THONGS across Darwin were left abandoned on Tuesday and frozen toes were forced into the unfamiliar confines of actual shoes as the city faced one of its coldest ever days.

Darwin reached a maximum daytime temperature of just 22.1C on Tuesday. Previously, the lowest April maximum was 24.6C, recorded in 1961. The average April maximum is 31.9C.

The city reached a low of 18.1C at 5.30pm, with the apparent temperature an unheard of 15.4C.

At 3pm on Tuesday, it was 19C in Darwin — just marginally warmer than Canberra, which was 18.5C at the same time.

Bureau of Meteorology manager of weather services Ben Suter said it was one of Darwin’s coldest ever days on record.

“We’ve struggled to get above 21C,” he said.

“There have only been five days in the past 74 years where we’ve struggled to get above 21C.” Mr Suter said cool south east winds and dry air were to blame for the plummeting temperatures. Thin blooded Territorians can expect to leave the jumpers in the cupboard today, with temperatures expected to increase.

The sound of cold-weather-whingeing rung out across the Top End as Territorians struggled to cope with the arctic snap.

media_camera Wet weather hits Darwin city.

Cafe owner Pippa Ainsworth said customers at Winnellie’s The Trader abandoned iced coffees and chocolates on Tuesday in favour of more weather-appropriate beverages. “Usually we have a number of people who come in and say it’s too hot for warm drinks, but we didn’t have any of that crowd today,” she said.

BOM on Tuesday called off the cyclone watch and warning for the NT as a tropical low continued to track south over the Tiwi Islands.

Mr Suter said the system now wasn’t expected to intensify into a cyclone before it made it to the Timor Sea.

However, he warned there was a chance the Top End could still cop some severe weather from the system, with gusts up to 90km/h possible as the low moved towards WA.

Pirlangimpi resident Milika De Santis said locals spent Monday preparing for the system — which was to be called Frances if it intensified — to arrive.

But late Tuesday she said the weather had only provided a drizzly overcast day with no gale force winds.

“People were preparing for it on Tuesday and everyone is all set and it looks like the weather system is not heading our way,” she said.

media_camera Wet weather and heavy winds swept into Darwin as cyclone Francis swerved past the mainland.

Sealink manager Angela Panagopoulous said ferry services to the Tiwis would likely be operational today.

NT Police Commander Brent Warren said the heavy rain would bring localised flooding, particularly at Rapid Creek and at the spillway of Darwin Dam.

“The Darwin River Dam has reached capacity which is quite common during heavy rain in the wet season. As a normal matter of course it flows over the lip of the dam,” he said.

“The residents are all aware of that situation and we’re just asking them to keep alert and aware.”

He urged people to avoid entering Rapid Creek and flooded roads.

“Around water safety, we’ve had people in the past who have taken the rubber rings into Rapid Creek. That is not a good idea.”