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 Thursday 11 December 2025
for the period until midnight CST Saturday 13 December 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 ridge through the Gulf of Carpentaria brings east to northeasterly winds to coastal waters, weakening over the weekend.

Beagle Bonaparte Coast: WA-NT Border to Cape Fourcroy

Forecast for Thursday 11 December until midnight

Winds: Variable about 10 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Friday 12 December

Winds: Variable about 10 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Saturday 13 December

Winds: Northwesterly 10 to 15 knots becoming variable about 10 knots during the morning. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy. 50% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the morning and afternoon.

North Tiwi Coast: Cape Fourcroy to Cape Don

Forecast for Thursday 11 December until midnight

Winds: Variable about 10 knots. Seas: Below 0.5 metres. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy. 50% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm this morning.

Forecast for Friday 12 December

Winds: Variable below 10 knots. Seas: Below 0.5 metres. Swell: East to northeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: The chance of a thunderstorm in the morning. Mostly sunny afternoon.

Forecast for Saturday 13 December

Winds: Variable below 10 knots. Seas: Below 0.5 metres. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy. The chance of a thunderstorm in the morning and afternoon.

Van Diemen Gulf

Forecast for Thursday 11 December until midnight

Winds: Variable about 10 knots becoming north to northeasterly 10 to 15 knots in the evening. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Friday 12 December

Winds: Variable about 10 knots becoming northerly 10 to 15 knots in the evening. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Mostly sunny day. The chance of a thunderstorm at night.

Forecast for Saturday 13 December

Winds: North to northwesterly below 10 knots becoming southerly during the morning then becoming north to northwesterly during the day. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy. The chance of a thunderstorm in the afternoon and evening.

Arafura Coast: Cape Don to Cape Wessel

Forecast for Thursday 11 December until midnight

Winds: Variable about 10 knots becoming easterly 10 to 15 knots before dawn. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: The chance of a thunderstorm west of Maningrida this morning. Mostly sunny afternoon.

Forecast for Friday 12 December

Winds: Easterly 10 to 15 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: East to northeasterly below 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Forecast for Saturday 13 December

Winds: Variable about 10 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Gove Peninsula Coast: Cape Wessel to Cape Arnhem

Forecast for Thursday 11 December until midnight

Winds: Easterly 10 to 15 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Forecast for Friday 12 December

Winds: Easterly 10 to 15 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy. 50% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the far northeast in the morning.

Forecast for Saturday 13 December

Winds: Easterly 10 to 15 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy. 50% chance of showers.

Roper Groote Coast: Cape Arnhem to QLD-NT Border

Forecast for Thursday 11 December until midnight

Winds: East to northeasterly about 10 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Mostly sunny. The chance of a thunderstorm south of Numbulwar during this afternoon and evening.

Forecast for Friday 12 December

Winds: Variable about 10 knots becoming east to northeasterly 10 to 15 knots in the morning. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Mostly sunny. The chance of a thunderstorm inshore in the late morning and afternoon.

Forecast for Saturday 13 December

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

Darwin Harbour

Forecast for Thursday 11 December until midnight

Winds: East to southeasterly below 10 knots becoming north to northwesterly in the middle of the day. Seas: Below 0.5 metres. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy. The chance of a thunderstorm late this afternoon and evening.

Forecast for Friday 12 December

Winds: Variable below 10 knots. Seas: Below 0.5 metres. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy. The chance of a thunderstorm at night.

Forecast for Saturday 13 December

Winds: Northwesterly below 10 knots becoming south to southeasterly during the morning then becoming west to northwesterly during the day. Seas: Below 0.5 metres. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy. 50% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the afternoon and evening.

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

* 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.