Australia storms knock out power to 9,000 homes in Alice Springs, more cells forecast
Synopsis
Back-to-back severe storms have battered two Australian states in 48 hours — first South Australia on Sunday, then the Northern Territory on Monday — leaving a combined total of more than 16,000 properties without power at peak disruption. With no injuries reported but four-day outages possible in Alice Springs and fresh storm cells forecast for Tuesday, the crisis is far from over.
Key Takeaways
Severe thunderstorms struck Alice Springs and surrounds in the Northern Territory on Monday, 13 October 2025 , cutting power to around 9,000 properties .
Wind speeds neared 100 km per hour ; trees fell across roads, powerlines, and roofs.
NT Minister Bill Yan warned some areas could be without electricity for up to four days ; emergency crews are being deployed from Darwin .
No injuries were reported, but residents were urged to avoid fallen powerlines and damaged infrastructure.
South Australia was hit the previous day, with over 7,000 customers losing power and the State Emergency Service receiving more than 100 calls for assistance .
The Bureau of Meteorology warned of further storm cells developing on Tuesday afternoon and evening .
Severe thunderstorms swept across Central Australia on Monday, 13 October 2025, knocking out electricity to around 9,000 properties in and around the Northern Territory city of Alice Springs and triggering warnings of further storm cells through Tuesday evening. Authorities said some areas could remain without power for up to four days.
What Triggered the Storms
The Bureau of Meteorology explained that a trough of low atmospheric pressure converged with a warm and unstable air mass over Central Australia on Monday afternoon, creating conditions for severe thunderstorm development. The storms delivered heavy rain, hail, and wind speeds nearing 100 km per hour, felling trees onto roads, powerlines, and rooftops across the region.
Scale of Damage and Response
Bill Yan, the Northern Territory's Minister for Logistics and Infrastructure, described the damage as widespread, warning that some affected areas could be without electricity for as long as four days. In a joint statement with NT Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro, Yan confirmed that emergency crews would be dispatched from the territorial capital of Darwin to assist with clean-up operations and power restoration.
Authorities urged residents to exercise caution around fallen powerlines, trees, and damaged infrastructure. Yan said: 'The damage is significant but thank goodness there are no injuries reported. We want to keep it that way. We need people to stay safe with powerlines and trees down all over town.'
South Australia Hit the Day Before
The Northern Territory storms follow a separate wave of severe weather that struck South Australia (SA) on Sunday, 12 October 2025, including the state capital of Adelaide. Thunderstorms brought damaging hailstones and high winds, toppling trees and cutting power to more than 7,000 customers across the state on Sunday afternoon.
The State Emergency Service received over 100 calls for assistance from Sunday afternoon onwards, the majority related to fallen trees. According to SA Power Networks, by Monday afternoon 15 outages were still active, affecting 1,872 customers. The largest single outage — impacting 966 customers southeast of Adelaide — was not expected to be resolved until Monday night.
Further Risk Ahead
The Bureau of Meteorology warned that similar storm cells could develop again on Tuesday afternoon and evening, raising the prospect of additional disruption to an already stressed electricity network in the region. Emergency management officials have not yet lifted any alerts. The back-to-back nature of the storms — hitting South Australia on Sunday and the Northern Territory on Monday — reflects a broader period of atmospheric instability across the continent's interior heading into the Southern Hemisphere's storm season.
Point of View
The Northern Territory on Monday, with more cells forecast for Tuesday — points to a sustained period of atmospheric instability rather than an isolated weather event. Australia's Outback infrastructure, particularly ageing powerline networks, has historically struggled to recover quickly from storm damage, and a four-day restoration timeline for Alice Springs will test both emergency logistics and public patience. Notably, the absence of injuries so far owes as much to the sparse population density of Central Australia as to emergency preparedness — a distinction worth keeping in mind as climate-linked extreme weather events grow more frequent across the continent's interior.
NationPress
13 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What caused the severe storms in Alice Springs on 13 October 2025?
The Bureau of Meteorology said a trough of low atmospheric pressure coincided with a warm and unstable air mass over Central Australia on Monday afternoon, driving the development of severe thunderstorms with heavy rain, hail, and wind speeds nearing 100 km per hour.
How many homes lost power in Alice Springs and for how long?
Around 9,000 properties in and near Alice Springs lost electricity. NT Minister Bill Yan warned that some areas could be without power for up to four days, with emergency crews being sent from Darwin to assist in restoration.
Were there any injuries from the Australian storms?
No injuries were reported from the Northern Territory storms as of Monday. Minister Yan acknowledged the damage was significant but said authorities were urging residents to stay safe around fallen powerlines and trees to prevent any casualties.
How did South Australia fare in the storms the previous day?
South Australia was hit by thunderstorms on Sunday, 12 October 2025, with more than 7,000 customers losing power. The State Emergency Service received over 100 calls for assistance, mostly related to fallen trees, and SA Power Networks still had 15 active outages affecting 1,872 customers as of Monday afternoon.
Is there a risk of more storms in Australia this week?
Yes. The Bureau of Meteorology warned that similar storm cells could develop again on Tuesday afternoon and evening, raising the prospect of further damage and power disruptions to already affected areas in Central and South Australia.
