Flood Watch Issued for Central and Eastern Inland Northern Territory Catchments
This alert is no longer in effect.
BOM issued it on April 6, 2026, 4 months ago. Warnings of this kind stay in effect for hours to a few days, so this page is a historical record of what was issued, not a current warning. For conditions where you are right now, check weather.gov (US), weather.gc.ca (Canada), the Met Office (UK), or the Bureau of Meteorology (Australia).
Areazine synthesizes this BoM weather warning directly from BOM's official public data feed. See our methodology for full source attribution and refresh cadence.
The Bureau of Meteorology warns of widespread heavy rainfall and potential flooding across the Barkly, Central Desert, and MacDonnell Ranges through early next week.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Flood Watch
- Affected area
- Northern Territory
- Issued
- April 6, 2026
- Issuing authority
- BOM
Flood notices turn on location and timing. Treat the named area as this record's scope; do not assume nearby counties, parishes, or waterways were included.
Record status: historical. It was issued 4 months ago; use the issuing agency's live warning service for current conditions in Northern Territory.
Alert Details
The Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has issued Flood Watch number 5 (IDD20590) for parts of the Eastern, Central, and Western Inland areas of the Northern Territory. This alert serves as early advice for possible flooding within specified catchments due to a broad trough and an embedded low-pressure system.
Affected Areas
The following catchments and regions are included in the flood watch:
- Georgina River and Eyre Creek
- Finke River and Stephenson Creek
- MacDonnell Ranges
- Simpson Desert
- Central Desert
- Tanami Desert (eastern areas)
- Barkly (southern areas)
What You Should Do
Residents and travelers are advised not to drive, walk, swim, or play in floodwaters as conditions are dangerous. Stay away from flooded drains, rivers, streams, and other waterways. It is critical to obey all road closure signs and plan ahead to avoid driving on flooded roads. For emergency assistance, contact the SES at 132 500. In life-threatening situations, call 000.
Expected Conditions
A broad trough over central Northern Territory, combined with a slow-moving low over the southern Barkly District, is expected to bring widespread heavy rainfall. Significant accumulated rainfall is anticipated over the next few days. River and creek level rises, localized flooding, and overland inundation are already occurring in some areas and are expected to expand. These conditions will likely impact road access, and some communities may become isolated.
Timeline
The alert was issued at 12:25 pm ACST on Sunday, February 22, 2026. Flooding is currently occurring in the Barkly and Georgina Rivers. These conditions are expected to extend into central, western, and eastern catchments from Sunday into Monday and Tuesday. In the MacDonnell Ranges, Finke River, Stephenson Creek, and Simpson Desert, flooding is possible starting Monday.
Original source: BOM Official Notice ↗
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