The strongest cyclone to hit ­Darwin in half a century has now strengthened to a category four system and is expected to head further southwest towards the Kimberley coast in Western ­Australia’s north,

Residents in Darwin have woken to assess the damage after Tropical Cyclone Fina swept through Australia's north delivering winds up to 200km/h and total rainfall of 157mm.

In December 2023, Cyclone Jasper crossed the far north Queensland coast near Wujal Wujal as a Category 2 system, unleashing destructive winds and torrential rain that caused major flooding, cut power to tens of thousands of homes and triggered landslips that shut key roads.

The first tropical cyclone of Australia’s storm season has developed off the country’s northern coast, where it is expected to gather strength and potentially take aim at land.

Roaring winds, flooding rain and a collapsed hospital ceiling have marked the ferocity of Cyclone Fina as the severe system drags its destructive weather across the Top End.

A tropical low currently developing over the Timor Sea has a high chance of becoming a tropical cyclone later this week.

Darwin is on high alert as Tropical Cyclone Fina moves close, prompting citywide closures and urgent advice for residents to prepare.

Tropical cyclone Fina has formed off the Top End as a category one storm system and is expected to intensify to category two.