22/11/2025
LOCATION/S: Darwin to Dundee Beach, including parts of the Tiwi Islands around Wurrumiyanga.
ALERT LEVEL: Emergency warning - An Emergency Warning is the highest level of warning. You may be in danger and need to take action immediately. Any delay now puts your life at risk.
RISKS FACED BY PEOPLE IN THE AREA:
· Destructive winds
· Torrential rain
· Possible flooding
· Possible disruption to essential supplies like electricity, water and gas
ACTION STATEMENTS:
· It is too dangerous to travel, reconsider your plans
· Shelter indoors now – Stay indoors until advised by authorities
· Stay informed by following SecureNT on Facebook or listen to ABC Local Radio, the use of SEWS may be played in some areas. · Monitor conditions via www.bom.gov.au/nt/warnings
· For emergency service in floods, storms or cyclones call 132 500
· In a life-threatening situation call 000
ADVICE TO THE PUBLIC:
Intensity:
Category 3, sustained winds near the centre of 140 kilometres per hour with wind gusts to 195 kilometres per hour.
Location:
Within 20 kilometres of 11.9 degrees South 131.1 degrees East, estimated to be 60 kilometres north northeast of Darwin and 55 kilometres east southeast of Wurrumiyanga.
Movement:
Darwin radar shows Fina close to the south coast of Melville Island while satellite imagery shows Fina has intensified today. Fina is expected to continue moving west southwest to pass north of Darwin this evening.
After passing Darwin, Fina is forecast to maintain severe tropical cyclone intensity on Sunday and into Monday as it moves through the southern Timor Sea, and then start weakening during Monday or Tuesday near the Kimberley coast
Hazards:
VERY DESTRUCTIVE WIND GUSTS to 195 km/h are likely along the southeastern coast of Tiwi Islands moving west during the day, with a chance of reaching Wurrumiyanga this evening. Very destructive wind gusts are likely about exposed coastal sites northeast of Darwin (including Gunn Point and Cape Hotham) today but the risk at Darwin is assessed as low.
DESTRUCTIVE WIND GUSTS to 155 km/h are likely to extend west over southern parts of the Tiwi islands, including Wurrumiyanga this afternoon. Destructive gusts are expected to extend to the Darwin region later today and possibly to Dundee Beach tonight.
GALES with DAMAGING WIND GUSTS to 120 km/h are occurring over Melville Island, adjacent Bathurst Island and northeast of Darwin to Point Stuart. Gales are expected to extend further west to include Darwin over the next few hours and across the remainder of the Tiwi Islands this afternoon. Gales may extend southwest to Daly River Mouth overnight, and if Fina takes a more southerly track, gales could extend south to Wadeye during Sunday.
HEAVY to LOCALLY INTENSE RAINFALL which may lead to FLASH FLOODING is possible over the Tiwi Islands and the mainland coast between Point Stuart and Dundee Beach, including Darwin, for the remainder of Saturday. The risk of HEAVY RAINFALL about coastal and adjacent inland areas will extend southwest to the Daly River Mouth overnight and on Sunday.
Coastal residents on the Tiwi Islands, and between Cape Hotham and Warruwi are specifically warned that tides are likely to rise above the normal high tide mark with LARGE WAVES and MINOR FLOODING of low-lying coastal areas.
Safety Advice
NTES advises people in the path of the dangerous cyclone about southern Melville Island and Cape Hotham to Point Stuart, should stay calm and remain in a secure shelter while the destructive winds continue. Do not venture outside if you find yourself in the eye of the cyclone - destructive winds from a different direction could resume at any time. Heed the advice and follow the instructions of Emergency Services personnel and local authorities.
NTES advises people on the Tiwi Islands, and elsewhere between Daly River Mouth to Cape Don, including Darwin, Batchelor and Cobourg Peninsula should immediately commence or continue preparations, especially securing boats and property, using available daylight hours.
For more information: • For all warnings, visit Secure NT website regularly or listen to ABC local radio • For weather information, visit the Bureau of Meteorology • For the latest river heights, visit Latest River Heights for the Northern Territory Rivers • For power outage information, visit the Power and Water website • For traffic and road closure information, visit the Road Report NT website
The next update will be provided by 8pm ACST Saturday 22 November 2025.
