4h agoFri 20 Mar 2026 at 10:42pmStay up to date with the latest emergency warnings
You can head to the ABC Emergency website for all updates, including a map of all warnings.
ABC Emergency will broadcast regular warnings on ABC Radio, which you can stream on the ABC Listen App.
Here are the radio frequencies for local stations:
For NT: ABC DarwinÂ
Darwin – 105.7 FMKatherine – 106.1 FMJabiru – 747 AMNhulunbuy and Yirrkala – 990 AMGroote Eylandt, Pine Creek, Mataranka and Borroloola – 106.1 FM
You can also keep across the latest warnings from the Bureau of Meteorology on its website.
11m agoSat 21 Mar 2026 at 2:35am
Groote Eylandt facing ‘rough 24 hours’
Answering media questions, the BOM’s Shenagh Gamble said Tropical Cyclone Narelle was expected to make landfall between Birany Birany and Numbulwar around 3am on Sunday morning.
“That means the central core of the cyclone is forecast to pass further north of Groote Eylandt,” Ms Gamble said.
However, the BOM spokesperson added that the bureau was expecting to see “stronger impacts on the southern side of this system”.
“Groote Eylandt is still in for a fairly rough 24 hours, so they are still going to have some fairly rough impacts there.”
11m agoSat 21 Mar 2026 at 2:34am
Storm will weaken as it gets to Bulman
Shenagh Gamble from the BOMÂ says the small community of Bulman will be the “furthest inland extent” of severe conditions.
“By the time Tropical Cyclone Narelle crosses the coast and approaches Bulman we don’t expect it to be a severe tropical cyclone at all.
“It’s mostly likely to be a category one or weaker than that.
“So Bulman is as far inland as the cyclone warning extends now and beyond that it’s tropical low or ex-Tropical Cyclone Narelle that will be moving across the base of the Top End.”
19m agoSat 21 Mar 2026 at 2:26am
Emergency warnings and what you need to do
Northern Territory Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Andrew Warton is talking through the Australian Warning System warnings that are active and what people need to do.
An emergency warning has been issued for the Gulf of Carpentaria and eastern Top End.
“This is the highest level of warning,” Commissioner Warton says.
The warning goes from Nhulunbuy to Port McArthur including Borroloola, Numbulwar, Alyangula, and Gapuwiyak.
The message for anyone in those communities is:
It is too dangerous to travel; reconsider your plansQuickly finalise your preparationsTake shelter
If you’re sheltering at home:
Move to the smallest, strongest, most protected room in your house, such as a bathroom or toiletRooms with few or smaller windows are bestTake all members of your household into that room with your emergency kitDon’t venture outside into the storm
People further inland in Bulman, Ramingining and Ngukurr should take precautions and monitor for updates.
20m agoSat 21 Mar 2026 at 2:26am
Police Commissioner provides update on evacuees staying in Darwin
NT Police Commissioner Dole says about 140 of the almost 500 evacuees from Numbulwar in the NT’s Top End sheltered at Nightcliff High School gym last night.
Commissioner Dole says other evacuees from the remote community were placed in commercial accommodation.
The commissioner also notes that about 400 residents from Daly River/Nauiyu and Palumpa — who were evacuated a fortnight ago due to major flooding — are being moved from the Darwin Showground shelter to new accommodation in Batchelor.
30m agoSat 21 Mar 2026 at 2:16am
Emergency shelters opening across NT Top End
NT Police Commissioner Martin Dole says public shelters will be opening today for “communities under the cyclone’s path”.
Commissioner Dole did advise, however, that residents with “strong and well-maintained homes” should shelter at home or with friends and family if possible.
The commissioner then announced shelter opening times:
Groote Eylandt from 11amUrapunga from 1pmBulman from 1pmMinyerri from 1pmKatherine from 2pm at Katherine High School
Commissioner Dole asks that residents not arrive at shelters early and that they listen to local staff.
He also reminds residents to bring their own food, water and bedding and that there would be no cooking or catering facilities at the shelter.
The commissioner adds that pets are not allowed at the shelter.
35m agoSat 21 Mar 2026 at 2:10am
Flood watch for most of the Top End
The BOM’s Shenagh Gamble says a flood watch is still current for most of the Top End.
Major flood warnings are still in place for the Katherine River, Daly River, and the Waterhouse River at Beswick.
This morning, the BOM issued a moderate flood warning for Adelaide River.
39m agoSat 21 Mar 2026 at 2:06am
BOM on what hazards to expect when and where
BOM forecaster Shenagh Gamble tells Territorians to expect:
Groote Eylandt
Gales with damaging gusts up to 120km/h from 3pm todayDestructive winds with gusts up to 160km/h from about 9pmThe “very destructive core”, which is not forecast to go directly over Groote Eylandt, is expected to have wind gusts of around 180km/h this evening
On the NT coast:
Bulman could experience gale-force winds of 120km/h from tomorrow morningLarge waves and dangerous storm tide are expected from Nhulunbuy all the way to the Queensland border
Inland near the coast:
The BOM is expecting widespread heavy rain of 150 to 200mmHigher rainfall totals of over 300mm are possibleThose higher totals could fall in intense, localised bursts
Across the Top End:
As the system becomes a tropical low, most of the Top End can expect heavy rain and squally winds, “even including Darwin”, on Sunday and Monday
42m agoSat 21 Mar 2026 at 2:04am
TC Narelle will strengthen to a category 3 system
The BOM’s Shenagh Gamble says as TC Narelle continues to move across the “warm waters of the Gulf of Carpentaria” it will strengthen to a category three system.
From there, Ms Gamble says it will “cross the eastern Top End tonight or early tomorrow morning between Birany Birany and Numbulwar with the central part closest to Cape Shield”.
However, she says as the system moves further inland, it will weaken and continue across the Top End on Sunday and Monday.
49m agoSat 21 Mar 2026 at 1:56am
BOM provides updates on location of Narelle
The Bureau of Meteorology’s Shenagh Gamble says Tropical Cyclone Narelle has now “moved into the Gulf of Carpentaria”.
“It is expected to impact the eastern Top End as a severe tropical cyclone later today,” Ms Gamble says.
The BOM spokesperson says Narelle is currently sitting at a category two intensity.
“It is around 260 kilometres east-south-east of Nhulunbuy and about 300 kilometres east-north-east of Alyangula on Groote Eylandt,” she says.
“It is moving west at a speed of about 20km/h, which is a fairly rapid pace for a cyclone.”
1h agoSat 21 Mar 2026 at 1:43am
NT Police deployed to help communities in TC Narelle’s path
The NTÂ Chief Minister says police have been “pre-deployed in the path of affected areas”.
“This will not only give comfort to communities who are bunkering down in place but it also allows us to move very, very quickly to that survey-and-response phase moving forward,” she says.
1h agoSat 21 Mar 2026 at 1:43am
NT Chief Minister thanks interstate premiers for support
NT Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro began with thanking  Queensland Premier David Crisafulli for the resource support the state was providing to the NT as it braces for Tropical Cyclone Narelle.
“I just would really like to thank the Queensland Premier for sending 18 palettes of SES equipment to us, which is coming from Townsville today and represents 10 pods that our SES personnel can use throughout all of these natural disaster emergencies we’re facing right now,” she says.
Mrs Finocchiaro also thanked NSW Premier Chris Minns for sending teams for the Emergency Operations Centre.
A truck carrying SES equipment. (Supplied: QPS)
The pods will be used by SES personnel. (Supplied: QPS)
1h agoSat 21 Mar 2026 at 1:25am
NT press conference at 11am local time
We’ll be getting our first NT update for the day very shortly.
At 11am (ACST) we’ll be hearing from:
NT Chief Lia Finocchiaro NT Police Commissioner Martin DoleNT Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Andrew WartonBOM spokesperson Shenagh Gamble
Here’s what the NT is expecting from TC Narelle at this stage:
1h agoSat 21 Mar 2026 at 1:16am
Ergon crews are on the way
Ergon is flying up to 50 crew members to remote sites. (Supplied: Ergon )
Ergon crews are on their way to restore power to Aurukun, Coen, Lockhart River and Napranum today.
Ergon says they’re flying up to 50 crew members from Far North Queensland depots into remote sites to fix the electricity network.
They say eyes on the network are needed to know exactly how long repairs will take.
Power has already been restored to Hopevale, Cooktown, Rossville and Wujal Wujal.Â
Many areas are only accessible via helicopter or plane. (Supplied: Ergon )
1h agoSat 21 Mar 2026 at 1:08am
Preparations well underway in NT town of Katherine
It’s all hands on deck in the NT town of Katherine this morning, with volunteers up early filling sandbags and loading them onto trucks and trailers.
Residents have been lining up at the SES centre to pick up sandbags as people finalise their preparations ahead of Tropical Cyclone Narelle, which at this point is expected to pass over the town as a tropical low, bringing with it strong wind and heavy rain.
Residents in Katherine are in the thick of preparations for the impending tropical low. (ABC News: Dane Hirst)
Many of the residents here are still mopping up from flooding earlier this month.
We’ve had a chat with locals as they line up for sandbags and they’ve told us that even though people are bracing for the worst, the community is more prepared this time than they were two weeks ago when Katherine copped its worst flooding since 2006.
Ellen Gough is long-time territory local who lived through Cyclone Tracy more than 50 years ago.
She said she’s feeling “a bit shaky” but is hopeful the approaching weather system won’t cause too much damage to homes and businesses.
Ellen Gough says she’s nervous about the impending low. (ABC News: Dane Hirst)
1h agoSat 21 Mar 2026 at 12:59am
TC Narelle to hit the NT as a category 2
The BOM’s latest track map has the system passing above Groote Eylandt as a category three system before crossing the NT coast in the early hours of Sunday morning as a category two.
The latest BOM track map for Tropical Cyclone Narelle as of 10:12AM CST. (Bureau of Meteorology)
2h agoSat 21 Mar 2026 at 12:43am
Reports of overcrowding in Coen refuge facility
The Queensland premier is being questioned about the refuge facility in Coen, with reports of overcrowding overnight.
David Crisafulli says people were advised to stay home if they were able to, stay with friends and family and then attend the council’s refuge shelter if needed.
But he says the refuge shelters were something that should be looked at.
“Is there a way to have more resilience in remote communities? We should always look at that. We should always look to do better,” he says.
2h agoSat 21 Mar 2026 at 12:43am
Premier questioned about cyclone shelters for small communities
As TC Narelle approached the Queensland coast, Lockhart River Aboriginal Shire Council chief executive David Clarke expressed concerns that the community did not have a cyclone shelter.
Premier David Crisafulli has been asked whether one is needed.
“We should always look at ways we can strengthen our resilience to disaster events,” he says.
“I do want to see the ability for smaller communities to have buildings they can rely on.
“We should constantly look to find ways we can make ourselves more resilient.”
2h agoSat 21 Mar 2026 at 12:37am
North Queenslanders ‘made our luck’
Jake Ellwood from the Queensland Reconstruction Authority. (ABC News: Christopher Testa  )
Chief executive of the Queensland Reconstruction Authority Jake Ellwood has praised the preparedness of communities.
“While we could say there was some luck, I think — to me — we also made our luck,” he says.
He says many of the communities impacted by the cyclone have been affected by weather events since January, and many roads are still closed due to flooding.
He says the priorities will be bringing essential supplies via air, restoring utilities, making sure the areas have electricity and then looking at infrastructure and roads.
2h agoSat 21 Mar 2026 at 12:31am
Focus on recovery, power remains biggest challenge
Premier David Crisafulli says energy crews are getting in on the ground, as well as those who were pre-positioned.
“Crews as we speak are flowing into Coen, Lockhart River, Weipa,” he says.
“From Weipa they will go to Aurukun.”
He says three emergency choppers will be in the air today doing assessments on 16 communities.
Mr Crisafulli says a decision on whether schools will reopen will be made by 5pm on Sunday.