Source: Bureau of Meteorology

FLASH TROPICAL CYCLONE ADVICE NUMBER 2

Issued at 10:34 am ACST on Friday 15 March 2024
Headline:

Developing tropical low in the Gulf of Carpentaria to bring strong winds and heavy rain especially to the southwestern Gulf coast.
Areas Affected:
Warning Zone

None.
Watch Zone

Alyangula (Groote Eylandt) in NT to the NT/Qld border, including Borroloola but not including Ngukurr..
Cancelled Zone

None.
Details of Tropical Low at 9:30 am ACST:

Intensity: Tropical Low, sustained winds near the centre of 75 kilometres per hour with wind gusts to 100 kilometres per hour.

Location: within 35 kilometres of 12.4 degrees South 136.4 degrees East, estimated to be 45 kilometres west southwest of Nhulunbuy and 160 kilometres north of Alyangula.

Movement: east at 24 kilometres per hour.

The Advice has been updated to include Community Actions.

A tropical low, 09U, is currently located near Nhulunbuy, along the northeastern Top End coast and is moving to the east southeast towards the Gulf of Carpentaria.

The low is forecast to develop to a tropical cyclone Saturday morning, to the east of Groote Eylandt. It is then forecast to move slowly south towards the southwestern Gulf of Carpentaria coast. It is most likely to cross the coast and weaken quickly early next week.
Hazards:

Gales with DAMAGING WIND GUSTS of 110 km/h may develop over Groote Eylandt during Saturday morning.

Gales with DAMAGING WIND GUSTS of 100 km/hr may extend further to the Northern Territory coast between Alyangula to the Northern Territory/Queensland border, including Borroloola, from as early as Saturday evening, though more likely during Sunday. Destructive winds gusts are also possible for the southwestern Gulf of Carpentaria coast from late Sunday depending on how quickly the system moves south.

HEAVY RAINFALL is already occurring over northeastern parts of the Top End. This will increase into the weekend, with the heaviest falls limited to coastal and island locations on Saturday before reaching further inland into the Carpentaria forecast districts into Sunday. Later in the weekend, INTENSE RAINFALL is possible, especially about coastal parts of the Carpentaria districts.

ABNORMALLY HIGH TIDES near the path of the system could cause MINOR FLOODING along the southwestern Gulf of Carpentaria coast this weekend.
Recommended Action:

The Northern Territory Emergency Service advise:

- Prepare now

- Stay informed

- Monitor conditions

Current Tropical Cyclones