Monsoon to bring heavy rain, damaging winds this weekend ahead of possible major flooding
Top End residents are being warned to brace for a wet and wild weekend with storms expected to dump up to 200mm of rain on the region along with possible destructive winds. Latest weather update.
Northern Territory
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Top End residents are being warned to brace for a wet and wild weekend with storms expected to dump up to 200mm of rain on the region along with possible destructive winds.
The Bureau of Meteorology’s NT hazard preparedness and response manager Shenagh Gamble said the monsoon could also result in possible major flooding along the Katherine River, Adelaide River and Daly River catchments from Monday.
“The floodwatch area that we’ve issued today does include most of the northwest catchments for the NT, so that does include Katherine, Daly River, the lower parts of the Victoria River, so it does include communities like Timber Creek,” she said.
“As we get into next week is when we will be issuing flood warnings which will have far more detail about the risk to any specific communities.”
In the meantime, Ms Gamble said while forecasters did not expect the deepening tropical low to develop into a cyclone, Top Enders should still prepare for strong winds and heavy rain.
“With that monsoon trough and with the tropical low moving over land we can also expect to see severe thunderstorms which can have damaging or even destructive wind gusts,” she said.
“With this kind of a system we can expect squally winds so that can include damaging winds with wind gusts of around 90km/h.
“But if in certain areas where we do have severe thunderstorms you can also even have destructive wind gusts of over 120km/h.
“At the moment we’re expecting widespread rainfall of around 50mm to 150mm but heavier falls, particularly in thunderstorm areas could far exceed that.
“It’s a bit too far out for us to put exact rainfall amounts on that but we could easily be expecting rainfall above 200mm if we get those heavier isolated falls.”
Ms Gamble said residents should stay up to date with the latest warnings from the weather bureau “because we will be issuing more warnings over the weekend”.
“At all times be aware of your local conditions and how they may deteriorate,” she said.
“What was a safe drive yesterday may not be a safe drive today and always pay attention to the advice from emergency services.”
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