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MONTHLY CLIMATE SUMMARY - NORTHERN TERRITORY
At the start of the month a deep monsoon low was situated around the Tanami desert region, as the previously vigorous monsoon was beginning to wane. The monsoon trough then weakened and retreated north of the north coast, a situation that persisted for the remainder of the month. February 2006 can thus be characterised as laying almost entirely within inactive period of the monsoon. As a result rainfall totals were generally below average, with several record-low totals observed.
Rainfall
Areas around the Tanami desert recorded above average rainfall, most of which fell in the first few days of the month when the monsoon low was nearby. This rainfall was supplemented by some widespread thunderstorm activity around the third week of the month. Otherwise though, the month was characterised by well-below average rainfall, particularly in the north, where the summer monsoon was in a quiescent phase virtually throughout the month. The southeast corner of the Territory missed most rainfall events that occurred.
Temperature
With rainfall being less than average over much of the Territory, it is not surprising that temperatures were mostly above average. This was particularly the case in the southern half, and the biggest effects evident in the southeast of the Alice Springs district. These conditions perpetuated a long spell of warm nights in the region, as demonstrated by several records being established at the Alice Springs observing site, for consecutive nights warmer than a wide range of temperature thresholds. Details are included in the tables below.
A table of Territory extremes, some new records, details of the hot spell, and summaries for sites across the Territory appear below.Weather extremes during February 2006 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Highest temperature Hottest day |
43.8 °C |
Curtin Springs on 16th | |
Highest mean daily maximum temperature Warmest days on average |
39.7 °C |
Jervois | |
Lowest mean daily maximum temperature Coolest days on average |
31.4 °C |
Cape Don | |
Lowest daily maximum temperature Coldest day |
22.5 °C |
Rabbit Flat on 1st | |
Lowest temperature Coldest night |
16.1 °C |
Arltunga
on 12th
and Kulgera on 23rd | |
Lowest mean daily minimum temperature Coldest nights on average |
22.6 °C |
Yuendumu | |
Highest mean daily minimum temperature Hottest nights on average |
27.5 °C |
Centre Island | |
Highest daily minimum Warmest night |
31.1 °C |
Alice Springs Airport on 17th | |
Highest total rainfall Wettest overall |
405.6 mm |
Pirlangimpi | |
Highest daily rainfall Wettest day |
243.0 mm |
Suplejack on 1st | |
Record Lowest Total Rainfall for February 2006 |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Total rainfall (mm) |
Previous lowest | Years of record |
||
Howard Springs * |
105.3 |
122.7 |
in 1990 |
34 |
Larrakeyah * |
11.4 |
86.6 |
in 1990 |
31 |
The Pines * |
93.0 |
114.0 |
in 1986 |
31 |
Channel Island AWS |
78.2 |
145.0 |
in 1937 |
30 |
McMinns Lagoon * |
118.4 |
141.2 |
in 2005 |
29 |
Nathan River * |
17.1 |
41.8 |
in 2005 |
20 |
Palmerston * |
40.0 |
99.0 |
in 1989 |
20 |
Karama * |
44.2 |
111.0 |
in 1989 |
18 |
Dorisvale * |
27.4 |
54.4 |
in 1996 |
17 |
Moolooloo * |
17.6 |
19.5 |
in 1989 |
17 |
Mary River Rangers * |
125.1 |
133.0 |
in 1989 |
15 |
Thorak Cemetery * |
102.2 |
199.0 |
in 1992 |
14 |
Gilnockie * |
14.0 |
42.4 |
in 1998 |
13 |
Ludmilla * |
73.8 |
109.3 |
in 1992 |
13 |
Birrindudu * |
21.2 |
45.9 |
in 2005 |
12 |
Shoal Bay * |
150.7 |
153.5 |
in 1992 |
12 |
Ramingining * |
106.7 |
194.6 |
in 1994 |
10 |
Darwin Hospital * |
112.8 |
232.9 |
in 1998 |
10 |
Record Highest Daily Rainfall for February 2006 |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highest daily rainfall (mm) |
Previous highest | Years of record |
||||
Suplejack |
243.0 |
on the 1st |
212.0 |
on the 25th in 1993 |
24 |
|
Record Highest Temperature for February 2006 |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Highest temperature (°C) |
Previous highest | Years of record |
||||
Batchelor Aero AWS |
37.3 |
on the15th |
36.6 |
on the19th in 2005 |
10 |
|
Record Lowest Daily Maximum Temperature for February 2006 |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Lowest daily maximum temperature (°C) |
Previous lowest | Years of record |
||||
Rabbit Flat |
22.5 |
on the 1st |
23.2 |
on the 25th in 1993 |
35 |
|
Record Highest Mean Daily Minimum Temperature for February 2006 |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mean daily minimum temperature (°C) |
Previous highest | Years of record |
||
Alice Springs Airport |
24.1 |
23.5 |
in 1992 |
64 |
Jervois * |
25.3 |
24.2 |
in 1983 |
32 |
* indicates unconfirmed data
The table below highlights the recent hot spell experienced in central Australia. It shows the number of consecutive days and nights where the temperature was equal to or above a range of temperatures thresholds, as recorded at the observing site at Alice Springs.
Record Spell of Hot Nights at Alice Springs | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temperature Threshold (oC) | Current Hot Night Spell | Previous Record | ||||
| First Date | Last Date | Consecutive Days | Consecutive Days | First Date | Last Date | |
| 14 | 13 Oct 2005 | Ongoing (at 28 Feb) | 139 | 131 | 08 Dec 1970 | 17 Apr 1971 |
| 17 | 21 Dec 2005 | Ongoing (at 28 Feb) | 70 | 66 | 28 Nov 2003 | 01 Feb 2004 |
| 18 | 26 Dec 2005 | Ongoing (at 28 Feb) | 65 | 55 | 23 Jan 1983 | 18 Mar 1983 |
| 19 | 26 Dec 2005 | 11 Feb 2006 | 48 | 36# | 20 Jan 1992 | 24 Feb 1992 |
| 20 | 26 Dec 2005 | 10 Feb 2006 | 47 | 36 | 20 Jan 1992 | 24 Feb 1992 |
| 21 | 28 Dec 2005 | 10 Feb 2006 | 45 | 36 | 20 Jan 1992 | 24 Feb 1992 |
| 22 | 29 Dec 2005 | 10 Feb 2006 | 44 | 31 | 13 Jan 1993 | 12 Feb 1993 |
| 23 | 01 Jan 2006 | 03 Feb 2006 | 34 | 18 | 19 Jan 1973 | 05 Feb 1973 |
| 24 | 10 Jan 2006 | 25 Jan 2006 | 16 | 13 | 19 Jan 1973 | 31 Jan 1973 |
| 25 | 11 Jan 2006 | 22 Jan 2006 | 12 | 10 | 20 Jan 1967 | 29 Jan 1967 |
| 30 | 05 Jan 2006 | 07 Jan 2006 | 3 | 2# | 18 Jan 2000 | 19 Jan 2000 |
Record Spell of Hot Days at Alice Springs | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temperature Threshold (oC) | Current Hot Days Spell | Previous Record | ||||
| First Date | Last Date | Consecutive Days | Consecutive Days | First Date | Last Date | |
| 36 | 31 Dec 2005 | 31 Jan 2006 | 32 | 28 | 07 Jan 1985 | 03 Feb 1985 |
| 37 | 31 Dec 2005 | 31 Jan 2006 | 32 | 24 | 11 Jan 1985 | 03 Feb 1985 |
| 37.8 (100°F) | 31 Dec 2005 | 18 Jan 2006 | 19 | =19 | 19 Dec 1972 | 06 Jan 1973 |
| 40 | 01 Jan 2006 | 12 Jan 2006 | 12 | =12 | 04 Jan 1971 | 15 Jan 1971 |
| 41 | 02 Jan 2006 | 12 Jan 2006 | 11 | 8 | 08 Jan 1971 | 15 Jan 1971 |
# Previous record occurred more than once, most recent occurrence given.
Summary statistics for February 2006 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum temperatures (°C) |
Minimum temperatures (°C) |
Rainfall (mm) |
||||||
Mean |
Difference from normal |
Highest |
Mean |
Difference from normal |
Lowest |
Total |
Normal total |
|
Ali Curung |
37.3 |
+0.7 |
41.0 |
23.9 |
+0.6 |
19.4 |
87 |
109 |
Alice Springs Airport |
37.7 |
+2.7 |
43.3 |
24.1 |
+3.4 |
18.2 |
11 |
44 |
Alyangula Police |
33.2 |
+0.8 |
34.5 |
25.9 |
+0.4 |
24.1 |
242 |
238 |
Arltunga |
36.6 |
41.2 |
23.7 |
16.1 |
19 |
42 |
||
Batchelor Aero AWS |
33.6 |
+1.5 |
37.3 |
23.6 |
-0.2 |
20.8 |
180 |
|
Black Point |
32.0 |
+1.1 |
33.8 |
26.0 |
+0.4 |
23.1 |
138 |
288 |
Borroloola AWS |
34.6 |
+0.7 |
36.4 |
24.6 |
-0.3 |
21.4 |
112 |
233 |
Brunette Downs |
36.5 |
+0.2 |
38.5 |
24.7 |
+0.5 |
20.5 |
31 |
101 |
Cape Don AWS |
31.4 |
33.4 |
25.6 |
23.2 |
179 |
205 |
||
Centre Island AWS |
34.9 |
+2.0 |
36.3 |
27.5 |
+1.0 |
24.6 |
37 |
280 |
Channel Point |
31.9 |
+0.5 |
33.7 |
24.4 |
-0.6 |
22.5 |
384 |
433 |
Curtin Springs |
37.1 |
+0.8 |
43.8 |
23.0 |
+1.5 |
16.2 |
30 |
27 |
Daly Waters AWS |
36.2 |
+1.4 |
38.3 |
23.8 |
+0.2 |
22.4 |
37 |
180 |
Darwin Airport |
32.7 |
+1.3 |
34.2 |
24.6 |
-0.1 |
22.6 |
231 |
359 |
Delamere Weapons Range AWS |
36.0 |
38.0 |
23.9 |
21.0 |
83 |
|||
Douglas River AWS |
34.5 |
+1.6 |
36.4 |
23.6 |
-0.2 |
20.3 |
190 |
289 |
Dum In Mirrie AWS |
31.8 |
33.4 |
25.2 |
23.0 |
0 |
|||
Elliott |
36.6 |
-0.1 |
38.8 |
23.7 |
-0.1 |
21.7 |
22 |
163 |
Gove Airport |
32.1 |
+0.7 |
33.3 |
24.9 |
+0.4 |
23.0 |
213 |
293 |
Jabiru Airport AWS |
34.6 |
+1.5 |
36.2 |
24.4 |
0 |
22.8 |
329 |
348 |
Jervois |
39.7 |
+3.1 |
43.0 |
25.3 |
+3.2 |
18.0 |
7 |
60 |
Katherine Aviation Museum |
35.4 |
+1.3 |
37.4 |
23.6 |
-0.4 |
21.2 |
62 |
251 |
Kidman Springs |
36.7 |
+1.3 |
39.1 |
25.1 |
+0.3 |
22.8 |
46 |
190 |
Kulgera |
36.3 |
+0.8 |
43.0 |
23.3 |
+1.9 |
16.1 |
34 |
37 |
Lajamanu AWS |
35.3 |
-0.6 |
38.0 |
23.5 |
-0.2 |
20.0 |
116 |
153 |
Larrimah |
35.5 |
+1.0 |
37.5 |
23.7 |
0 |
21.5 |
47 |
206 |
Mango Farm |
34.2 |
+1.4 |
36.4 |
23.8 |
0 |
21.6 |
185 |
328 |
Maningrida |
32.8 |
+1.0 |
34.0 |
24.8 |
+0.3 |
23.5 |
283 |
264 |
McArthur River Mine |
37.4 |
22.2 |
33 |
185 |
||||
McCluer Island AWS |
33.0 |
22.6 |
149 |
|||||
Ngukurr |
37.0 |
+2.1 |
39.2 |
25.4 |
+0.8 |
23.0 |
31 |
173 |
Oenpelli |
35.0 |
21.9 |
159 |
325 |
||||
Papunya |
37.9 |
43.4 |
23.9 |
19.9 |
38 |
43 |
||
Pirlangimpi AWS |
32.3 |
+1.0 |
34.5 |
24.3 |
0 |
22.0 |
406 |
383 |
Point Fawcett AWS |
31.7 |
32.8 |
25.2 |
23.3 |
143 |
293 |
||
Rabbit Flat |
41.4 |
20.5 |
192 |
|||||
Tennant Creek Airport |
35.5 |
-0.1 |
38.8 |
23.9 |
-0.7 |
19.9 |
86 |
127 |
Territory Grape Farm AWS |
37.6 |
+1.6 |
42.0 |
22.8 |
+1.2 |
19.0 |
33 |
79 |
Timber Creek |
36.5 |
+1.5 |
38.4 |
24.2 |
-0.5 |
22.1 |
135 |
233 |
Tindal RAAF AWS |
34.9 |
+1.3 |
36.7 |
24.0 |
-0.1 |
22.1 |
67 |
258 |
Victoria River Downs |
36.1 |
+0.7 |
38.5 |
24.5 |
0 |
22.6 |
48 |
159 |
Warruwi AWS |
32.3 |
+0.8 |
33.0 |
25.5 |
+0.2 |
23.0 |
138 |
238 |
Watarrka |
36.9 |
+0.2 |
42.6 |
24.1 |
+1.0 |
19.8 |
6 |
55 |
Wave Hill |
36.2 |
+0.3 |
42.0 |
23.6 |
-0.3 |
18.1 |
71 |
186 |
Wollogorang |
35.2 |
+0.8 |
37.2 |
24.5 |
+0.4 |
20.5 |
199 |
256 |
Yuendumu |
36.5 |
+1.4 |
42.6 |
22.6 |
+0.5 |
18.1 |
28 |
67 |
Yulara Aero AWS |
36.2 |
-0.5 |
41.9 |
23.2 |
+1.2 |
17.3 |
51 |
49 |
This statement has been prepared based on information available at 10 am on Friday 3 March. Although every effort has been made to verify the data, it is possible that results will change as new information becomes available.
* denotes that one or more observations missing, or that the data is unconfirmed
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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