Source: Bureau of Meteorology

Issued at 10:59 am Monday, 15 January 2024.

Heavy rainfall and damaging wind gusts over the western Top End. Damaging wind gusts with monsoon squalls over the north.

Weather Situation: The monsoon trough lies across the base of the Top End. A tropical low near Timber Creek has deepened over the past 24 hours, and is likely to move slowly to the east-southeast further inland this evening and early next week while continuing to deepen. Monsoonal flow across the northern Top End is likely to increase further through the remainder of today into Tuesday. Heavy rainfall is likely to become more widespread near and on the western flank of the low as it deepens.

DAMAGING WIND GUSTS with peak gusts to around 90 km/h are possible with monsoon squalls over the northern Daly, Tiwi and northwestern Arnhem districts, with the risk generally increasing and spreading eastwards along the Arnhem coast and further inland during today and Tuesday. Damaging wind gusts will also become possible with storm activity over the Daly and Gregory.

HEAVY RAINFALL which may lead to FLASH FLOODING is likely over the Daly and far northern Gregory districts. Scattered six-hourly rainfall totals between 100 to 160 mm are likely.

Locations which may be affected include Darwin, Katherine, Nhulunbuy, Palmerston, Jabiru, Maningrida, Wadeye, Wurrumiyanga and Nauiyu.

Port Keats Airport (Wadeye) recently recorded 113 mm in 6 hours, and 355 mm in 24 hours.
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