Tropical Cyclone Warning: Western Cape York Peninsula between Mapoon & Cape Keerweer. NT's Nhulunbuy to Port McArthur & inland.
20 MARCH 2026 22:54 EST
Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Tropical Cyclone Advice
Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre
Media: The Standard Emergency Warning Signal should NOT be used with this warning.
TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST
TROPICAL CYCLONE ADVICE NUMBER 24
Issued at 10:54 PM EST on Friday 20 March 2026
Headline:
Tropical Cyclone Narelle is now over the Gulf of Carpentaria and will impact eastern Northern Territory late Saturday.
Areas Affected:
Warning zone: NORTHERN TERRITORY. Nhulunbuy to Port McArthur, including Borroloola, Numbulwar, Alyangula, and Gapuwiyak. QUEENSLAND. Western Cape York Peninsula between Mapoon and Cape Keerweer, including Weipa and Aurukun.
Watch zone: NORTHERN TERRITORY. Extending west to include Ramingining, Bulman, and Ngukurr.
Cancelled zone: Parts of the Western Cape York Peninsula including Pormpuraaw.
Details of Tropical Cyclone Narelle 34U at 10:00 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 35 kilometres of 13.4 degrees South 141.2 degrees East, estimated to be 55 kilometres west of Aurukun and 520 kilometres east of Alyangula.
Movement: west at 18 kilometres per hour.
Tropical Cyclone Narelle is now over the warm waters of the Gulf of Carpentaria. Narelle is forecast to strengthen during Saturday as it tracks quickly westwards towards the eastern Northern Territory.
Narelle is expected to approach the northeast parts of 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 Numbulwar, as a severe tropical cyclone. Narelle will then weaken as it moves inland across the Top End on Sunday and Monday.
Hazards:
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 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.
Queensland
Gales with DAMAGING WIND GUSTS to 120 km/h are likely between Weipa and Cape Keerweer for the rest of this evening as Narelle moves into the Gulf of Carpentaria. These DAMAGING WIND GUSTS may extend to coastal areas between Mapoon and Weipa 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 Mapoon and Cape Keerweer this evening.
Recommended Action:
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 including 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).
Queensland:
- People between Mapoon and Cape Keerweer (including Weipa and Aurukun) should take precautions and listen to the next advice at 2 am.
- Stay informed by checking your local government s Disaster Dashboards for the latest updates.
- For cyclone preparedness and safety advice, visit the Get Ready Queensland website www.getready.qld.gov.au
IF YOUR LIFE IS IN DANGER PHONE TRIPLE ZERO (000) IMMEDIATELY.
- 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.
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
