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MONTHLY CLIMATE SUMMARY - NT REGIONAL OFFICE
The North Australian Monsoon delivered ample and widespread rainfall to much of the Top End during the first week of the month, paused for a few days before a brief rejuvenation, and then departed. The southwest Top End scored best in the rainfall stakes while the northwest Alice Springs district experienced not only the Territory’s driest conditions for the month but also its most torrid. An interesting feature was a dry burst over western Top End during the 7th which gave Darwin its lowest recorded January synoptic hour dewpoint of 13.2 oC (28% relative humidity) - the previous record was 14.7 oC on the 3rd in 1995.
Maps displaying recent temperature and rainfall patterns can be seen on the Bureau’s web site.
In general terms the Territory experienced well below average rainfall around the central north coast, the southwestern Gulf region and large western portions of the Alice Springs district while small areas over the south western Top End and eastern portions of the Alice Springs district received above to well above average rainfall. Elsewhere rainfall was near average.
Western portions of the Top End from Darwin southward were initially well served as the monsoon, which had commenced its rainfall favours upon the area around Christmas, reached a climax providing a number of stations with accumulated totals in excess of 200mm by the end of January’s first week. It was during this period that the month’s highest daily fall was reported - that of 217.5mm at Mount Nancar during the 24 hours to 9am on the 4th. The monsoon was then almost extinguished before undergoing a resurgence during the second half of the second week. Once again some notable falls were recorded with 24-hour totals in excess of 100mm being reported. However, this was not to last - the monsoon departing as the second half of the month unfolded whereupon rainfall became sporadic and discriminatory in character. The final rainfall upshot was a mixed bag with some stations exceeding their January average, quite a few around their average (eg Darwin Airport finished with 408.0mm compared with a long term average of 422.6mm) and some notably less than their average. The Territory’s best monthly effort was Channel Point’s 571.6mm.
Further south rainfall fortunes were decidedly mixed. Some places were blessed with the remnants of a tropical low that wandered their way early in the month (eg Jervois finished the month with 92.2mm – more than twice its average – especially appreciated after a rainless December) but many missed out, especially those situated in the western half of the Alice Springs district (Alice Springs Airport only managed 9.4mm for the month well short of its average of 38.0mm). Paradoxically, however, two of the four rainfall records for the month were obtained from within the Alice Springs district.
| Highest Daily Rainfall(mm) for January 2005 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Station | Record | Date | Previous | Years of record |
|
| Record | Date | ||||
| Adelaide River Post Office* | 191 | 2 | 182 | 28/01/1998 | 42 |
| Mount Skinner* | 118.6 | 4 | 88.5 | 13/01/1976 | 42 |
| Jervois* | 82.0 | 4 | 65.8 | 11/01/1984 | 39 |
| Mango Farm* | 195.0 | 4 | 185.0 | 28/01/1995 | 24 |
Mean maximum temperatures were 1oC - 2oC above average over the central north coastal area and ranged up to 3oC - 4oC above average over the northwestern corner of the Alice Springs and adjoining Victoria River districts. These same areas were also noted for their rainfall deficiency for the month. Elsewhere mean maximum temperatures were near normal except for a strip running southwards from the Gulf coast and over the respective eastern portions of the Roper-McArthur and Barkly districts where they were 1oC - 2oC below average.
Rabbit Flat (Alice Springs district) reported the Territory's highest maximum temperature, 44.9oC on the 27th, and Territory Grape Farm (also Alice Springs district) the lowest maximum temperature, 24oC on the 3rd. The highest mean maximum temperature was 41.3oC at Rabbit Flat (Alice Springs district) and the lowest was 31.8 oC at Galiwinku (Arnhem district), Dum In Mirrie (Darwin-Daly district) and Point Fawcett (Darwin-Daly district).
Mean minimum temperatures were mostly within 1oC of average, except for central areas of the Alice Springs district where they were 1oC - 2oC below average.
Alice Springs reported the Territory's lowest minimum temperature, 12.8oC on the 9th, and Rabbit Flat (also Alice Springs district) the highest minimum temperature, 30.4oC on the 21st. The lowest mean minimum temperature was 20.2oC at Alice Springs Airport and the highest was 27.4oC at Centre Island (Arnhem district).
| Highest Daily Maximum Temperature (oC) for January 2005 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Station | Record | Date | Previous | Years of record |
|
| Record | Date | ||||
| Maningrida | 37.0 | 24 | 36.5 | 04/01/1981 | 30 |
| Lajamanu | 44.0 | 25 & 26 | 43.7 | 09/01/1970 | 12 |
| Lowest Daily Maximum Temperature (oC) for January 2005 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Station | Record | Date | Previous | Years of record |
|
| Record | Date | ||||
| Territory Grape Farm | 24 | 3 | 25.5 | 28/01/1997 | 13 |
| Lowest Daily Minimum Temperature (oC) for January 2005 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Station | Record | Date | Previous | Years of record |
|
| Record | Date | ||||
| Brunette Downs | 16.5 | 6 | 16.7 | 03/01/1970 | 37 |
| Katherine Aviation Museum | 19.0 | 7 | 19.5 | 08/01/1997 | 21 |
| Ali Curung | 16.7 | 6 | 16.8 | 30/01/2000 | 17 |
| Douglas River | 19.7 | 8 | 20.0 | 02/01/1969 | 12 |
| Lowest Monthly Mean Minimum Temperature (oC) for January 2005 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Station | Record | Previous | Years of record |
|
| Record | Year | |||
| Timber Creek | 24.2 | 24.4 | 2001 | 24 |
This statement has been prepared based on information available at 10 am on Tuesday 1 February 2005. Although every effort has been made to check them, it is possible that results will change as new information becomes available. * indicates unconfirmed reports.
The Daily Weather Observations lists daily temperatures and rainfall, plus many other meteorological variables, at more than 50 locations across the Territory (and over 700 across Australia). Data from the last 13 months are available from this web site.
Monthly rainfall and temperature maps are also available.
Further climate data and information can be obtained from:
Climate and Consultative Services
Northern Territory Regional Office
Bureau of Meteorology
Phone (08) 8920 3813
Email climate.nt@bom.gov.au
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