Major Flood Warning Issued for Katherine River; Levels Expected to Exceed March 2000 Records
This alert is no longer in effect.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 has issued a major flood warning for the Katherine River, with water levels at Nitmiluk Centre and Katherine Bridge expected to surpass historic March 2000 levels.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Flood Warning
- 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 a Major Flood Warning (IDD20555) for the Katherine River. This is the fifth warning issued for this event, as rapid river level rises are occurring along the Katherine River and its tributaries.
Affected Areas
The warning specifically impacts the following locations in the Northern Territory:
- Katherine River Gorge Road
- Katherine River at Nitmiluk Centre
- Katherine River at Katherine Bridge
- Katherine Town
Expected Conditions
Major flooding is currently occurring at Nitmiluk Centre, where the river was recorded at 7.41 meters and rising as of 10:40 am Friday. Levels are expected to exceed the March 2000 flood levels of 7.40 meters late Friday morning and may reach approximately 8.00 meters by Friday afternoon.
At Katherine Bridge, the river is currently at 16.11 meters and rising. It is forecast to exceed the moderate flood level (16.50 meters) on Friday afternoon and reach the major flood level of approximately 17.50 meters late Friday afternoon. These levels are similar to those recorded during the March 2000 floods. Further rainfall is expected throughout Friday, which may lead to additional rises.
Timeline
The alert is currently in effect. Major flooding is expected to intensify through Friday afternoon, March 6, 2026. The Bureau of Meteorology intends to issue the next update by 2:00 PM ACST on Friday.
What You Should Do
Residents and travelers in the affected areas are advised to:
- Never drive, walk, swim, or play in floodwater as it is dangerous.
- Stay away from flooded drains, rivers, streams, and waterways.
- Obey all road closure signs and plan travel to avoid flooded routes.
- Monitor the ABC and local media for updates.
- For emergency assistance, contact the SES at 132 500. In life-threatening situations, call 000 immediately.
Original source: BOM Official Notice ↗
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