Tropical cyclone Fina on torrential path to hit northern Australian coast this week

"If tropical cyclone Fina crosses the Northern Territory coast on Friday, it could equal the earliest cyclone to make landfall in Australia. Fina, a category one cyclone about 370km north-east of Darwin, was moving east and expected to intensify to category two before turning south on Thursday. The latest Bureau of Meteorology update (issued at 10.30am local time on Wednesday) anticipated the cyclone would reach the NT coast for potential impact on Friday or Saturday."

"The senior meteorologist Jonathan How said the earliest cyclone to make landfall in Australia was Ines, which crossed the Kimberley on 21 November 1973. The earliest to cross the NT coast was Alessia on 27 November 2013. Based on Fina's track map it could also cross the coast on the 21st, 22nd November, so that could equal the record for earliest landfall, he said, and would be the earliest for the NT."

"Even though Australia's official cyclone season began on 1 November, he said, the first to cross land was usually mid to late December, on average. The bureau's latest track map indicated Darwin could be affected. The most recent significant cyclone to impact Darwin was Marcus in 2018, which made landfall as a category two system with wind gusts of 130km/h, bringing trees down and causing power outages."

Tropical cyclone Fina, a category one system about 370 km north-east of Darwin, was moving east and expected to intensify to category two before turning south. The Bureau of Meteorology anticipated the cyclone could reach the Northern Territory coast with potential impact on Friday or Saturday, and its latest track indicated Darwin could be affected. Fina's projected landfall around 21–22 November could equal Australia’s earliest recorded cyclone landfall and would be the earliest for the NT. Historically the first landfall typically occurs mid to late December. The most recent major cyclone to hit Darwin was Marcus in 2018, and climate change is intensifying cyclones globally.

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