‘High chance’ of cyclone forming in Timor Sea, not expected to affect NT: BoM

The Bureau of Meteorology is monitoring a low west of Darwin which could form into a tropical cyclone in coming days.

THE BUREAU of Meteorology is monitoring a low west of Darwin which could form into a tropical cyclone in coming days.

There is between a 5 and 20 per cent chance of a cyclone forming on both Saturday and Sunday in the Northern Region, according to the BoM website, associated with “a developing monsoonal trough.”

Senior meteorologist Billy Lynch at the Bureau of Meteorology said there was a “moderate chance” of a cyclone forming in the Timor Sea this weekend.

A slow moving lightning storm passes over Larrakeyah Barracks, Darwin. Picture: Che Chorley

“From early next week, we’re expecting it to move in a south-westerly direction, to the west of Western Australia, where there will be a high chance of it forming a tropical cyclone,” Mr Lynch said.

“We can say we’re not expecting it to have any impact in the Northern Territory,” he said.”

The system forming in the Northern Region is expected to track southwest, away from the NT and WA, over coming days.

Darwin is forecast to reach a top of 34C on Saturday and 32C on Sunday with a 30 per cent chance of a thunderstorm.

The low west of Darwin is forecast to produce more cloudy conditions around Darwin.

“There is going to be the chance of some showers, possibility a thunderstorm in the next couple of days, but more likely to be up in the Tiwi Islands,” Mr Lynch said.

Kakadu National Park has come alive during the Wet Season. Picture: Che Chorley

Meanwhile, a high-pressure system in southern Australia was pushing dry air into the Top End, providing residents with some relief from the humidity.

But Mr Lynch said it would be “difficult” to say that the dry season had begun, despite dragonflies being spotted buzzing around Darwin in recent days.

“Humidity at the moment across the top end is lower than it normally would be at the start of April,” he said.

“It is still the wet season and although we’re not forecasting too much wet weather over the next week, it’s still cyclone season.”

Despite gloomier conditions in Darwin, Mr Lynch said Central Australia is going to have “perfectly sunny blue skies for the next week.”