Intensifying Cyclone Fina Heads Toward Northern Territory: What to Expect

Share and Follow

The first cyclone of the season is set to intensify as it approaches northern Australia, prompting a warning for Top End residents to prepare for destructive winds.

Tropical Cyclone Fina weakened to a category 1 system overnight but is expected to restrengthen as it moves towards the Northern Territory.

Locals have stocked up on supplies as they brace for winds that could damage houses and vehicles, fell trees and cut power while “throwing around the outdoor furniture”.

Early on Friday, Cyclone Fina was sustaining winds near the centre of 75km/h, with gusts up to 100km/h, and was about 335km north-east of Darwin, moving slowly.

As the weather system progresses, it poses the potential to escalate into a Category 2 storm. Expected to move southwest, it is set to approach the Cobourg Peninsula and Tiwi Islands by Friday.

It is set to continue south-west through the Van Diemen Gulf on Saturday, heading just to the north of Darwin.

There was a chance it could reach category 3 intensity late on Friday or early Saturday as it moved into the Gulf, the Bureau of Meteorology said.

A warning zone was in place early on Friday for Darwin, the Tiwi Islands and Cape Hotham to Warruwi, including the Cobourg Peninsula, Minjilang and Gunbalanya.

Strong winds are expected to extend further west, including the Tiwi Islands, late on Friday, and Darwin on Saturday.

Forecasters caution that destructive wind gusts reaching speeds of up to 155 km/h are likely to develop between Cape Don and Warruwi on Friday. These intense winds could extend to the Tiwi Islands early Saturday and might even reach Darwin later in the day.

Empty supermarket shelves in the bottled water aisle with only a few drinks left and signs saying the store is out of water.

In anticipation of the severe weather, Darwin residents have been busy preparing, resulting in empty store shelves as people stock up on essential supplies like bottled water.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued warnings about the heavy rainfall expected to accompany the storm, which could lead to flash flooding in coastal regions from the Tiwi Islands to Warruwi starting Friday. This risk of flooding might extend to Darwin and surrounding inland areas by Saturday.