According to the latest storm information from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), fina will drop to Category 3 as it approaches the northeastern coast of Kimberley on Monday afternoon. The BOM warned that the storm's eye with destructive winds will sweep across the area near the King George River mouth that evening, with gusts reaching 260 km/h, while sustained winds near the eye of the storm will be about 185 km/h.
The storm is moving southwest at a speed of about 9km/h, with the highest waves near the center reaching 9.8m.
The BOM has issued a warning of strong gusts and dangerous gusts from the King George River mouth to the Western Australian - Northern Territory border.
From the end of Monday, coastal areas are expected to have winds of up to 185 km/h, with heavy rain and the risk of flash floods in the Top End. The storm is forecast to continue making landfall before weakening in the next 48 hours.
Northern Australia residents are advised to prepare for strong winds and heavy rains as fina leaves the North Australian territory and moves into the Kimberley Sea. Despite a slight decrease, fina will remain at level 3 as it approaches the Kimberley mainland.
Meanwhile, the Greater Darwin region recorded record amounts of rainfall due to the impact of fina. Middle Point (about 50 km east-southwest of Darwin) received 430 mm in 24 hours - the highest level ever recorded at the station.
Charles Point on the Cox Peninsula also recorded 235 mm, breaking the annual record. A series of other stations set records in November, including: Gunn Point (283.6 mm), Darwin (168.6 mm), Leayner (177.6 mm), Marrara (146.5 mm), Humpty Doo (203.8 mm), Noonamah (202 mm), Batchelor Airport (180.8 mm) and Point Stuart (138.2 mm).
The eye of the storm passes about 50 km north of Darwin, helping the city avoid the strongest winds. Darwin recorded wind gusts of 107 km/h - much lower than the Category 3 winds at the center of the storm.
Safety recommendations
Follow updates from the BOM and local authorities as the storm's path and intensity change rapidly.
Minimize travel by road and sea, especially near the King George and Berkeley rivers; many routes may be flooded, landslides or blocked.
Stay indoors safely, avoid glass doors, ensure communication equipment has batteries and reserve drinking water - food for 24-48 hours.
Do not arbitrarily go out to take photos or watch big waves; high waves can exceed 9 m in areas near the storm's center and are very dangerous.
