Arafura Coast Forecast: Cape Don to Cape Wessel

No warnings for the Northern Territory

Forecast issued at 2:30 pm CST on Wednesday 17 December 2025.

Weather Situation

A weak pressure gradient extends over coastal waters. A tropical low is forming to the north of the coastal waters along a trough in the Arafura Sea and is forecast to move towards the northeast Top End or western Gulf of Carpentaria on Friday or Saturday.

Forecast for Wednesday until midnight

Winds
Easterly 10 to 15 knots decreasing to about 10 knots in the late afternoon.
Seas
Below 1 metre.
Swell
Below 0.5 metres.
Weather
Partly cloudy. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Thursday 18 December

Winds
East to southeasterly about 10 knots increasing to 10 to 15 knots in the early morning then becoming variable about 10 knots in the evening.
Seas
Below 1 metre.
Swell
Below 0.5 metres.
Weather
Partly cloudy. 80% chance of showers offshore east of Maningrida, 50% chance elsewhere. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Friday 19 December

Winds
Variable about 10 knots becoming southeast to southwesterly 10 to 15 knots in the early morning then tending west to northwesterly in the middle of the day.
Seas
Below 1 metre.
Swell
Below 0.5 metres.
Weather
Partly cloudy. 70% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Saturday 20 December

Winds
Northwesterly 10 to 15 knots.
Seas
Below 1 metre.
Swell
East to northeasterly below 1 metre.
Weather
Partly cloudy. 80% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the morning and afternoon.

Please be awareWind and wave forecasts are averages. Wind gusts can be 40 per cent stronger than the forecast, and stronger still in squalls and thunderstorms. Maximum waves can be twice the forecast height.

Nearby Coastal Waters

QLD - Torres Strait - Coastal Waters Forecast QLD - North East Gulf of Carpentaria - Coastal Waters Forecast QLD - South East Gulf of Carpentaria - Coastal Waters Forecast WA- North Kimberley - Coastal Waters Forecast Roper Groote Coast Forecast Gove Peninsula Coast Forecast Arafura Coast Forecast Van Diemen Gulf Forecast North Tiwi Coast Forecast Beagle Bonaparte Gulf Forecast

The next routine forecast will be issued at 8:30 pm CST Wednesday.

Product IDD11035