Tropical Cyclone Narelle bears down on Top End with severe wind and rain

Residents across the Northern Territory’s Top End are bracing for Tropical Cyclone Narelle to regain intensity before making landfall.

The system, which crossed the Queensland coast on Friday as a powerful category 4 cyclone, is currently tracking westwards through The Gulf of Carpentaria.

The tropical cyclone had weakened to a category 2 system with wind gusts up to 130km/h as it moved westward through Aurukun, on the Western Cape York Peninsula, on Friday evening.

According to senior meteorologist Angus Hines, the tropical cyclone is expected to strengthen On Saturday back into a category 3 about 12pm, as it approaches the Northern Territory.

The expected system is to pass north of Groote Eylandt around 10pm local time on Saturday, then projected to cross the mainland coast between 3am and 4am Sunday.

The storm’s core is expected to bring destructive wind gusts and widespread heavy rainfall. A tropical cyclone warning remains in effect from Nhulunbuy to Borroloola.

During the past 48 hours to 6am on Saturday morning, the heaviest rain was through central parts across the peninsula.

Full Creek on the Pascoe River recorded 422mm of rainfall, 408mm of rainfall was received by Portland Road on Wenlock River, and 283mm at Weipa on the west coast of the peninsula.

According to the Bureau, the conditions for Queensland are easing as the system moves off the west coast of the peninsula with authorities beginning to assess damage.

Over the weekend, NT is anticipating destructive winds at the core and damaging winds across a large areas along with widespread falls of 100 to 200mm.

The winds are expected to gradually ease during the day on Sunday, while rain is expected to be widespread and extensive.

Mr Hines noted that heavy rainfall is predicted for communities who have been dealing with major flooding in recent weeks for including around Katherine and the Katherine river, Beswick and the Waterhouse River, and the communities of Daly River and Nauiyu.

Majority of the severe weather is expected to be cleared by Monday leading into Tuesday as the tropical system continues to move westward.

But Saturday will still see showers and storms continue in the tropical north.

Heavy rain was also possible throughout the southern and central coastal parts of Queensland, as well as the southern interior.

Brisbane could be hit with storms and showers reaching a top of 28C.

Showers and thunderstorms will extend to NSW and the ACT seeing temperatures drop below average, Sydney will reach a high of 27C with slightly cooler conditions in Canberra.

Victorians will start the weekend with a foggy morning before condition ease in the western and central parts of the state, while thunderstorms hit the north and east.

Melbourne will reach a top of 23C.

Showers will develop over Adelaide, reaching a top of 26C.

Perth will face an increased fire risk as hot continues continue in the west with the city reach a top of 32C.