NT cyclone Alessia to hit coast Sunday November 24, 2013 - 9:26AM Residents in the Northern Territory are being urged to make their final preparations as tropical Cyclone Alessia heads for the coast. The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a cyclone warning for coastal areas from Mitchell Plateau through to Point Stuart, including Darwin and the Tiwi Islands. A category one cyclone warning was issued at 3.30am on Sunday (CST). Developing from a low-pressure system travelling across the Indian Ocean, Cyclone Alessia was 45km north-north-west of Kalumburu and 505km west-south-west of Darwin moving east-north-east at 16 km/h. Northern Territory forecaster Sally Cutter said gales off the North Kimberly coast will approach the west coast of the Top End on Sunday. A watch was issued by the bureau on Friday and was upgraded to a warning on Saturday evening. Showers and storms are expected for the top northern half of the state with scattered showers and storms increasing around the west coast on Sunday. Residents in Darwin and rural areas are being advised to make their final preparations and seek public shelter if they don't have accommodation. Localised flooding may develop in the Top End with damaging winds expected.