Severe Weather Warning Issued for Barkly, Simpson, and Tanami Districts in Northern Territory
This alert is no longer in effect.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 high-severity warning for heavy, locally intense rainfall and damaging winds across central and southeast Northern Territory due to a developing tropical low.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Severe Weather Warning
- Affected area
- Central and Southeast Northern Territory
- Issued
- April 6, 2026
- Issuing authority
- BOM
The warning type, named area, and issue time define this record. Confirm all three against the original agency notice before treating it as current.
Record status: historical. It was issued 4 months ago; use the issuing agency's live warning service for current conditions in Central and Southeast Northern Territory.
Alert Details
The Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has issued a Severe Weather Warning (IDD21037) for heavy, locally intense rainfall and damaging winds. The alert is currently at a "High" severity level as a tropical low situated near the Simpson, Barkly, and Queensland border region moves slowly southward and strengthens.
Affected Areas
The warning primarily affects the Barkly district and portions of the Simpson and Tanami districts in the Northern Territory. Specific locations that may be impacted include Tennant Creek and Ali Curung.
Expected Conditions
A tropical low is feeding on rich tropical moisture, bringing a broad chance of heavy to locally intense rainfall, particularly on the northern and eastern sides of the system.
- Rainfall: Six-hourly totals are expected between 55 and 90 mm, with localized falls reaching up to 140 mm. Over a 24-hour period, totals between 100 and 150 mm are likely, with localized peaks of 200 mm.
- Flash Flooding: The intense rainfall may lead to dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding.
- Winds: Damaging wind gusts of approximately 90 km/h are possible near showers and thunderstorms.
- Livestock: These conditions pose a significant threat to cattle and other livestock in the region.
What You Should Do
The Northern Territory Emergency Service (NTES) advises residents to take the following precautions:
- Secure loose outside objects and seek shelter as conditions deteriorate.
- If driving in heavy rain, pull over and park with hazard lights on until visibility improves.
- Do not drive into water of unknown depth or current.
- Use pillowcases or shopping bags filled with sand to create sandbags for doorway protection if flooding occurs.
- Stay away from flooded drains, rivers, streams, and waterways.
- Ensure the safety of pets and livestock.
- Prepare for potential power outages with an emergency kit containing a radio, torch, spare batteries, and a first aid kit.
- For emergency assistance in floods or storms, contact the NTES at 132 500.
Timeline
The warning was issued at 10:06 am ACST on Saturday, 21 February 2026. The tropical low is expected to strengthen as it moves south throughout the weekend, with the greatest chance of intense rainfall occurring during overnight hours. The next update from the Bureau of Meteorology is scheduled for 5:00 pm ACST Saturday.
Original source: BOM Official Notice ↗
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