Severe Weather Warning (Heavy, Locally Intense Rainfall & Damaging Winds) for Daly & parts of Arnhem, Carpentaria & Gregory districts
22 MARCH 2026 10:29 CST
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 10:29 am Sunday, 22 March 2026.
LOCALLY INTENSE RAINFALL AND DAMAGING WIND GUSTS DEVELOPING OVER THE CENTRAL AND WESTERN TOP END.
Weather Situation
Ex-Tropical Cyclone Narelle is currently located over land in the eastern Arnhem district after crossing the eastern Top End coast earlier this morning. The system is expected to continue moving steadily west-southwestwards for the remainder of today and Monday, while remaining as a deep tropical low.
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 this afternoon, before shifting more into the Daly district later in the day. These conditions may also develop about the DARWIN area from late this evening into Monday morning. 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 the afternoon with six-hourly rainfall totals up to 180 mm. Isolated 24-hourly rainfall totals of 250 to 300 mm are possible.
Localised DAMAGING WIND GUSTS with peak gusts of around 100 km/h are possible in the warning area during the afternoon and evening, and may develop through the DARWIN area from late this evening into Monday morning.
Flood Watches and Warnings are 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 Darwin, Katherine, Palmerston, Jabiru, Wadeye and Nauiyu.
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 pm ACST Sunday.
Warnings are also available through TV and Radio broadcasts, the Bureau's website at www.bom.gov.au or call 1300 659 210. The Bureau and Northern Territory Emergency Service would appreciate warnings being broadcast regularly.
