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 8:50 pm CST on Thursday 19 March 2026
for the period until midnight CST Sunday 22 March 2026.

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 broad area of low pressure over the Top End is directing light northwest to northeast winds over coastal waters. Winds will strengthen and turn westerly over northern and eastern waters from Friday as Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle moves into the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Beagle Bonaparte Coast: WA-NT Border to Cape Fourcroy

Forecast for Thursday 19 March until midnight

Winds: North to northeasterly about 10 knots. Seas: Below 0.5 metres. Swell: Westerly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Friday 20 March

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

Forecast for Saturday 21 March

Winds: Variable about 10 knots becoming southerly 10 to 15 knots in the morning then becoming variable about 10 knots in the middle of the day. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: North to northwesterly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 80% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Sunday 22 March

Winds: Southwesterly 15 to 20 knots turning westerly 15 to 25 knots during the afternoon. Seas: Below 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the morning. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Cloudy. 90% chance of rain. The chance of a thunderstorm.

North Tiwi Coast: Cape Fourcroy to Cape Don

Forecast for Thursday 19 March until midnight

Winds: North to northwesterly below 10 knots. Seas: Below 0.5 metres. Swell: Westerly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Friday 20 March

Winds: West to northwesterly about 10 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: West to northwesterly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 70% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Saturday 21 March

Winds: Westerly 10 to 15 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Northwesterly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 90% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the morning and afternoon.

Forecast for Sunday 22 March

Winds: Westerly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the morning. Swell: North to northwesterly around 1 metre. Weather: Cloudy. 95% chance of rain. The chance of a thunderstorm in the morning.

Van Diemen Gulf

Forecast for Thursday 19 March until midnight

Winds: North to northwesterly below 10 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Friday 20 March

Winds: Variable 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 Saturday 21 March

Winds: Southwesterly about 10 knots increasing to 10 to 15 knots in the morning then tending westerly in the early afternoon. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy. 90% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the afternoon and evening.

Forecast for Sunday 22 March

Winds: Westerly 15 to 25 knots. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1 to 2 metres during the morning. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Cloudy. 90% chance of rain. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Arafura Coast: Cape Don to Cape Wessel

Forecast for Thursday 19 March until midnight

Winds: West to northwesterly below 10 knots. Seas: Below 0.5 metres. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Friday 20 March

Winds: Westerly 10 to 15 knots, reaching up to 20 knots offshore east of Maningrida in the late evening. Seas: Around 1 metre. Swell: West to northwesterly below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. 80% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Saturday 21 March

Winds: Westerly 15 to 25 knots increasing to 20 to 30 knots in the late evening. Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1 to 2 metres by early evening. Swell: Northwesterly below 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres in the far north by early evening. Weather: Partly cloudy. 90% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Sunday 22 March

Winds: Westerly 20 to 30 knots turning northwesterly 20 to 25 knots during the morning. Seas: 1.5 to 2.5 metres. Swell: Northwesterly 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 1 to 2 metres during the morning. Weather: Cloudy. 95% chance of rain. The chance of a thunderstorm in the morning and afternoon. Heavy falls possible.

Gove Peninsula Coast: Cape Wessel to Cape Arnhem

Tropical System Location

At 6:30 pm CST Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle was located about 120 nautical miles north northeast of Cooktown and 165 nautical miles east of Coen. Centre located near 13.6S 146.0E. Recent movement has been towards the west at 10 knots.

Forecast for Thursday 19 March until midnight

Winds: West to southwesterly 10 to 15 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Friday 20 March

Gale Warning for Friday for Gove Peninsula Coast

Winds: Westerly 15 to 20 knots increasing to 15 to 25 knots in the late evening. Winds above 34 knots possible depending on movement and development of Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle. Waves: Seas and swell exceeding 4m. Weather: Partly cloudy. 70% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm offshore south of Cape Wessel in the late afternoon and evening.

Forecast for Saturday 21 March

Winds: Westerly 20 to 30 knots turning northwesterly in the late morning and early afternoon. Seas: 1 to 2 metres, increasing to 2 to 3 metres offshore south of Cape Wessel. 1st Swell: Westerly below 1 metre, tending northwesterly 1 to 1.5 metres around midday. 2nd Swell: Southerly around 1 metre. Weather: Cloudy. 95% chance of rain. The chance of a thunderstorm from the late morning.

Forecast for Sunday 22 March

Winds: Northwesterly 20 to 30 knots decreasing to 15 to 20 knots during the afternoon. Seas: 1.5 to 2.5 metres. Swell: Northwesterly below 1 metre inshore, increasing to 1 to 2 metres offshore. Weather: Cloudy. 95% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the morning. Heavy falls possible.

Roper Groote Coast: Cape Arnhem to QLD-NT Border

Forecast for Thursday 19 March until midnight

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

Forecast for Friday 20 March

Winds: Southwesterly about 10 knots increasing to 10 to 15 knots before dawn. Winds reaching up to 25 knots east of Groote Eylandt in the late evening. Seas: Below 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres east of Groote Eylandt around midday. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy. 50% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Saturday 21 March

Winds: Above 64 knots possible depending on movement and development of Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle. Waves: Seas and swell exceeding 8m. Weather: Cloudy. 95% chance of rain. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Sunday 22 March

Winds: Above 48 knots possible depending on movement and development of Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle. Waves: Seas and swell exceeding 6m. Weather: Cloudy. 95% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm. Heavy falls possible.

Darwin Harbour

Forecast for Thursday 19 March until midnight

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

Forecast for Friday 20 March

Winds: Variable below 10 knots. Seas: Below 0.5 metres. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy. 80% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm.

Forecast for Saturday 21 March

Winds: Variable about 10 knots. Seas: Below 0.5 metres. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Partly cloudy. 90% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the afternoon and evening.

Forecast for Sunday 22 March

Winds: Southwesterly 15 to 20 knots tending westerly during the day. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the afternoon or evening. Weather: Cloudy. 90% chance of rain. The chance of a thunderstorm in the evening.

The next routine forecast will be issued at 2:30 am CST Friday.

* 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.