Alice Springs lies near Australia's geographic center in a region often called the 'Red Centre' for the rusty hue of its desert landscape. After weeks of heavy rainfall in February and March 2026, vast areas of desert and surrounding mountains in the region turned lush and green. The MODIS on NASA's Terra satellite captured an image of the southern part of Australia's Northern Territory on March 10, 2026, showing the transformation.
The area's landscape typically appears red due to the oxidation of iron-rich rock. During periods of sufficient rainfall, water begins to flow in previously dry riverbeds, and dormant vegetation springs to life. February 2026 brought an area average of 239 millimeters (9 inches) of rainfall to the Northern Territory, marking its third-wettest February on record dating back to 1900, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
Thunderstorms earlier in February produced enough rain to cause water levels on the Todd River and other area rivers to quickly rise. Flash flooding in Alice Springs uprooted trees and left some people stranded, according to news reports. The specific damage or casualties resulting from the flash flooding in Alice Springs have not been detailed.
Later in February, heavy rains returned as another tropical low stalled over central Australia for nearly a week, causing flooding that prompted officials to declare a natural disaster. Which officials declared the natural disaster and what specific measures were taken remains unclear. As of late March, more extreme weather was on the way for Australia with the approach of Tropical Cyclone Narelle.
Bureau of Meteorology forecasts called for severe storm impacts to reach northern Queensland by late on March 19 or March 20. Flooding watches and warnings also extended inland, including to Alice Springs, where past storms have already saturated river catchments.