A tropical cyclone is no longer expected to hit the Northern Territory, but Top End residents are still bracing for wild weather as the wet season enters the history books.
Indigenous communities on the Tiwi Islands north of Darwin have been bunkering down and stocking up on supplies ahead of the expected arrival of Cyclone Frances.
But the Bureau of Meteorology on Tuesday cancelled all NT cyclone warnings, predicting the tropical low to pass close to Darwin on Wednesday morning.
The low should later strengthen over the Timor Sea, and a cyclone watch remains in place for WA's Kimberley coast between Mitchell Plateau and the NT border.
But BoM NT's Ben Suter says the Top End will still cop severe storms.
"There's the potential for damaging wind gusts and heavy rainfall that could lead to localised flash flooding today, and into tomorrow," he said.
"Coastal areas along the southern Tiwi's and Van Diemen Gulf are likely to experience large waves and abnormally high tides during today and into the early hours of Wednesday."
The Tiwi and northwest Arnhem Districts are forecast to be drenched by 24-hour rainfall totals of up to 150mm and gales with gusts of up to 90km/h on Tuesday night.
This should extend into the northern Daly district, including Darwin on Wednesday.
The deluge has already pushed the Top End's bumper wet season up to the third wettest in history, with above average rainfall from October to April.
But Mr Suter said mostly sunny conditions are tipped for the Easter long weekend across large parts of the region.
In the meantime, emergency authorities have advised residents to ready their emergency kits, clear backyards of potential wind-borne missiles and not to drive across flooded roads or swollen waterways.
