NT · Tropical cyclones
NT cyclones: current warnings and history
Cyclones reach the Top End from the Arafura and Timor seas and the Gulf of Carpentaria. This page lists any current Bureau warnings for the Northern Territory and the cyclones recorded near Darwin, Arnhem Land and the Gulf coast since the 1970s.
Current tropical cyclone warnings: the Northern Territory
The Bureau of Meteorology has no tropical cyclone warnings current for the Northern Territory. Bureau warnings page →
Warning titles and issue times from the Bureau of Meteorology's public warnings feed, © Commonwealth of Australia (terms), shown with links only: read each warning on the Bureau's site. Checked every 10 minutes; last received . Atmosphr is not affiliated with the Bureau.
How often cyclones affect the NT coast
From 1972-73 to 2025-26, 22 named tropical cyclones passed within 100 km of Darwin, Maningrida, Nhulunbuy or Borroloola at cyclone strength: about 0.4 a season on average, with none at all in 34 of those seasons.
Strongest cyclones near NT towns
| Cyclone | Season | Nearest listed town | Distance | Category there | Peak category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ingrid | 2004-05 | Nhulunbuy | 20 km | 5 | 5 |
| Monica | 2005-06 | Maningrida | 27 km | 5 | 5 |
| Tracy | 1974-75 | Darwin | 7 km | 4 | 4 |
| Lam | 2014-15 | Maningrida | 91 km | 4 | 4 |
| Sandy | 1984-85 | Borroloola | 97 km | 4 | 4 |
| Nathan | 2014-15 | Nhulunbuy | 44 km | 3 | 3 |
| Fina | 2025-26 | Darwin | 48 km | 3 | 4 |
| Rosa | 1978-79 | Borroloola | 75 km | 3 | 3 |
| Selma | 1974-75 | Darwin | 80 km | 3 | 3 |
| Owen | 2018-19 | Borroloola | 92 km | 3 | 3 |
| Marcus | 2017-18 | Darwin | 8 km | 2 | 5 |
| Megan | 2023-24 | Borroloola | 37 km | 2 | 4 |
Most recent cyclones near NT towns
| Cyclone | Season | Nearest listed town | Distance | Category there | Peak category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fina | 2025-26 | Darwin | 48 km | 3 | 4 |
| Megan | 2023-24 | Borroloola | 37 km | 2 | 4 |
| Owen | 2018-19 | Borroloola | 92 km | 3 | 3 |
| Marcus | 2017-18 | Darwin | 8 km | 2 | 5 |
| Lam | 2014-15 | Maningrida | 91 km | 4 | 4 |
| Nathan | 2014-15 | Nhulunbuy | 44 km | 3 | 3 |
| Carlos | 2010-11 | Darwin | 1 km | 1 | 3 |
| Helen | 2007-08 | Darwin | 89 km | 2 | 2 |
| Monica | 2005-06 | Maningrida | 27 km | 5 | 5 |
| Ingrid | 2004-05 | Nhulunbuy | 20 km | 5 | 5 |
From the NOAA International Best Track Archive (IBTrACS v04r01), using the Bureau of Meteorology's best-track 10-minute winds, for seasons 1972-73 to 2025-26. A storm is listed if it passed within 100 km of one of the listed towns while at tropical-cyclone strength; the category is its strength at that closest point, which may differ from its strength when it crossed the coast. Distances are to the storm centre.
The cyclone season
The Northern Territory cyclone season runs from 1 November to 30 April. Cyclone Tracy struck Darwin on Christmas Day 1974, and Marcus crossed Darwin in March 2018. See the 2026-27 season page for the year ahead.
Cyclone categories and typical gusts
The Bureau ranks cyclones from Category 1 (weakest) to Category 5 (strongest), based on maximum mean wind speed. The category describes wind only: it does not show how much rain, flooding or storm surge a cyclone will bring.
| Category | Maximum mean wind | Typical strongest gust |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 63 to 88 km/h | Up to 125 km/h |
| 2 | 89 to 117 km/h | 125 to 164 km/h |
| 3 (severe) | 118 to 159 km/h | 165 to 224 km/h |
| 4 (severe) | 160 to 199 km/h | 225 to 279 km/h |
| 5 (severe) | More than 200 km/h | More than 279 km/h |
Prepare and get official warnings
- SecureNT: prepare for an emergency
- SecureNT: current emergency information
- Bureau of Meteorology: tropical cyclones
- Bureau of Meteorology: current NT warnings
- In a life-threatening emergency call 000.
Sources
Current warnings: Bureau of Meteorology public warnings feed, titles and links only. History: NOAA IBTrACS (public domain), processed by Atmosphr; see the note under the tables. Category scale: Bureau of Meteorology.