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Friday, 1 October 2004
MONTHLY CLIMATE SUMMARY - NT REGIONAL OFFICE
Northern Territory in September - cool, dry and sunny
Summary
Maximum temperatures were below average and minimum
temperatures well below average over much of the Territory during
September whilst rainfall was scanty and scattered. Humidity levels were
also well below average over the northwest Top End.
September Rainfall The most notable falls in the Territory
occurred at opposite ends of the month and over its respective far
northern and southern regions. Early in the month a southeast surge
triggered showers over the northwestern Top End during the early hours
of the 2nd. Middle Point AWS did best from the event with a fall of
27mm. Some Darwin suburbs received between 10 to 20mm though Darwin
Airport reported only 2.8mm, its one and only fall for the month. An
isolated storm produced 35.0mm during the late hours of the 9th at
Jabiru AWS (the Territory's highest 24 hour fall for the month). The
southern action occurred during the last days of the month when a deep
and active trough produced a patchy cloud band along with showers and
gusty storms in the Alice Springs district. The strongest thunderstorm
cells were located near the southern border and spawned a tornado over
Kulgera on the evening of the 29th producing 13.2mm of rain (the
district's heaviest fall for the month). Elsewhere there was little or
no rain reported (a common seasonal situation) and no rainfall records
were broken.
September Maximum Temperatures Mean maximum temperatures were
1oC - 2oC below average over the Victoria district
and scattered portions of the Top End's central portions. Otherwise such
temperatures were within 1oC of normal.
Elliott (Barkly district) reported the Territory's highest maximum
temperature, 39.1oC on the 30th, and Kulgera (Alice Springs
district) the lowest maximum temperature, 17.0oC on the 12th.
The highest mean maximum temperature was 35.5oC at Douglas
River (Darwin-Daly district) and the lowest was 25.4oC at
both Arltunga* and Kulgera* (Alice Springs district).
September Minimum Temperatures Mean minimum temperatures were a
remarkable 4oC - 5oC below average over the
Katherine area grading respectively northward and southward to near
normal. No station reported a mean minimum temperature above average.
Western and eastern border areas of the northern half were largely
2oC - 3oC below average grading through to close
to average near the South Australian border.
Kulgera (Alice Springs district) reported the Territory's lowest
minimum temperature, -1.0oC on the 13th, (a record) and Dum
In Mirrie AWS (Darwin-Daly district) the highest minimum temperature,
25.2oC on the 30th. The lowest mean minimum temperature was
7.7oC at Alice Springs Airport (Alice Springs district) and
the highest was 21.5oC at Dum In Mirrie AWS (Darwin-Daly
district).
Records
| Lowest Daily Maximum Temperature, (oC) September 2004 |
| Station |
Record |
Date |
Previous |
Years of
record |
| Record |
Date |
| Jabiru Airport AWS |
30.9 |
1 |
31.0 |
7/09/1978 |
25 |
| Alyangula Police |
25.5 |
1 |
26.5 |
8/09/1989 |
21 |
| Yulara Aero |
19.1 |
12 |
19.5 |
1/09/1985 |
14 |
| Lowest Daily Minimum Temperature, (oC) September 2004 |
| Station |
Record |
Date |
Previous |
Years of
record |
| Record |
Date |
| Darwin Airport |
14.4 |
5 |
15.1 |
5/09/2003 |
64 |
| Victoria River Downs |
5.5 |
14 |
5.6 |
4/09/2003 |
37 |
| Kulgera |
-1.0 |
13 |
0.6 |
4/09/1984 |
24 |
| Katherine Aviation Museum |
8.2 |
5 |
8.9 |
2/09/1946 |
20 |
| Tindal RAAF |
8.7 |
4 |
10.2 |
5/09/2003 |
14 |
| Channel Point |
14.4 |
5 |
14.8 |
5/09/2003 |
10 |
| Highest Daily Minimum Temperature, (oC) September 2004 |
| Station |
Record |
Date |
Previous |
Years of
record |
| Record |
Date |
| Territory Grape Farm |
26.0 |
28 |
24.0 |
23/09/2003 |
12 |
| Lowest monthly mean maximum temperature, (oC) September 2004 |
| Station |
Record |
Previous |
Years of
record |
| Record |
Year |
| Oenpelli |
34.4 |
34.7 |
1977 |
41 |
| Alyangula Police |
29.8 |
30.3 |
1990 |
21 |
| Katherine Aviation Museum |
33.9 |
34.5 |
1990 |
20 |
| Ali Curung |
29.7 |
29.9 |
1990 |
16 |
| Tindal RAAF |
33.8 |
34.3 |
1985 |
14 |
| Territory Grape Farm |
27.6 |
28.0 |
1993 |
12 |
| Borroloola |
33.0 |
34.3 |
1996 |
10 |
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| Lowest monthly mean minimum temperature, (oC) September 2004 |
| Station |
Record |
Previous |
Years of
record |
| Record |
Year |
| Darwin Airport |
20.9 |
21.3 |
1976 |
64 |
| Victoria River Downs |
14.3 |
14.4 |
1967 |
37 |
| Yuendumu |
10.1 |
10.4 |
1978 |
37 |
| Daly Waters AWS |
13.6 |
14.3 |
1957 |
36 |
| Timber Creek |
17.5 |
18.4 |
1994 |
24 |
| Elliott* |
14.2 |
14.4 |
1985 |
23 |
| Katherine Aviation Museum* |
16.6 |
17.4 |
1994 |
24 |
| Ali Curung |
12.0 |
12.3 |
1990 |
16 |
| Tindal RAAF |
15.6 |
18.0 |
1999 |
14 |
| Borroloola |
15.7 |
16.1 |
1996 |
10 |
| Lajamanu |
13.2 |
15.3 |
2000 |
10 |
Note:
This statement has been prepared based on information
available at 10 AM on Friday 1st October 2004. Although every effort has
been made to check them, it is possible that results will change as new
information becomes available.
* denotes that one or more observations missing
Ends Further information: Sam Cleland, Manager,
Climate and Consultancy Section, NT Regional Office,
tel: (08) 8920
3813,
e-mail: climate.nt@BoM.GOV.AU
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