Tropical Cyclone Marcus to cross land near Darwin, causing wild weather

A warning has been issued for parts of the Northern Territory after a low weather system formed into a category one tropical cyclone today.

At 9.30am, Tropical Cyclone Marcus was estimated to be 310km northeast of Darwin at winds of between 65 and 95km/h, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.

The weather system is expected to intensify and make landfall before crossing the Cobourg Peninsula and turning towards the southwest, passing close to Darwin on Saturday.

Wind gusts of up to 110km/h are also expected due to the tropical cyclone and “significantly” high storm tides have been forecast between Milikapiti and Maningrida.

BoM forecaster Bri MacPherson told Weatherzone that communities on the Tiwi and Croker Islands are already feeling the effects of the cyclone.

"They're already getting quite decent falls, we've had 136 millimetres since 9:00am yesterday at Warrawee, 99mm at Cape Wessel and 99mm at Croker Island, and that's still going," she said.

"It's certainly going to have a bit of an impact. It's going to be pretty wet."

More than 100mm of rain is forecast to fall over Darwin as the cyclone system moves over land and flash flooding is a possibility.

Northern Territory Emergency Services (NTES) has recommended residents prepare for the gale-force winds and heavy rains coming with the cyclone by staying indoors and away from beaches and waterways.

The warning zone includes areas from Manngrida to the Daly River Mouth, including Darwin and the Tiwi Islands, while areas between the Daly River Mouth and Mitchell Plateau remains on watch.

The wild weather also comes as other parts of Australia also prepare to experience soaring temperatures, elevated fire dangers, total fire bans and mass rainfall.

A burst of hot and windy conditions in Sydney will see temperatures rise up to 14 degrees above average this weekend, while South Australians will head to the polls for the state election during a total fire ban.

Melbourne will see a short-lived burst of 32-degree weather before blustery, rainy conditions return to build on the highest total annual rainfall the city has seen in five years and Tasmania is expecting the possibility of early snowfall in icy conditions.