DARWIN Port has begun preparations to safeguard critical fuel supplies and supply chains to remote communities ahead of what is forecast to be a rare November cyclone.
The tropical low has been on track to upgrade to a category 2 cyclone while north of the Northern Territory sometime between Wednesday and Saturday.
As of 9.30am Tuesday morning ACST, the tropical front was 255 kilometres north northwest of Darwin travelling east northeast at nine km/hr.
Destructive winds, significant damage to signs, trees and caravans, and moorings are expected.
Darwin Port is a member of the NT Local Emergency Command Committee (LECC) that provides the latest state of readiness for a significant weather event like a tropical cyclone.
The tropical low as of 5pm AEDT 18 November 2025. Image: Earth.nullschool.net
General manager of operations David Power said management had been actively monitoring the potential of a formation of a tropical storm since the middle of last week.
“Prior to the onset of the annual cyclone season, Darwin Port reviews and updates the Cyclone Plan in recognition of activities, planned operations and projects for the season and to align with the NT Emergency Plan,” he said.
“Darwin Port will continue to make tactical decisions in collaboration with the LECC, our own Incident Management Team and advice by our regulators including the potential of closing the Port of Darwin if deemed necessary.”
Part of early preparations for an extreme weather event included hosting employee and stakeholder desktop exercises to validate and amend the cyclone plan.
Mr Power said early preparedness for a cyclone season formed part of the port’s culture and safety management framework based on experiences with previous cyclone events.
Ship owners, operators, and occupiers are kept informed of emerging threats and measures are taken to evacuate the port or provide safe refuge if required.
Bureau of Meteorology manager of hazard preparedness Shenagh Gamble said the system was expected to move away from the Top End over the coming days, before turning back.
The potential area of impact is “a lot of the north-west and north coastline of the Northern Territory”.
"As the system develops into a tropical cyclone, we do expect it to turn away from the Northern Territory somewhat, head north, before curving back around," Ms Gamble said.
"If you look at the tropical cyclone seven-day forecast, you can see that area of risk does include Darwin over the coming days.”