Tropical Cyclone Tiffany has weakened slightly and is now unlikely to reach category two before making landfall near Port Roper later on Wednesday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
A warning zone from Alyangula to Port McArthur, including Groote Eylandt, Numbulwar, Ngukurr, and Port Roper remains in place.
Warnings for Cape Shield to Alyangula, Port McArthur to the Queensland border and inland areas including Bulman have been cancelled.
The BoM said there were gales around southern Groote Eylandt and these were starting to affect coastal areas between Nathan River and Bing Bong.
Gale conditions will extend along the coast to Port Roper and Numbular later on Wednesday morning, with gusts up to 120kmh expected.
The BoM said gales may extend to Alyangula depending on the movement of the system and wind gusts up to 100 kmh may extend inland to Ngukurr before the cyclone weakens.
There is are severe thunderstorm warnings for parts of western Arnhem District and a second line of storms in the Daly District, which are expected to move to the west or northwest.
Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging winds and heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding with Nauiyu, Batchelor, Adelaide River, Pine Creek, Palumpa and Peppimenarti likely to be affected.
A storm warning for Carpentaria and Gregory districts has been cancelled.
EARLIER: Reformed tropical cyclone Tiffany is set to track south of Groote Eylandt on Wednesday morning and intensify to a category two system before making landfall on the mainland.
The Bureau of Meteorolgy has a warning zone in place from Cape Shield to the Queensland border, including Groote Eylandt, Numbulwar, Ngukurr, Bulman, Port Roper and Port McArthur.
Communities in the warning zone have been told to prepare for wet and windy conditions, with shelters opening on Groote Eylandt and the mainland.
The Northern Territory Emergency Services said residents in Alyangula and Numbulwar should shelter indoors as the weather conditions worsen.
The GEMCO Mess is open to staff and Alyangula residents and shelters are open at the Angurugu School Trade Training Centre, Umbakumba School Trade Training Centre, Milyakburra Cyclone Shelter and Numbulwar School.
READ ALSO:
About 50 people used the shelter in Numbulwar on Tuesday night. Most residents on Groote Eylandt were staying in their homes with low numbers at public shelters.
Severe thunderstorm warnings linked to the cyclone have been issued for the Darwin, Daly and Arnhem areas with flash flooding likely.
The Bureau of Meteorology said that a 78kmh wind gust was recorded at Tindal RAAF base near Katherine at 1.32am on Wednesday.
As of 3.30am Tiffany was a category one cyclone with sustained winds near the centre of 85 kmh and gusts of up to 120 kmh. It was about 95 km southeast of Groote Eylandt and 255 km east of Ngukurr moving west at 20 kmh.
The BoM said gales were continuing near Centre Island and developing near Port McArthur and on parts of Groote Eylandt. They would extend along the coast to Port Roper and Numbulwar this morning and extend to Cape Shield later in the day.
The cyclone was expected to cross the coast at about midday on Wednesday around Port Roper and Nathan River, with destructive wind gusts up to 130 kmh.
Gale-force winds with gusts up to 100 kmh could reach the area east of Beswick late on Wednesday with the storm system expected to weaken below cyclone strength later today once it hits land.
OTHER NEWS:
The BoM said that a storm tide between the Queensland border and Cape Shield, including Groote Eylandt, was expected as the cyclone tracked towards the mainland coast.
The higher-than-normal tides would bring damaging waves and dangerous flooding in the warning area on Wednesday and early Thursday.
As the cyclone moves inland heavy rain was predicted for parts of Arnhem, Carpentaria and Daly districts on Wednesday and Thursday, with flood and rising rivers likely.
A flood watch remains in place for North West and Carpentaria Coastal waters and preparations being made to manage any flood events.
Northern Territory Police, Fire and Emergency Services have reminded residents to stay away from floodwaters and not attempt to cross or drive through floodways and to be CrocWise.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark https://www.northweststar.com.au/
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Google News
DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY?: Send letters to the editor or story tips to nwseditorial@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Juanita Greville
If you've got a story to tell, I'd love to hear from you. Email me at juanita.greville@austcommunitymedia.com.au
If you've got a story to tell, I'd love to hear from you. Email me at juanita.greville@austcommunitymedia.com.au
