In an eerie reminder of Cyclone Tracy which devastated Darwin on Christmas Day 1974, a cyclone warning has been issued for parts of the Northern Territory.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) says a low pressure system could develop into a category 1 cyclone with winds of up to 100 km/h on Christmas Day.
"We have been monitoring a tropical low in the Timor sea for the past few days," a BOM spokesman told AAP.
"It's a low pressure system, not a cyclone yet.
"It may turn into a cyclone early tomorrow."
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The low was estimated to be 295km northeast of Kalumburu and 365km north of Wyndham.
It's moving south at about six kilometres per hour towards the north Kimberley coast.
Gales with gusts to 100km/h may develop on the coast between the WA/NT border and Mitchell Plateau on Wednesday morning.
Heavy rain is also expected over the far north Kimberley region during Wednesday and Thursday.
Cyclone Tracy killed 71 people, destroyed more than 70 per cent of Darwin's buildings, leaving people homeless.
