Chance of NT cyclone

A low-pressure system off the Northern Territory has a 20 to 50 per cent chance of turning into a cyclone.

The Bureau of Meteorology says the tropical low is weak but developing over the Arafura Sea, north of Arnhem Land.

It is expected by Tuesday to either move over the northwest Top End or over the Timor Sea.

"If the low is located sufficiently over water, there is a moderate chance it could develop into a tropical cyclone on Tuesday night," the bureau says on its website.

The system will be monitored for the risk of gales developing on Tuesday and Wednesday over the western tip of the NT and the Kimberley region in Western Australia.