Cyclone Narelle, one of the most powerful storms in Australia for years, is churning towards the Northern Territory after making landfall in Queensland as a category four.

The weather system, currently a category two, moved westwards over Cape York Peninsula on Friday night before it was set to quickly barrel across the Gulf of Carpentaria, strengthening again to a category three about 10am on Saturday.

Narelle is expected to approach the northeast of the Northern Territory on Saturday, likely to cross the Top End’s coast overnight Saturday or early Sunday morning between Birany Birany and Ngukurr as a category three.

Narelle will then weaken as it moves inland across the Top End on Sunday and Monday.

The Top End has been warned that wind gusts of 195km/h are forecast to develop in Birany Birany and Numbulwar, including Groote Eylandt, Saturday evening and overnight into Sunday as Narelle approaches from the east.

Gales of up to 120km/h between Gapuwiyak and Port McArthur, including Nhulunbuy and Borroloola, from Saturday afternoon and overnight into Sunday and may extend west to Ramingining, Bulman, and Ngukurr on Sunday.

Heavy rainfall is likely to develop between Port McArthur and south of Nhulunbuy from Saturday afternoon which may cause dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding in the evening.

There is also a potentially dangerous storm tide between Alyangula and Port Roper is possible as the cyclone centre crosses the coast which may cause damaging waves and further flooding.

“People between Nhulunbuy and Port McArthur, including Borroloola, Numbulwar, Alyangula, and Gapuwiyak, should immediately commence or continue preparations, especially securing boats and property,” Northern Territory Emergency Services warns.

“People further west including Ramingining, Bulman, and Ngukurr, should consider what action they will need to take if the cyclone threat increases.”

The defence force evacuated almost 150 people from the Northern Territory community of Numbulwar, with hundreds more set to be flown out as Narelle approaches.

About 500 people overall are set to make a Darwin high school gymnasium their new home in the coming days as they ride out Narelle’s wrath.

The NT has already been hit by severe flooding in recent weeks as Katherine, south of Darwin, recover from its worst flood event in almost 30 years.

The community has been left fearful that Narelle will only cause more damage to the flood-stricken town.

As the cyclone moved across Queensland on Friday night, it brought destructive winds gusts of up to 130km/h near the centre and heavy rainfall.

It also brought the risk of large waves with minor flooding in low-lying coastal areas.

The Bureau of Meteorology maintained on Friday night that people in the path of the cyclone should “stay calm and remain in a secure shelter – above the expected water level – while the destructive winds continue”.

“Do not venture outside if you find yourself in the eye of the cyclone – destructive winds from a different direction could resume at any time,” the bureau said.

As Narelle made landfall on an unpopulated stretch of the Cape York coastline on Friday morning, the damage was far less than expected as the storm took a roof off a home in Coen and felled branches.

“There is some structural damage and there are some trees down, but overwhelmingly the damage has been relatively minimal,” Premier David Crisafulli said.

In the impact zone, wind announced the wait was over. At Portland Roads, north of Lockhart River and the cyclone’s crossing, daybreak broke door latches.

“I snuck outside and the girls held the door while I went and got a strap, so we’re strapped on now,” one resident said. “The wind is just relentless and really gusting.”

Cairns, 600km south of the landing, copped a storm surge and cyclonic swells on a high tide left Holloways Beach looking worn out from erosion, while Kewarra Beach had wipeouts when surfers took to the waves.

“Broke the board on one of them,” one surfer said.

“I’ve been here my whole life. I’ve lived 20 years here. Never seen a lot like this before. This is awesome. It’s absolutely nuts. And we didn’t even get hit with a cyclone, but just the storm surge.”

In the cyclone’s 11-hour journey across the peninsula, the biggest loss so far is power, but the rain is still falling. The Archer River rose rapidly from 5 metres to 13.

– With AAP.