Major Flood Warning Issued for Daly River: Levels Surpass Historic 1998 Peak

Source: BOM · Northern Territory, Australia

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The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a major flood warning for the Daly River, with water levels at the Daly River Police Station exceeding the historic 1998 flood mark.

What this BoM weather warning tells you, and what most readers miss

This notice was issued by BOM on March 28, 2026 and geographically references Northern Territory, Australia. Its severity classification of "high" signals how the issuing agency weighs the risk of harm if no action is taken — "critical" and "high" tier alerts typically carry direct consumer actions, while "medium" and "low" tend toward informational guidance or monitoring advisories. The category it belongs to — Weather Warnings — determines the regulatory framework behind it, which shapes what remedies (refunds, replacements, recalls, evacuations) are available to affected individuals and who holds statutory responsibility for enforcement.

Most readers skim a notice like this, check whether they are personally affected, and move on. The more useful lens is to read it as a data point about the issuing system: how quickly BOM detected the hazard, how precise the geographic or product-identifier scope is, and whether similar notices have clustered in the same category or region in the last 90 days. Cluster patterns frequently precede a broader regulatory action — a single localized BoM weather warning is isolated; three of them within a quarter often indicate a supply-chain, infrastructure, or seasonal driver that will keep producing notices until something structural changes.

For decision-making, Areazine pairs each alert with the original agency URL, the full agency name, and a timestamp so you can verify the notice against the primary source before acting on it. Tags on this item (weather, alert, FloodWarning, NorthernTerritory) map to related alerts in the same area of risk — browsing them together gives a clearer picture than any single notice alone, because the shape of an ongoing issue only becomes visible across multiple sequential alerts.

Alert Details

A Major Flood Warning (IDD20545) has been issued by the Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) for the Daly River. This update, Warning Number 23, confirms that significant major flooding is currently occurring and is expected to be prolonged.

Affected Areas

The primary area of concern is the Daly River at the Daly River Police Station and the Lower Daly River in the Northern Territory. Specific river height observations have been recorded at the following locations:

  • Daly River at Daly River Police Station: 16.33 m (Steady)
  • Daly River at Mount Nancar: 19.58 m (Rising)
  • Daly River at Dorisvale Crossing: 20.76 m (Falling)
  • Douglas River at Douglas Crossing: 5.24 m (Falling)
  • Daly River at Beeboom Crossing: 19.50 m (Rising as of March 12)

What You Should Do

Residents and travelers in the affected regions are urged to take the following safety precautions:

  • Do not drive, walk, swim, or play in floodwater as it is extremely dangerous.
  • Stay away from flooded drains, rivers, streams, and all waterways.
  • Obey all road closure signs and plan travel ahead to avoid flooded routes.
  • Monitor the ABC and local media for further updates.
  • For emergency assistance, contact the SES at 132 500. In life-threatening emergencies, call 000 immediately.
  • Visit www.securent.nt.gov.au for local emergency management advice.

Expected Conditions

Significant major flooding is ongoing. The river level at the Daly River Police Station peaked above the historic 1998 flood level of 16.25 meters on Sunday morning. As of 10:45 am ACST Monday, the level remains steady at 16.33 meters, well above the major flood threshold of 14.00 meters. Further rainfall is forecast over the catchment area within the next few days, which may impact river levels.

Timeline

The alert was issued at 11:07 am ACST on Monday, 16 March 2026. Major flooding is expected to continue and remain above the major flood level for the remainder of the week. The Bureau of Meteorology expects to issue the next update by 11:00 am ACST on Tuesday, 17 March 2026.

Original source: BOM Official Notice ↗

All Weather Warnings →

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about this BoM weather warning.

What is this BoM weather warning about?
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a major flood warning for the Daly River, with water levels at the Daly River Police Station exceeding the historic 1998 flood mark.
Which agency issued this alert?
This alert was issued by BOM. The original notice is available at the source link at the bottom of this article.
How severe is this alert?
This alert is classified as "high" severity. Take precautions and monitor for updates.
What area is affected?
This alert affects Northern Territory, Australia. Check with BOM for the most current geographic scope.
Where can I find more Weather Warnings updates?
Browse the full Weather Warnings feed on Areazine at areazine.com/au/weather/ for the latest updates from BOM and other agencies.