Australian Government

Bureau of Meteorology


Coastal Waters Forecast 

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IDD11030

Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Northern Territory

Coastal Waters Forecast for the Northern Territory

Issued at 2:30 am CST on Tuesday 18 November 2025
for the period until midnight CST Thursday 20 November 2025.

Please be aware
Wind 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.

Warning Information

For latest warnings go to www.bom.gov.au, subscribe to RSS feeds, call 1300 659 210* or listen for warnings on relevant TV and radio broadcasts.

Weather Situation

A trough over the Timor Sea extends across the Gulf of Carpentaria directing northwest to northeasterly winds over the northern coastal areas, and fresh southeasterly winds over southern coastal areas. A Tropical Low (1005 hPa) is developing in the Timor Sea, and is expected to move in a general east to northeast direction.

Beagle Bonaparte Coast: WA-NT Border to Cape Fourcroy

Forecast for Tuesday 18 November until midnight

Winds: East to southeasterly 10 to 15 knots, reaching up to 20 knots offshore during the day. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres offshore north of Channel Point. Swell: Westerly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 80% chance of showers offshore north of Channel Point, 50% chance elsewhere. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Wednesday 19 November

Winds: East to southeasterly 10 to 15 knots, reaching up to 20 knots in the Beagle Gulf during the morning and early afternoon. Winds tending southeast to southwesterly in the middle of the day then becoming variable about 10 knots in the late evening. Seas: Around 1 metre. Swell: Westerly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 50% chance of showers north of Channel Point, near zero chance elsewhere. The chance of a thunderstorm in the morning and afternoon.

Forecast for Thursday 20 November

Winds: Variable about 10 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Westerly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. The chance of a thunderstorm in the afternoon and evening.

North Tiwi Coast: Cape Fourcroy to Cape Don

Forecast for Tuesday 18 November until midnight

Strong Wind Warning for Tuesday for North Tiwi Coast

Winds: Northwest to northeasterly 10 to 15 knots tending northeast to southeasterly in the middle of the day. Winds reaching up to 30 knots offshore in the late evening. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1 to 2 metres during the afternoon. Swell: Westerly around 1 metre. Weather: Cloudy. 90% chance of showers. A thunderstorm likely.

Forecast for Wednesday 19 November

Strong Wind Warning for Wednesday for North Tiwi Coast

Winds: North to northeasterly 15 to 20 knots, reaching up to 30 knots offshore during the day. Winds turning easterly during the morning. Seas: 2 to 3 metres. Swell: West to northwesterly around 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 90% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the morning and afternoon.

Forecast for Thursday 20 November

Winds: South to southeasterly 15 to 20 knots tending south to southwesterly during the afternoon. Seas: 1.5 to 2.5 metres, decreasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the morning. Swell: Northwest to southwesterly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 80% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the morning and afternoon.

Van Diemen Gulf

Forecast for Tuesday 18 November until midnight

Winds: East to northeasterly about 10 knots increasing to 10 to 15 knots in the early morning. Seas: Around 1 metre. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Cloudy. 80% chance of showers. A thunderstorm likely.

Forecast for Wednesday 19 November

Winds: Easterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy. 70% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the morning and afternoon.

Forecast for Thursday 20 November

Winds: East to southeasterly 10 to 15 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy. 60% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the afternoon and evening.

Arafura Coast: Cape Don to Cape Wessel

Forecast for Tuesday 18 November until midnight

Winds: Variable about 10 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Northwesterly below 1 metre. Weather: Cloudy. 80% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Wednesday 19 November

Strong Wind Warning for Wednesday for Arafura Coast

Winds: Northwest to northeasterly 10 to 15 knots tending east to northeasterly before dawn. Winds reaching up to 30 knots offshore west of Maningrida during the day. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 2 metres around midday. Swell: West to northwesterly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 80% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the morning and afternoon.

Forecast for Thursday 20 November

Winds: East to northeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1.5 to 2.5 metres in the far north. Swell: Northwesterly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 70% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Gove Peninsula Coast: Cape Wessel to Cape Arnhem

Forecast for Tuesday 18 November until midnight

Winds: West to southwesterly about 10 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy. 80% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Wednesday 19 November

Winds: West to northwesterly about 10 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Southerly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 80% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the morning and afternoon.

Forecast for Thursday 20 November

Winds: North to northwesterly about 10 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy. 70% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the morning and afternoon.

Roper Groote Coast: Cape Arnhem to QLD-NT Border

Forecast for Tuesday 18 November until midnight

Winds: South to southeasterly 10 to 15 knots, reaching up to 20 knots offshore south of Numbulwar during the morning and early afternoon. Winds tending east to southeasterly in the morning then becoming variable below 10 knots in the late evening. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres offshore south of Numbulwar during the morning. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Wednesday 19 November

Winds: Variable about 10 knots becoming southeasterly 10 to 15 knots in the morning then becoming variable about 10 knots in the evening. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Mostly sunny. The chance of a thunderstorm north of Numbulwar in the morning and afternoon.

Forecast for Thursday 20 November

Winds: Variable below 10 knots becoming easterly 10 to 15 knots during the morning. Seas: Around 1 metre. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy. The chance of a thunderstorm in the morning and afternoon.

Darwin Harbour

Forecast for Tuesday 18 November until midnight

Winds: Easterly about 10 knots increasing to 10 to 15 knots in the early morning. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy. 80% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Wednesday 19 November

Winds: East to southeasterly 10 to 15 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy. The chance of a thunderstorm in the late afternoon and evening.

Forecast for Thursday 20 November

Winds: Southeasterly about 10 knots becoming west to southwesterly during the afternoon then becoming southerly during the evening. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy. The chance of a thunderstorm in the afternoon and evening.

The next routine forecast will be issued at 8:30 am CST Tuesday.

* Calls to 1300 number cost around 27.5c inc. GST, higher from mobiles or public phones. Marine forecasts are also available on VHF and HF radio. View the radio schedule on www.bom.gov.au/marine

Check the latest Coastal Waters Forecasts for information on wind, wave and weather conditions for neighbouring coastal zones.