Northern Territory next in line for Tropical Cyclone Narelle

Tropical Cyclone Narelle is expected to make a second landfall over the Northern Territory this weekend after causing severe impacts in northern Queensland on Friday.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle made landfall in northern Qld on Friday morning, crossing the coast as a high-end category 4 system between Coen and Lockhart River.

Narelle caused very destructive winds and flooding as it passed over the Cape York Peninsula on Friday. Rain gauges near the Wenlock and Pascoe Rivers received more than 300 mm of rain between 6:00 pm AEST on Thursday and 1:00 pm on Friday. Unsurprisingly, this deluge caused the Wenlock River to rise by more than 10 metres on Friday.

Huge waves also pummelled the Cape York Peninsula from both sides as powerful winds circulating Narelle’s core churned the surrounding seas.

Maximum wave heights exceeded 5 metres on Friday morning off the coast of the Skardon River outlet, to the north of Mapoon. Waves of 4 metres were also detected at Albatross Bay near Weipa.

Northern Territory bracing for Narelle

While Tropical Cyclone Narelle weakened over the Cape York Peninsula on Friday after making landfall, the system is likely to re-intensify as it tracks towards the west across the Gulf of Carpentaria on Friday night into Saturday.

Forecast wind gusts on Saturday afternoon, according to the ECMWF model
Image: Forecast track map for Tropical Cyclone Narelle. Valid at 1:00 pm AEST on Friday, March 20, 2026. A more recent forecast track map may be available. Source: Weatherzone.

The current forecast track map for Narelle predicts that the system will reach the NT’s eastern Top End as a category 3 severe tropical cyclone on Saturday night or Sunday morning. Narelle is expected to impact Groote Eylandt and other areas of the eastern Top End, likely causing very destructive winds, heavy rain, flooding, large waves and a dangerous storm tide.

Like northern Qld, parts of the NT could see more than 300 mm of rain from Narelle as it passes over the eastern Top End this weekend.

Narelle should weaken quickly once it moves over the NT, however its remnant low pressure system will continue to move towards the west and drag heavy rain across the NT’s Top end and parts of Western Australia’s Kimberley district on Sunday and Monday. This will deliver more heavy rain to areas of the NT that are still dealing with flooding from recent wet weather, including the Daly River region.

Image: Forecast accumulated rain during the next seven days, showing the expected rainfall footprint of Narelle as it tracks over the Top End and Kimberley. Source: Weatherzone.

A flood watch has been issued for parts of the Top End, where additional areas of major flooding are possible from Sunday. A flood watch is also in place for the North and East Kimberley, where flooding could develop from Monday.