Forecast

Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Queensland

Marine Wind Warning Summary for Queensland

Issued at 09:00 PM EST on Friday 20 March 2026
for the period until midnight EST Saturday 21 March 2026

Wind Warnings for Friday 20 March
Storm Force Wind Warning for the following areas:
North East Gulf of Carpentaria
Gale Warning for the following areas:
South East Gulf of Carpentaria
Strong Wind Warning for the following areas:
Torres Strait and Peninsula Coast
Cancellation for the following areas:
Cooktown Coast

Wind Warnings for Saturday 21 March
Hurricane Force Wind Warning for the following areas:
South East Gulf of Carpentaria and North East Gulf of Carpentaria
Strong Wind Warning for the following areas:
Torres Strait

The next marine wind warning summary will be issued by 3:00 am EST Saturday.
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Check the latest Coastal Waters Forecast or Local
Waters Forecast at http://www.bom.gov.au/qld/forecasts/map.shtml for information on wind,
wave and weather conditions for these coastal zones.
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Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Tropical Cyclone Advice
Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre

Media: Transmitters serving the area between Weipa and Aurukun and adjacent inland areas are requested to USE the Standard Emergency Warning Signal before broadcasting the following warning.

TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST

TROPICAL CYCLONE ADVICE NUMBER 23
Issued at 08:00 PM EST on Friday 20 March 2026

Headline:
Tropical Cyclone Narelle impacting western Cape York Peninsula tonight and eastern Northern Territory late Saturday.

Areas Affected:
Warning zone: QUEENSLAND. Western Cape York Peninsula between Mapoon and Pormpuraaw, including Weipa and Aurukun. NORTHERN TERRITORY. Nhulunbuy to Port McArthur, including Borroloola, Numbulwar, Alyangula, and Gapuwiyak.

Watch zone: NORTHERN TERRITORY. Extending west to include Ramingining, Bulman, and Ngukurr.

Cancelled zone: Central Cape York Peninsula east of Weipa.

Details of Tropical Cyclone Narelle 34U at 7:00 pm AEST:
Intensity: Category 2, sustained winds near the centre of 95 kilometres per hour with wind gusts to 130 kilometres per hour.
Location: within 30 kilometres of 13.4 degrees South 141.8 degrees East, estimated to be 10 kilometres east southeast of Aurukun and 580 kilometres east of Alyangula.
Movement: west at 16 kilometres per hour.
Tropical Cyclone Narelle is moving westwards, near Aurukun, on the western Cape York Peninsula where impacts are expected over the next few hours. Narelle is then forecast to move quickly through the Gulf of Carpentaria overnight and through Saturday, strengthening again to a severe tropical cyclone.
Narelle is expected to approach the northeast parts the Northern Territory during Saturday. It is forecast to cross the eastern Top End coast overnight Saturday or early Sunday morning, most likely between Birany Birany and Ngukurr, as a severe tropical cyclone. Narelle will then weaken as it moves inland across the Top End on Sunday and Monday.

Hazards:
Queensland
DESTRUCTIVE WIND GUSTS to 130 km/h are likely near the centre of Narelle, including the Aurukun area, as it moves west into the Gulf of Carpentaria over the next few hours.
Gales with DAMAGING WIND GUSTS to 120 km/h are likely between Weipa and Cape Keerweer as Narelle moves into the Gulf of Carpentaria this afternoon and evening. These DAMAGING WIND GUSTS may extend to coastal areas between Mapoon and Pormpuraaw later tonight depending on the movement and development of Narelle in the Gulf.
HEAVY RAINFALL which may lead to FLASH FLOODING, with LOCALLY INTENSE RAINFALL, is likely to continue in the western half of Cape York Peninsula between Pormpuraaw and Mapoon this evening.
Once Narelle moves into the Gulf of Carpentaria, tides on the western Peninsula between Weipa and Kowanyama may be higher than normal. LARGE WAVES may produce MINOR FLOODING of low-lying coastal areas.
Northern Territory
VERY DESTRUCTIVE WINDS with gusts to 195 km/h are forecast to develop in coastal areas between about Birany Birany and Numbulwar, including Groote Eylandt, Saturday evening and overnight into Sunday as Narelle approaches from the east.
DESTRUCTIVE WIND GUSTS to 160 km/h are forecast to develop between Birany Birany and Numbulwar, including Groote Eylandt from later Saturday afternoon and possibly extending to be between south of Nhulunbuy to Nathan River overnight Saturday or Sunday morning depending on the movement of Narelle.
GALES with DAMAGING WIND GUSTS to 120 km/h are forecast to develop in coastal and adjacent inland areas between Gapuwiyak and Port McArthur, including Nhulunbuy and Borroloola, from Saturday afternoon and overnight into Sunday. These GALES may extend west to Ramingining, Bulman, and Ngukurr on Sunday.
HEAVY RAINFALL which may lead to FLASH FLOODING is likely to develop for coastal and adjacent inland areas over the eastern Top End between Port McArthur and south of Nhulunbuy from Saturday afternoon. LOCALLY INTENSE RAINFALL leading to DANGEROUS AND LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODING is likely over the eastern Top End between Numbulwar and Birany Birany, including Groote Eylandt, during Saturday afternoon and evening
Tides will be higher than normal between Nhulunbuy and Port McArthur later Saturday and Sunday. LARGE WAVES may produce MINOR FLOODING of low-lying coastal areas. A potentially DANGEROUS STORM TIDE between Alyangula and Port Roper is possible as the cyclone centre crosses the coast with DAMAGING WAVES and DANGEROUS FLOODING.

Recommended Action:
Queensland:
- People in the path of the cyclone should stay calm and remain in a secure shelter - above the expected water level - while the destructive winds continue.
- Do not venture outside if you find yourself in the eye of the cyclone - destructive winds from a different direction could resume at any time.
- There may be powerlines down, broken glass and other hazards.
- Follow the instructions and advice of Police, Emergency Services personnel and local authorities.
- Stay informed by checking your local government s Disaster Dashboards for the latest updates.
IF YOUR LIFE IS IN DANGER PHONE TRIPLE ZERO (000) IMMEDIATELY.
- For cyclone preparedness and safety advice, visit the Get Ready Queensland website www.getready.qld.gov.au
- For non-life threatening emergency assistance contact State Emergency Services (SES) online via the SES Assistance QLD App, Apple , Android, online www.132500.qld.gov.au, or call 132 500 from anywhere in Queensland.
Northern Territory:
NTES advises:
People between Nhulunbuy and Port McArthur, including Borroloola, Numbulwar, Alyangula, and Gapuwiyak, should immediately commence or continue preparations, especially securing boats and property.
People further west incuding Ramingining, Bulman, and Ngukurr, should consider what action they will need to take if the cyclone threat increases.
- For cyclone preparedness and safety advice, visit the Secure NT website at http://www.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).

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

Tropical Cyclone Technical Bulletin: AUSTRALIA - Queensland
Issued by Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNING CENTRE
at: 0708 UTC 20/03/2026
Name: Tropical Cyclone Narelle
Identifier: 34U
Data At: 0600 UTC
Latitude: 13.3S
Longitude: 142.2E
Location Accuracy: within 15nm (30 km)
Movement Towards: west (280 deg)
Speed of Movement: 10 knots (18 km/h)
Maximum 10-Minute Wind: 55 knots (100 km/h)
Maximum 3-Second Wind Gust: 75 knots (140 km/h)
Central Pressure: 984 hPa
Radius of 34-knot winds NE quadrant: 40 nm (75 km)
Radius of 34-knot winds SE quadrant: 45 nm (85 km)
Radius of 34-knot winds SW quadrant: 40 nm (95 km)
Radius of 34-knot winds NW quadrant: 50 nm (95 km)
Radius of 48-knot winds NE quadrant: 20 nm (35 km)
Radius of 48-knot winds SE quadrant: 20 nm (35 km)
Radius of 48-knot winds SW quadrant: 20 nm (35 km)
Radius of 48-knot winds NW quadrant: 20 nm (35 km)
Radius of 64-knot winds:
Radius of Maximum Winds: 15 nm (30 km)
Dvorak Intensity Code: N/A
Pressure of outermost isobar: 1003 hPa
Radius of outermost closed isobar: 200 nm (370 km)

FORECAST DATA
Date/Time : Location : Loc. Accuracy: Max Wind : Central Pressure
(UTC) : degrees : nm (km): knots(km/h): hPa
+06: 20/1200: 13.4S 141.4E: 025 (050): 050 (095): 987
+12: 20/1800: 13.5S 140.3E: 035 (070): 055 (100): 984
+18: 21/0000: 13.5S 139.1E: 045 (080): 065 (120): 977
+24: 21/0600: 13.5S 138.1E: 045 (085): 075 (140): 969
+36: 21/1800: 13.7S 135.9E: 050 (095): 060 (110): 981
+48: 22/0600: 13.9S 133.5E: 050 (095): 030 (055): 999
+60: 22/1800: 13.9S 130.9E: 055 (105): 030 (055): 999
+72: 23/0600: 14.3S 128.4E: 065 (115): 035 (065): 996
+96: 24/0600: 15.1S 123.8E: 085 (155): 030 (055): 999
+120: 25/0600: 15.9S 119.4E: 105 (195): 055 (100): 984

REMARKS:
Tropical cyclone Narelle has weakened to category 2 strength as it moves west over land towards the Gulf of Carpentaria. The centre remains trackable on Weipa radar with reasonable confidence. Satellite imagery shows a centre displaced to the west, suggesting the system is becoming somewhat tilted under moderate to strong easterly deep layer shear. Subjective Dvorak is no longer applicable with the centre over land, with most objective aids similar. Peripheral gales are occurring intermittently at Weipa, some 80 km to the NNW of the estimated centre. There have been no other recent proximate observations. Intensity estimated at 55 kn based on a standard decay rate over land, with low confidence. CIMMS wind shear analysis at 0300 UTC shows upper easterlies over the system contributing to an analysed deep layer wind shear of around 25 to 30 knots. The system is forecast to maintain low end category 2 strength as it moves into the Gulf of Carpentaria over water again tonight. Environmental conditions are forecast to remain similar with the system lying near the northern periphery of the upper ridge and potentially continuing to experience moderate to strong easterly shear, offset by a very moist environment with warm SSTs (>29C) along the forecast track. Most NWP guidance suggests reintensification and category 3 strength is forecast prior to landfall on the eastern Northern Territory coast on Saturday night, which is consistent with a standard rate of development. A strong mid-level ridge extending across Australia into the Coral Sea will remain the dominant steering mechanism for Narelle well into next week. There is high confidence in a westward forecast track across northern Australia. Following landfall over the Northern Territory overnight on Saturday, Narelle will then move across the Top End and off the Kimberley coast next week, where redevelopment into a tropical cyclone is again likely.

Copyright Commonwealth of Australia
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The next bulletin for this system will be issued by: 20/1330 UTC.

Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology, Australia

Flood Watch For The Cape York Peninsula And Parts Of The North Tropical Coast
Issued at 12:13 PM AEST on Friday 20 March 2026
Flood Watch Number: 19
FURTHER MINOR TO MODERATE WITH ISOLATED MAJOR RIVERINE FLOODING POSSIBLE FROM FRIDAY
WIDESPREAD FLOODING EXPECTED TO BE OCCURRING ACROSS CAPE YORK PENINSULA

Catchments likely to be affected include:
Jacky Jacky Creek
Olive and Pascoe Rivers
Lockhart River
Stewart River
Normanby River
Jeannie River
Endeavour River
Daintree River
Mossman River
Barron River
Mulgrave and Russell Rivers
Johnstone River
Tully River
Murray River
Herbert River
Staaten River
Mitchell River
Coleman and Edward Rivers
Holroyd and Kendall Rivers
Archer and Coen Rivers
Watson River
Embley and Mission Rivers
Wenlock River
Ducie, Jackson and Skardon Rivers
Jardine River

Flood Warnings are current for the following catchment(s): Daintree, Mossman, Mulgrave and Russell, Tully and Herbert

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.disaster.qld.gov.au/warnings.}
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 02:00 PM AEST on Saturday 21 March 2026.