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Tuesday, 2 May 2006

MONTHLY CLIMATE SUMMARY - NORTHERN TERRITORY

April 2006 - Late monsoon and TC Monica brings record rainfalls

April 2006 stands out as being remarkable over large swathes of the Northern Territory. Several new rainfall and temperature records were established, including Darwin’s wettest April on record. April began with a late season burst of the monsoon being well entrenched over the Top End. This burst produced record rainfall and cool day-time temperatures to many parts of the Top End, with one of the hardest hit being the Katherine region, with extensive severe flooding a result.

A brief dry spell over the Top End followed, giving many a sense that transition to dry-season conditions had occurred. However this impression was false, with Tropical Cyclone Monica developing over the Coral Sea, before crossing Cape York Peninsula and moving northwest across the Gulf of Carpentaria. Monica came close to Nhulunbuy, but tracked just north of the north coast, developing to be one of the most intense cyclones ever seen over Australian waters. The community of Maningrida is just east of where Monica eventually crossed the coast, and obviously suffered very destructive winds, but was spared the most ferocious winds at the core of the cyclone, estimated to have been 350km/hr. Monica continued to move inland and weaken, but several communities, including Oenpelli and Jabiru, suffered destructive impacts. The cyclone weakened to a tropical low quite quickly, but continued to bring rain, first to the Western Top End, but later to the Victoria River district, the Barkly and Roper-McArthur and even northern parts of the Alice Springs district. For more information on TC Monica, see the Web Page at: http://www.bom.gov.au/announcements/sevwx/


A table of Territory extremes, the new records, and summaries for sites across the Territory appear below.

Extremes

Weather extremes during April 2006
Highest temperature
Hottest day
38.4 °C
 Ali Curung on the 4th
Highest mean daily maximum temperature
Warmest days on average
34.1 °C
 Bradshaw
Lowest mean daily maximum temperature
Coolest days on average
27.2 °C
 Kulgera
Lowest daily maximum temperature
Coldest day
19.4 °C
 Territory Grape Farm AWS on the 27th
Lowest temperature
Coldest night
4.0 °C
 Alice Springs Airport on the 24th
Lowest mean daily minimum temperature
Coldest nights on average
13.0 °C
 Alice Springs Airport
Highest mean daily minimum temperature
Warmest nights on average
25.5 °C
 Black Point
Highest daily minimum
Warmest night
27.8 °C
 Point Fawcett AWS on the 25th
Highest total rainfall
Wettest overall
658.2 mm
 Majestic Orchids
Highest daily rainfall
Wettest day
304.0 mm
 Majestic Orchids on the 26th

Records

Record Highest Total Rainfall for April 2006


Total rainfall
(mm)		 Previous highest
for April		 Years of
record
Darwin Airport
396.2
357.0
in 1953
65
Bradshaw *
228.0
220.9
in 1985
59
Mittiebah *
184.6
122.0
in 1988
38
Benmara *
187.1
134.0
in 1977
37
Kidman Springs *
319.6
260.4
in 1985
35
Warramunga *
87.0
72.6
in 2000
35
Darwin River Dam *
410.3
238.2
in 2000
34
Douglas River *
282.8
229.0
in 2000
33
Howard Springs *
462.4
339.0
in 2000
32
The Pines *
299.6
248.0
in 2000
32
Daly Waters AWS
224.6
131.5
in 1963
31
Hodgson River *
165.4
77.5
in 1985
31
Adelaide River Post Office *
425.0
224.2
in 1986
30
Katherine Aviation Museum *
212.6
171.0
in 2000
30
Tanumbirini *
254.2
153.0
in 1991
30
Hidden Valley *
99.6
91.0
in 1975
27
Humpty Doo Collard Road *
500.2
304.4
in 1996
25
Mango Farm *
308.6
277.4
in 1985
25
Nightcliff Pool AWS
295.4
234.0
in 1971
20
Elizabeth Valley *
565.8
240.4
in 1996
19
Jabiru Airport AWS
305.8
251.0
in 1985
19
Dorisvale *
114.4
87.2
in 1999
17
Palmerston *
344.4
199.5
in 1996
17
Gorrie *
92.6
92.4
in 1996
16
Leanyer
338.3
240.0
in 2000
16
Moolooloo *
233.2
88.0
in 1996
16
Stokes Hill AWS
440.0
200.2
in 1971
16
Channel Point *
453.8
351.7
in 2000
15
Killarney *
244.2
72.2
in 1996
15
Mary River Rangers *
354.8
188.9
in 1999
15
Ludmilla *
271.9
256.3
in 2000
14
Batchelor Aero AWS
460.4
302.6
in 2000
13
Tindal RAAF AWS
201.0
122.4
in 1985
12
CSIRO Berrimah *
366.8
353.4
in 2000
11
Bing Bong Port *
268.2
243.0
in 2001
10


Record Highest Daily Rainfall for April 2006

Highest daily rainfall
(mm)		 Previous highest
for April		 Years of
record
Bradshaw *
164.0
on the 27th
137.6
15th, 1985
55
Yuendumu *
60.4
on the 27th
56.6
22nd, 1970
54
Kurundi *
52.0
on the 28th
49.3
15th, 1984
52
Vaughan Springs *
95.0
on the 27th
72.0
19th, 2000
45
Darwin River Dam *
118.2
on the 26th
99.2
13th, 1985
35
Kidman Springs *
261.4
on the 27th
216.6
15th, 1985
35
Warramunga *
71.6
on the 28th
39.2
11th, 1983
35
Douglas River *
74.6
on the 2nd
73.0
18th, 1989
33
The Pines *
122.0
on the 5th
98.6
9th, 1972
33
Adelaide River Post Office *
187.0
on the 26th
121.6
5th, 1959
31
Daly Waters AWS
56.8
on the 7th
48.8
30th, 1960
31
Hodgson River *
56.0
on the 6th
33.0
16th, 1985
31
Tanumbirini *
162.2
on the 6th
88.0
8th, 1991
30
Hidden Valley *
32.8
on the 27th
32.5
27th, 1971
25
Humpty Doo Collard Road *
160.6
on the 26th
150.0
13th, 1985
25
Elizabeth Valley *
192.2
on the 26th
81.0
28th, 1989
20
Nathan River *
116.7
on the 27th
76.8
7th, 2001
18
Dorisvale *
84.0
on the 5th
78.4
1st, 1999
16
Moolooloo *
174.2
on the 27th
50.8
22nd, 1998
16
Channel Point *
116.2
on the 26th
81.0
25th, 1999
15
Mary River Rangers *
161.0
on the 5th
88.0
30th, 1995
14
Gilnockie *
35.4
on the 27th
23.4
1st, 1999
12


Record Lowest Mean Maximum Temperature for April 2006


Mean daily maximum
temperature
(°C)		 Previous lowest
for April		 Years of
record
Larrimah
30.9
31.5
in 1985
41
Jabiru Airport AWS
32.5
32.6
in 1975
27
Gove Airport *
29.3
29.4
in 1971
27
Elliott
30.7
31.0
in 1983
24
Mango Farm
32.1
33.0
in 1985
24
Alyangula Police
30.0
30.1
in 2000
20
Wollogorang
30.6
31.4
in 1999
20
Katherine Aviation Museum
31.6
32.5
in 1971
19
Tindal RAAF AWS
31.1
32.2
in 1999
18
Douglas River
31.7
32.9
in 2000
12
Channel Point
30.8
31.3
in 2000
11
Kidman Springs
33.1
33.5
in 2000
10


Record Lowest Daily Maximum Temperature for April 2006


Lowest daily maximum
temperature
(°C)

Previous lowest
for April

 Years of
record
Wollogorang
23.4
on the 7th
26.0
23rd, 1999
22
McArthur River Mine
22.2
on the 7th
23.8
12th, 1971
21
Alyangula Police
25.9
on the 8th
26.9
30th, 1999
20
Ngukurr
23.3
on the 7th
25.4
13th, 1963
12
Borroloola AWS
22.5
on the 7th
23.2
12th, 1971
11
Channel Point
26.5
on the 4th
27.5
24th, 2000
11


Record Highest Mean Daily Minimum Temperature for April 2006


Mean daily minimum
temperature
(°C) 		Previous highest
for April		 Years of
record
Alyangula Police
24.4
24.3
in 1998
19
Wollogorang
23.0
22.6
in 2000
18
Ngukurr
23.9
23.5
in 2005
13
Borroloola AWS
22.9
22.6
in 2000
10


Record Highest Daily Minimum Temperature for April 2006


Highest daily minimum
temperature
(°C)		 Previous highest
for April		 Years of
record
Pirlangimpi AWS
26.2
on the 25th
26.1
9th, 2001
25
Channel Point
26.8
on the 25th
26.4
17th, 1998
11


Summaries

Summary statistics for April 2006


 Maximum temperatures
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
(°C)		 Rainfall
(mm)
Mean Difference from normal Highest Mean Difference from normal Lowest Total Normal total
Ali Curung
30.7
-1.5
38.4
17.6
+1.0
8.8
49
19
Alice Springs Airport
28.6
+0.4
36.2
13.0
+0.4
4.0
15
17
Alyangula Police
30.0
-1.9
33.0
24.4
+1.5
22.0
276
176
Arltunga
27.7

35.0
14.1

5.6
50
16
Batchelor Aero AWS
31.7

34.5
22.5

18.1
460
76
Black Point
30.8
-0.7
32.8
25.5
+0.6
23.6
150
108
Borroloola AWS
30.8
-3.3
34.4
22.9
+2.4
18.6
327
44
Brunette Downs
30.7
-3.0
36.0
20.5
+1.3
15.1
198
13
Cape Don AWS


32.0


22.5
178
144
Centre Island AWS
30.6
-1.6
33.5
25.2
-0.1
20.9
340
85
Channel Point
30.8
-1.7
33.3
23.9
+0.5
21.0
454
107
Curtin Springs
29.3
+0.2
36.9
14.3
+1.0
6.5
2
17
Daly Waters AWS
31.1
-2.7
35.1
21.0
+1.2
15.9
225
17
Darwin Airport
31.1
-1.6
32.9
23.7
-0.3
21.2
398
98
Delamere Weapons Range AWS
31.6
-2.9
35.0
21.6
+0.4
17.0
173

Douglas River
31.7
-3.3
34.5
22.3
+1.6
18.2
283
40
Dum In Mirrie AWS
31.3

34.0
24.1

21.5
312
96
Elliott
30.7
-3.9
35.5
20.5
+1.0
15.0
193
22
Gove Airport
29.3
-1.6
31.4
23.5
+0.3
21.0
512
224
Jabiru Airport AWS
32.5
-2.0
35.4
23.6
+0.1
20.1
306
73
Jervois
30.4
-0.1
37.0
16.1
+2.0
9.0
28
18
Katherine Aviation Museum
31.6
-2.7
34.0
22.4
+1.5
17.5
213
36
Kidman Springs
33.1
-2.6
36.1
21.8
+0.8
16.5
320
25
Kulgera
27.2
-0.5
38.0
14.0
+0.4
6.9
9
15
Lajamanu AWS
31.9
-2.1
36.0
18.5
+0.3
13.0
17
15
Larrimah
30.9
-3.1
35.5
21.6
+1.7
16.6
206
30
Mango Farm
32.1
-2.3
34.7
23.4
+1.9
19.9
309
56
McArthur River Mine
31.8
-3.0
35.2


18.1
82
29
McCluer Island AWS
30.1

31.9
25.7

23.8
316
160
Ngukurr
31.2
-3.1
34.2
23.9
+2.1
18.2
191
55
Oenpelli


34.9



160
78
Papunya
30.9

37.1
15.5

7.2
43
16
Pirlangimpi
31.3
-1.3
33.2
23.8
+0.9
21.0
401
150
Point Fawcett AWS
31.0

32.4
23.7

20.7
297

Rabbit Flat
32.7
-1.5
36.4
17.1
+0.1
10.8
56

Tennant Creek Airport
30.3
-1.3
36.3
20.6
+0.2
16.7
66
15
Territory Grape Farm AWS
30.5
-0.2
36.7
14.6
-0.1
6.3
98
16
Timber Creek
33.6
-1.6
36.7
22.2
+0.9
17.0
140
29
Tindal RAAF AWS
31.1
-2.8
33.9
22.0
+1.3
17.7
201
34
Victoria River Downs
32.4
-2.2
35.5
21.1
+1.2
16.2
198
22
Warruwi AWS
30.7
-0.8
32.9
24.6
-0.3
21.5
175
122
Watarrka
30.3
-0.3
37.0
16.7
0
8.0
2
17
Wave Hill
32.6
-1.7
36.3
19.1
+0.2
14.0
68
19
Wollogorang
30.6
-3.2
34.0
23.0
+3.5
19.9
201
35
Yuendumu
31.0
+1.0
36.9
15.6
+0.1
8.2
103
23
Yulara Aero AWS
28.7
-1.2
36.3
14.2
-0.2
7.7
10
16

Notes

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 10 am on Tuesday 2 May. 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

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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