Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Heavy Rainfall Issued for Barkly District, Northern Territory

Alert Details

The Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for heavy rainfall. This alert is designated as top priority for immediate broadcast and was issued at 6:54 pm local time on Thursday, 12 March 2026.

Affected Areas

The warning specifically targets parts of the Barkly forecast district in the Northern Territory. Locations identified as potentially affected include Elliott and Renner Springs.

What You Should Do

The Northern Territory Emergency Service (NTES) advises residents in the warning area to take the following safety measures:

• Slow down and turn your vehicle headlights on.
• Create your own sandbags to protect doorways by filling pillowcases or shopping bags with sand.
• Secure loose outside objects and ensure pets and animals are safe.
• Avoid remaining in the open when storms threaten.
• If driving in heavy rain, pull over and park with your hazard lights on until visibility improves.
• Avoid driving into water of unknown depth and current.
• For emergency help in floods, storms, and cyclones, contact the NTES on 132 500.

Expected Conditions

A trough system located over the central Northern Territory is currently embedded in a very humid and unstable airmass. This system is likely to produce slow-moving clusters of thunderstorms. These severe thunderstorms are expected to produce heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding within the warning area over the next several hours.

Timeline

The warning was issued at 6:54 pm on Thursday, 12 March 2026. The Bureau of Meteorology expects to issue the next update by 9:55 pm. The current alert phase is listed as new with an expiry time set for 13:24:48Z.