A tropical cyclone is expected to form in the Gulf of Carpentaria tomorrow and may cross the coastline near the NT and Queensland border on Monday, the Bureau of Meteorology warned today. 

The bureau, which previously forecast that a cyclone would probably form off the WA coastline, now expects two low-pressure systems could reach cyclone strength over the weekend, with one in the Gulf of Carpentaria and the other in the Indian Ocean off the Pilbara coast.

A track map shows the Gulf of Carpentaria low intensifying to category 2 intensity as it moves towards land. 

The bureau has declared a watch zone extending from Alyangula (Groote Eylandt) in the NT to the border with Queensland, including Borroloola, and says the low was today near Nhulunbuy along the Top End’s northeastern coast. 

Heavy rainfall will increase into the weekend, with the heaviest falls limited to coastal and island locations tomorrow before reaching further inland to the Carpentaria forecast districts into Sunday. 

“Later in the weekend, intense rainfall is possible, especially about coastal parts of the Carpentaria districts,” the bureau said. 

The tropical low off the coast of WA is moving slowly south and is likely to develop into a cyclone late on Sunday or Monday, while remaining off the Pilbara coast at category 1 intensity. 

“An impact on the Pilbara coast is a slight possibility if the system takes a further southwards movement late [in the] weekend,” the bureau said.