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Wednesday, 4 January 2006

ANNUAL CLIMATE SUMMARY - NORTHERN TERRITORY

Northern Territory in 2005 - Another hot one.

2005 was a hot year over most of the country, with the Territory bearing the brunt. The area-average maximum temperature was 1.45°C above the long-term mean, the largest anomaly of any state or territory, making 2005 of the hottest year on record. The biggest contributing month was April, which was a remarkable 3.5°C above average. Interestingly, few sites recorded annual maximum temperature records, though several localities, including Darwin, Tennant Creek and Alice Springs recorded their second highest annual temperature on record.

The year can also be characterised as having warm nights. The NT area-averaged anomaly was 1.42°C, being the second warmest year of minimum temperatures on record, and also the biggest anomaly of any state or territory for 2005.

Overall, rainfall in the Territory was near average for the year. However, it was by no means an ordinary rainfall year. Early on, the summer monsoon rains were generally poor in the north, (except for those in the path of TC Ingrid) while further south around the Alice Springs district, summer rains generally failed. This followed on from low rainfall totals in the latter half of 2004. By the end of May, Alice Springs Airport had recorded just 36.6 mm in the previous 12 months - its driest 12 months on record. Numerous localities in the Alice Springs and Barkly districts in particular were in a similar boat.

June saw relief from the dry conditions. Subsequent falls, including some record totals in October, saw most yearly totals being near-to or even exceeding the long-term mean.

In the North, the early build-up rainfall in 2005 was generally above average, but by year's end, the summer monsoon was still poorly developed, and yet to have a major influence over much of northern Australia.

A table of Territory extremes, some new records, and summaries for sites across the Territory appear below. A National Climate Summary is also available.

Extremes

Weather extremes during 2005
Highest temperature
Hottest day
45.2 °C
 Kulgera on 23 Dec
Highest mean daily maximum temperature
Warmest days on average
36.0 °C
 Elliott
Lowest mean daily maximum temperature
Coolest days on average
29.5 °C
 Arltunga
Lowest daily maximum temperature
Coldest day
10.0 °C
 Kulgera on 11 Jul
Lowest temperature
Coldest night
-4.1 °C
 Arltunga on 9 Aug
Lowest mean daily minimum temperature
Coldest nights on average
14.0 °C
 Alice Springs Airport
Highest mean daily minimum temperature
Mildest nights on average
24.9 °C
 Warruwi
Highest daily minimum
Warmest night
31.0 °C

Wulungurru on 16/17 Feb, and Jervois on 24 Dec

Highest total rainfall
Wettest overall
2086.6 mm
 Point Fawcett
Lowest total rainfall
Driest overall
154.0 mm
 Upper Bond Springs
Highest daily rainfall
Wettest day
410.0 mm
 Cape Wilberforce on 12 Mar

Records

Record Highest Total Rainfall

Total rainfall
for 2005 (mm) 		Previous highest Years of
record
Timber Creek*
1144.3
1106.5
in 1999
21


Record Lowest Total Rainfall

Total rainfall
for 2005 (mm) 		Previous lowest Years of
record
Channel Island*
1009.0
1231.6
in 1937
21
Humpty Doo Collard Road*
1373.4
1380.6
in 1985
18


Record Highest Mean Maximum Temperature

Mean daily maximum
temperature
for 2005 (°C) 		Previous highest Years of
record
Curtin Springs
31.1
31.0
in 2002
33
Centre Island
32.2
32.0
in 1992
20
Elliott
36.0
35.8
in 2002
16
Kulgera
29.8
29.2
in 2002
17
Warruwi
32.1
31.8
in 1970
15
Yulara Aero
31.0
30.9
in 1985
15


Record Highest Mean Daily Minimum Temperature

Mean daily minimum
temperature
for 2005 (°C) 		Previous highest Years of
record
Jervois*
16.2
16.1
in 2004
23
Ali Curung
18.2
17.5
in 1998
14


Summaries

Summary statistics for 2005


 Maximum temperatures
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
(°C)		 Rainfall
(mm)
Mean for 2005 Difference from normal Highest for 2005 Mean for 2005 Difference from normal Lowest for 2005 Total for 2005 Normal total
Ali Curung
33.1
+0.8
42.6
18.2
+1.7
2.5
274
384
Alice Springs Airport
30.4
+1.8
43.1
14.0
+0.8
-0.4
253
283
Alyangula Police
31.8
+0.3
37.0
23.1
+0.7
14.5
756
1159
Arltunga
29.5

42.0
14.5

-4.1
227
291
Borroloola
34.2
+0.5
41.6
20.1
+0.3
6.4
667

Brunette Downs
34.7
+1.3
43.6
20.0
+1.2
5.4
409
416
Centre Island
32.2
+0.9
39.2
24.5
+0.7
16.2
662
1000
Channel Point
31.6

35.0
22.3

11.5


Curtin Springs
31.1
+1.5
44.2
14.6
+1.3
-1.5
287
238
Daly Waters AWS
35.2
+1.5
41.9
19.9
+0.5
4.9
804
628
Darwin Airport
32.8
+0.8
36.6
23.6
+0.3
15.9
1365
1701
Delamere Weapons Range
34.6

40.0
21.5

8.0
943

Douglas River
34.6
+0.2
40.7
20.4
+0.4
5.0
1213
1233
Dum In Mirrie AWS
32.1

35.6
23.8

12.1
1714

Elliott
36.0
+1.4
44.3
19.9
+0.9
6.1


Gove Airport
31.0
+0.4
35.9
22.7
+0.4
15.2
1287
1428
Jabiru Airport
35.1
+0.9
40.8
22.8
+0.3
14.6
1420
1478
Jervois
31.9
+1.0
45.0
16.2
+1.8
0.3
284
294
Katherine Aviation Museum
34.6
+0.5
40.7
20.8
+0.4
5.4
1243
1110
Kidman Springs
35.6

42.5
20.7

4.0
786
726
Kulgera
29.8
+1.6
45.2
14.8
+0.9
0.0


Lajamanu
35.4

44.0
19.9

5.0
492
492
Larrimah
34.7
+0.8
41.0
20.1
+0.2
6.0
589
844
Mango Farm
34.7
+0.7
40.2
21.1
+0.6
9.4
1375
1331
Maningrida
32.4
+0.5
37.0
22.6
+0.5
14.2
949
1317
McArthur River Mine
35.5
+1.2
42.4
20.1

5.1
449
752
McCluer Island
30.3

34.3
25.8

19.7
1048

Ngukurr
35.4

43.2
22.3

12.0
510
751
Oenpelli
34.7
+0.7
39.7
22.8
+0.5
13.9
1330
1396
Papunya
31.8

43.5
16.2

-0.5
275
281
Point Fawcett
32.2

35.2
23.6

14.6
2087

Rabbit Flat
35.3

45.1
18.5

1.5
241

Tennant Creek Airport
33.1
+1.2
41.8
21.1
+1.3
8.2
357
457
Territory Grape Farm
31.5

42.0
15.3

1.0
387
323
Timber Creek
35.5
+0.6
41.3
21.1
-0.2
7.6
1144
921
Tindal RAAF
34.5
+0.7
40.2
20.8
+0.2
6.9
1202
1144
Victoria River Downs
34.9
+0.6
41.1
20.1
+0.4
3.3
808
639
Warruwi
32.1
+0.9
36.0
24.9
+0.7
20.0
660
1164
Watarrka
31.6
+1.1
43.6
16.8
+1.2
-1.5
236
317
Wave Hill
35.1
+0.8
42.1
20.2
+1.3
2.4
659
690
Wollogorang
34.3
+0.6
42.4
19.6
+1.1
5.2
611
959
Yuendumu
31.9
+1.4
43.2
16.4
+0.7
0.9
320
373
Yulara Aero
31.0
+1.0
43.5
14.6
+0.6
-1.3
257
303

Note

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 10 am on Wednesday 4 January. Although every effort has been made to verify the data, it is possible that results will change as new information becomes available.

Further information

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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