Meanwhile in NT...

GUSTS of up to 140km/h are expected to hit Australia's Top End, as Tropical Cyclone Grant lashes the coast.

The cyclone, which slowly intensified last night, is expected to move south across the Cobourg Peninsula and into the eastern Van Diemen Gulf early today.

The storm is travelling at about 8km/h and packing winds of around 140km/h at its centre.

If it maintains its southward course, it is predicted to cross the coast again east of Point Stuart, at least 80km east of Darwin, around lunchtime today.

Darwin residents may experience gale force winds today as the storm passes through, the weather bureau said.

Localised flooding over the northern Darwin-Daly, Arnhem and northern Roper-McArthur Districts is also expected.

People living west of Maningrida to the Tiwi islands, including Cape Don, Croker Island and Goulburn Island, were told to take shelter yesterday.

Forecasters had previously thought the storm would be downgraded to a category 1 as it crossed over land, but they are no longer expecting that.

Yesterday was the 37th anniversary of Cyclone Tracy, which destroyed much of Darwin in 1974, killing 49 people and a further 22 who perished at sea.

Read more at news.com.au