The Bureau of Meteorology has extended a ‘cyclone watch’ to include Darwin, as Tropical Cyclone Fina has started tracking south and is expected to make landfall on the Cobourg Peninsula late on Friday, while now tracking to pass over waters north of Darwin and south of Melville Island by Saturday bringing high winds, heavy rain and possible flash flooding.
Fina is currently classified as a category two system located in the Arafura Sea, and is expected to start tracking southwest. A ‘warning’ alert is in effect from Cape Don to Maningrida, with the ‘watch’ alert extended to cover Darwin, the Tiwi Islands, and Gunbalanya.
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The system is now expected to pass near Darwin sooner than originally anticipated.
“Coastal residents on the Tiwi Islands, and between Cape Hotham and Maningrida, are specifically warned of a dangerous storm tide as the cyclone centre crosses the coast during Friday and Saturday,” the BOM said.
Severe rain and flash flooding could occur along the coast from the Tiwi Islands to Maningrida starting Friday, with the risk extending to the mainland throughout the western Top End, including Darwin, on Saturday.
BOM meteorologists said that Cyclone Fina is likely to stay at category two as it heads southwest, however, there remains a “slight” chance it could escalate to category three by Friday or Saturday as it approaches the coastline.
Destructive wind gusts reaching up to 155 km/h are anticipated to arise between Cape Don and Warruwi starting Friday, with effects expected to spread to the Tiwi Islands and Darwin early Saturday, along with heavy rain and the risk of flash flooding.
Residents within the ‘warning’ zone are to begin or continue their preparations by securing boats and property. Those in the ‘watch’ zone should take necessary precautions in case the cyclone threat escalates, BOM said.
“Coastal residents on the Tiwi Islands, and between Cape Hotham and Maningrida, are specifically warned of a dangerous storm tide as the cyclone centre crosses the coast during Friday and Saturday,” the weather service said.
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