climate/warnings-and-alerts
For the latest rainfall and river level information see www.bom.gov.au/australia/flood

Flood Safety Advice:
Don't drive, walk, swim or play in floodwater because it is dangerous.
Stay away from flooded drains, rivers, streams and waterways.
Obey road closure signs. Plan ahead so you don't drive on flooded roads.
Check the ABC and local media for updates. The situation can change quickly, so stay informed.
For local emergency management warnings and advice visit www.securent.nt.gov.au.}
For emergency assistance call SES on telephone number 132 500. In life-threatening emergencies, call 000 (triple zero) immediately.

Next issue:
The next Flood Watch will be issued by 01:00 PM ACST on Tuesday 17 March 2026.