Source: Bureau of Meteorology

Media: Transmitters serving the Tiwi Islands and the area near and between Cape Hotham to Point Stuart are requested to USE the Standard Emergency Warning Signal before broadcasting the following warning.

TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST

TROPICAL CYCLONE ADVICE NUMBER 23
Issued at 9:54 am ACST on Saturday 22 November 2025

Headline:
Severe Tropical Cyclone Fina, Category 3, to pass just north of Darwin later today. Darwin to experience rapid increase in winds later this afternoon and evening.

Areas Affected:
Warning zone: Daly River Mouth to Cape Don, including Tiwi Islands, Dundee Beach, Darwin, Milikapiti, Pirlangimpi and Wurrumiyanga.

Watch zone: Troughton Island to Wadeye.

Cancelled zone: None.

Details of Severe Tropical Cyclone Fina 02U at 9:30 am ACST:
Intensity: Category 3, sustained winds near the centre of 120 kilometres per hour with wind gusts to 165 kilometres per hour.
Location: within 20 kilometres of 11.8 degrees South 131.4 degrees East, estimated to be 90 kilometres northeast of Darwin and 85 kilometres east of Wurrumiyanga.
Movement: west southwest at 9 kilometres per hour.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Fina is moving west southwest across the Van Diemen Gulf and is expected to pass north of Darwin later today.

After passing Darwin, Fina is forecast to maintain severe tropical cyclone intensity on Sunday or early Monday as it moves through the southern Timor Sea, and then start weakening during Monday or Tuesday near the Kimberley coast.

Hazards:
VERY DESTRUCTIVE WIND GUSTS to 185 km/h are likely along the southeastern coast of Tiwi Islands this morning, moving west during the day, with a chance of reaching Wurrumiyanga later today. Very destructive wind gusts are likely about exposed coastal sites northeast of Darwin today but the risk at Darwin Is assessed as low.

DESTRUCTIVE WIND GUSTS to 155 km/h are occurring over southeastern parts of the Tiwi Islands, and likely to extend west to southern parts of the islands, including Wurrumiyanga during the day. Destructive gusts are expected to extend to the Darwin region later today.

GALES with DAMAGING WIND GUSTS to 120 km/h are occurring over the Cobourg Peninsula, eastern parts of Melville Island and Cape Hotham to Point Stuart.
Gales are expected to extend further west to include Darwin this afternoon and across the remainder of the Tiwi Islands during the day. Gales may extend southwest to Daly River Mouth overnight, and if Fina takes a more southerly track, gales Could extend south to Wadeye on Sunday.

Later Sunday or on Monday, GALES may extend to coastal parts of the north Kimberley in WA, from Kalumburu to the WA/NT Border, but not including Wyndham or Kununurra.

HEAVY to LOCALLY INTENSE RAINFALL which may lead to FLASH FLOODING is possible along coastal areas between the Tiwi Islands and the Cobourg Peninsula, extending to coastal and adjacent inland areas across the western Top End including Darwin later today and on Sunday.

Coastal residents on the Tiwi Islands, and between Cape Hotham and Warruwi are specifically warned that tides are likely to rise above the normal high tide mark with LARGE WAVES and MINOR FLOODING of low-lying coastal areas.

Recommended Action:
NTES advises people in the path of the dangerous cyclone about southern Melville Island and Cape Hotham to Point Stuart, should stay calm and remain in a secure shelter while the destructive winds continue. Do not venture outside if you find yourself in the eye of the cyclone - destructive winds from a different direction could resume at any time. Heed the advice and follow the instructions of Emergency Services personnel and local authorities.

NTES advises people on the Tiwi Islands, and elsewhere between Daly River Mouth to Cape Don, including Darwin, Batchelor and Cobourg Peninsula should immediately commence or continue preparations, especially securing boats and property, using available daylight hours. NTES advises people elsewhere near and between Wadeye and south of Daly River Mouth, should consider what action they will need to take if the cyclone threat increases. For cyclone preparedness and safety advice, visit the Secure NT website (https://securent.nt.gov.au

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