Ingrid lashes the coast and heads for Darwin

BRISBANE - Coastal communities in the top end of the Northern Territory were being lashed by winds of up to 290km/h today as Cyclone Ingrid continued its destructive path across Croker Island in the Arafura Sea and toward Darwin.

The category five cyclone -- stronger than Cyclone Tracy which decimated the territory's capital more than 30 years ago -- continued its journey today across the top end of NT where it was predicted to move west and strike Darwin by tonight.

A weather bureau spokesman said the system was about 200km north-east of the city and showed no signs of weakening.

"It's still a category five and moving westwards about 15km/h," he said. "If it maintains that intensity it could be very destructive."

Cyclone Tracy, a category four cyclone, killed 65 people when it flattened Darwin on Christmas Eve 1974.

Croker Island, which was directly in the Ingrid's path, today experienced destructive wind gusts of up to 290km/h with the weather bureau warning the region could also experience dangerously high tides and extensive flooding.

Ingrid was expected to continue moving west and cross the Cobourg Peninsula before moving across the Tiwi Islands this evening.

Gales with gusts to 120km/h were also being experienced on the coast between Maningrida and Cape Don and will extend west to the Tiwi Islands later today and further south to Port Keats by late tomorrow.

A cyclone warning is current for coastal and island communities between Daly River Mouth and Maningrida, including the Coburg Peninsula, Darwin and Tiwi Islands.

A cyclone watch extends south to Port Keats.

- AAP