Thursday, 3 January 2008 - Annual Climate Summary for Northern Territory - Product code IDCKGC32RO
The Territory in 2007
Summary
Overall, the Territory had an above average rainfall year in 2007, and was slightly warmer than normal. This is in contrast with much of southern Australia, where large parts experienced generally dry and hot conditions. Heavy rain that fell in a persistent monsoon event during February and March contributed to widespread flooding at the time, and parts of Arnhem Land and Kakadu had their wettest year on record. In general much of the Territory was well served with rainfall during the early part of the year. The Territory then experienced it's coldest June on record, when a cloud band overlaying cool air also gave large winter rainfall to central parts of the Territory. In early December a hot-spell saw new hot day and night temperature records established across a large area.
The torrid beginning to December over the Top End ended when the North Australian Monsoon set in around Christmas time, giving much of the Top End widespread rainfall.
Rainfall
The average rainfall over the Territory was 643 mm, being 96 mm above average.
The wettest overall was 2623.4 mm at Jabiru Airport. The record high rainfall at Jabiru is largely attributed to a remarkable monsoon event in February/March, and is one of the largest inland Top End annual rainfall totals ever recorded.
The driest overall was 147.6 mm at Kulgera.
The wettest single day was on 4 March when Wudikapildiyerr recorded 410.8 mm, followed by 393.4 mm at Jabiru Airport on 2 Mar.Some sites had their highest total rainfall on record.
Maximum temperature
Overall maximum temperatures were slightly warmer than normal. The area-averaged maximum temperature across the Territory for the year was 32.3°C, which is 0.39°C above average, and the 26th warmest year (73rd coolest) since records were established in 1910. In general most northern areas were close to average, while much of the Alice Springs district was 0.5 to 1.0°C above average.
The hottest day was 46.5°C at Elliott on 2 Dec, followed by 46.0°C at Ali Curung on 2 Dec.
The warmest days on average were 35.1°C at Bradshaw and Timber Creek.
The coolest days on average were 28.6°C at Arltunga, followed by 29.1°C at Kulgera.
The coldest day was 8.0°C at Ali Curung and Tennant Creek Airport on 20 Jun, followed by 8.3°C at Alice Springs Airport on 17 Jun.
Some sites had their highest temperature on record.
Some sites had their coldest day (lowest maximum temperature) on record.
Minimum temperature
The area-averaged minimum temperature across the Territory for the year was 19.0°C, which is 0.55°C above average, being the 14th warmest (85th coolest) since records were established in 1910. Cooler than average nights were more common in the northwest, and warmer than average nights predominated in the southeast.
The coldest night was –3.7°C at Alice Springs Airport on 21 Jul, followed by –3.6°C also at Alice Springs Airport on 16 Jun, followed by –3.4°C at Arltunga on 21 Jul.
The coolest nights on average were 13.4°C at Arltunga, followed by 13.7°C at Alice Springs Airport.
The warmest nights on average were 24.5°C at Warruwi, followed by 24.4°C at Cape Don.
The warmest night was 32.0°C at Yulara Aero on 18 Feb, followed by 31.4°C at Alice Springs Airport on 5 Jan.Some sites had their lowest temperature on record.
Some sites had their warmest night (highest daily minimum temperature) on record.
Some sites had their highest mean daily minimum temperature on record.
The Annual Australian Climate Statement 2007 can be viewed at: http://www.bom.gov.au/announcements/media_releases/climate/change/
Further information
NT Climate Services CentreBureau of Meteorology
Phone (08) 8920 3813
Email climate.nt@bom.gov.au
Extremes
| Hottest day Highest temperature | 46.5°C at Elliott on 2 Dec |
|---|---|
| Warmest days on average Highest mean daily maximum temperature |
35.1°C at Bradshaw AWS and at Timber Creek |
| Coolest days on average Lowest mean daily maximum temperature | 28.6°C at Arltunga |
| Coldest day Lowest daily maximum temperature |
8.0°C at Ali Curung and at Tennant Creek Airport on 20 Jun |
| Coldest night Lowest temperature | –3.7°C at Alice Springs Airport on 21 Jul |
| Coolest nights on average Lowest mean daily minimum temperature | 13.4°C at Arltunga |
| Warmest nights on average Highest mean daily minimum temperature |
24.5°C at Warruwi AWS |
| Warmest night Highest daily minimum temperature |
32.0°C at Yulara Aero AWS on 18 Feb |
| Wettest overall Highest total rainfall |
2623.4 mm at Jabiru Airport AWS |
| Driest overall Lowest total rainfall | 147.6 mm at Kulgera |
| Wettest day Highest daily rainfall | 410.8 mm at Wudikapildiyerr on 4 Mar |
Records
| Record highest total rainfall for 2007 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Total rainfall (mm) |
Previous highest |
Years of record |
||
Jabiru Airport AWS |
2623.4 |
2099.8 |
in 2006 |
15 |
| Record highest maximum temperature for 2007 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Highest maximum |
Previous highest |
Years of record |
|||
Larrimah |
43.5 |
on 2 Dec |
= 43.5 |
on 17 Nov 1975 |
37 |
Tennant Creek Airport |
45.4 |
on 2 Dec |
44.7 |
on 23 Dec 1990 |
37 |
Brunette Downs |
45.5 |
on 2 Dec |
= 45.5 |
on 19 Feb 1983 |
34 |
Elliott |
46.5 |
on 2 Dec |
46.0 |
on 26 Dec 1989 |
19 |
Ali Curung |
46.0 |
on 2 Dec |
45.0 |
on 29 Jan 1990 |
15 |
Black Point |
35.5 |
on 15 Oct |
= 35.5 |
on 19 Dec 2006 |
12 |
| Record lowest daily maximum temperature for 2007 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Lowest daily maximum temperature (°C) |
Previous lowest |
Years of record |
|||
Tennant Creek Airport |
8.0 |
on 20 Jun |
11.9 |
on 14 Jul 1984 |
37 |
Larrimah |
14.9 |
on 20 Jun |
16.9 |
on 14 Jul 1968 |
36 |
Brunette Downs |
10.8 |
on 20 Jun |
13.3 |
on 23 May 1959 |
35 |
Daly Waters AWS |
14.1 |
on 20 Jun |
15.0 |
on 23 May 1959 |
32 |
Wave Hill |
13.0 |
on 21 Jun |
14.2 |
on 12 Jun 1978 |
29 |
Gove Airport |
22.2 |
on 25 Jun |
23.1 |
on 1 Aug 1990 |
26 |
Centre Island AWS |
17.2 |
on 21 Jun |
18.7 |
on 9 Jun 2000 |
25 |
Mango Farm |
18.5 |
on 20 Jun |
22.0 |
on 9 Jun 1982 |
21 |
Katherine Aviation Museum |
16.5 |
on 20 Jun |
23.2 |
on 19 Jun 1995 |
20 |
Pirlangimpi AWS |
24.2 |
on 20 Jun |
25.0 |
on 28 Jul 1986 |
17 |
Ali Curung |
8.0 |
on 20 Jun |
12.0 |
on 15 Jun 1993 |
15 |
Tindal RAAF AWS |
16.1 |
on 20 Jun |
17.2 |
on 28 Jul 1986 |
15 |
Lajamanu AWS |
10.7 |
on 21 Jun |
12.7 |
on 12 Jul 1968 |
10 |
McArthur River Mine |
17.7 |
on 20 Jun |
18.2 |
on 25 Jul 1984 |
10 |
| Record highest daily minimum temperature for 2007 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Highest daily minimum temperature (°C) |
Previous highest |
Years of record |
|||
Darwin Airport |
29.7 |
on 3 Dec |
= 29.7 |
on 25 Nov 1987 |
62 |
Brunette Downs |
31.2 |
on 3 Dec |
31.0 |
on 3 Jan 1994 |
27 |
Warruwi AWS |
30.4 |
on 11 Nov |
30.0 |
on 6 Dec 2002 |
20 |
Pirlangimpi AWS |
29.0 |
on 3 Dec |
= 29.0 |
on 21 Mar 2004 |
18 |
| Record lowest minimum temperature for 2007 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Lowest minimum temperature (°C) |
Previous lowest |
Years of record |
|||
Mango Farm |
3.3 |
on 11 Jul |
4.6 |
on 4 Aug 1990 |
21 |
| Record highest mean daily minimum temperature for 2007 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mean daily minimum temperature (°C) |
Previous highest |
Years of record |
||
Pirlangimpi AWS |
22.8 |
= 22.8 |
in 1981 |
17 |
Summaries
| Summary statistics for 2007 | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum temperatures (°C) |
Minimum temperatures (°C) |
Rainfall (millimetres) |
|||||||||
| Mean | Diff from normal |
Highest | Mean | Diff from normal |
Lowest | Total | Rank | Percentage of normal |
|||
| Darwin-Daly (district 14GA) | |||||||||||
Batchelor Aero AWS |
33.4 |
38.6 |
20 Sep |
21.1 |
7.7 |
30 Jun |
1941.6 |
||||
Black Point |
31.5 |
+0.3 |
35.5 |
15 Oct |
24.0 |
0.0 |
15.1 |
30 Jun |
1455.5 |
high |
114% |
Bradshaw AWS |
35.1 |
41.7 |
12 Oct |
21.7 |
6.6 |
11 Jul |
737.6 |
||||
Cape Don AWS |
30.9 |
35.4 |
8 Dec |
24.4 |
18.2 |
29 Jun |
1608.6 |
||||
Central Arnhem Plateau AWS |
31.5 |
37.8 |
12 Oct |
20.4 |
8.1 |
29 Jun |
1964.6 |
||||
Channel Point |
34.8 |
5 Dec |
9.9 |
30 Jun |
1765.1 |
normal |
95% |
||||
Darwin Airport |
32.2 |
+0.2 |
37.0 |
23 Nov |
23.1 |
–0.1 |
12.4 |
30 Jun |
1816.2 |
normal |
107% |
Delamere Weapons Range AWS |
34.0 |
+0.3 |
42.0 |
2 Dec |
20.9 |
+0.1 |
8.0 |
28 Jun |
750.8 |
||
Douglas River |
34.2 |
–0.1 |
40.3 |
12 Oct |
20.0 |
+0.2 |
3.7 |
30 Jun |
|||
Dum In Mirrie AWS |
31.6 |
35.8 |
14 Oct |
23.3 |
11.0 |
29 Jun |
1628.0 |
||||
Jabiru Airport AWS |
34.5 |
+0.3 |
40.3 |
11 Nov |
22.7 |
+0.2 |
11.4 |
29 Jun |
2623.4 |
highest |
175% |
Katherine Aviation Museum |
33.7 |
–0.4 |
40.5 |
12 Oct |
20.1 |
–0.3 |
4.4 |
29 Jun |
1309.4 |
high |
118% |
Mango Farm |
33.9 |
–0.3 |
39.9 |
12 Oct |
20.3 |
–0.3 |
3.3 |
11 Jul |
|||
McCluer Island AWS |
29.8 |
34.3 |
21 Nov |
25.2 |
18.8 |
29 Jun |
1661.8 |
||||
Middle Point AWS |
34.1 |
39.2 |
23 Sep |
20.4 |
5.5 |
11 Jul |
1577.0 |
||||
Oenpelli |
40.2 |
9 Nov |
10.8 |
29 Jun |
|||||||
Pine Creek Council |
33.2 |
38.9 |
12 Oct |
21.4 |
9.8 |
10 Jul |
1452.9 |
||||
Pirlangimpi AWS |
32.2 |
+0.1 |
36.0 |
8 Dec |
22.8 |
+0.7 |
12.8 |
29 Jun |
2005.4 |
normal |
99% |
Point Fawcett AWS |
31.1 |
–0.5 |
35.1 |
14 Oct |
22.3 |
–0.8 |
9.2 |
30 Jun |
1547.8 |
||
Port Keats Aero AWS |
38.6 |
14 Oct |
8.2 |
29 Jun |
653.2 |
||||||
Tindal RAAF AWS |
33.7 |
0.0 |
40.0 |
30 Nov |
20.3 |
–0.2 |
4.3 |
29 Jun |
1030.6 |
normal |
91% |
Arnhem (district 14BC) | |||||||||||
Alyangula Police |
31.0 |
–0.5 |
37.5 |
2 Dec |
22.4 |
–0.1 |
11.5 |
11 Jul |
1262.0 |
normal |
108% |
Gove Airport |
30.3 |
–0.3 |
36.9 |
2 Dec |
22.4 |
0.0 |
13.9 |
30 Jun |
1224.0 |
low |
85% |
Groote Eylandt Airport AWS |
31.8 |
39.1 |
1 Dec |
20.8 |
7.1 |
11 Jul |
1697.8 |
||||
Maningrida Aero AWS |
31.7 |
38.5 |
2 Dec |
22.3 |
9.6 |
29 Jun |
1493.2 |
||||
Milingimbi AWS |
31.6 |
37.6 |
2 Dec |
22.9 |
10.0 |
29 Jun |
1354.4 |
||||
Ngayawili AWS |
31.1 |
37.7 |
7 Nov |
22.9 |
11.6 |
29 Jun |
1501.8 |
||||
Warruwi AWS |
31.2 |
0.0 |
37.4 |
3 Dec |
24.5 |
+0.2 |
16.3 |
29 Jun |
1364.4 |
high |
118% |
Roper-Mcarthur (district 14DE) | |||||||||||
Borroloola AWS |
33.7 |
0.0 |
42.9 |
2 Dec |
19.6 |
–0.2 |
3.4 |
10 Jul |
829.8 |
normal |
91% |
Bulman AWS |
34.2 |
42.6 |
1 Dec |
19.7 |
3.6 |
29 Jun |
1608.4 |
||||
Centre Island AWS |
31.4 |
+0.2 |
39.0 |
1 Dec |
24.0 |
+0.1 |
14.1 |
21 Jun |
800.2 |
low |
79% |
Daly Waters AWS |
34.7 |
+0.9 |
44.3 |
2 Dec |
19.3 |
–0.1 |
3.9 |
11 Jul |
644.8 |
normal |
102% |
Larrimah |
34.0 |
+0.1 |
43.5 |
2 Dec |
19.4 |
–0.4 |
4.0 |
10 Jul |
916.3 |
normal |
109% |
McArthur River Mine |
34.9 |
+0.4 |
45.1 |
2 Dec |
20.2 |
+0.7 |
4.0 |
11 Jul |
684.0 |
normal |
91% |
Wollogorang |
33.6 |
–0.2 |
44.3 |
2 Dec |
18.9 |
0.0 |
2.3 |
10 Jul |
856.9 |
normal |
86% |
Victoria (district 14F) | |||||||||||
Kidman Springs |
34.8 |
–0.1 |
43.1 |
2 Dec |
20.5 |
+0.3 |
6.1 |
23 Jul |
769.6 |
normal |
106% |
Lajamanu AWS |
33.5 |
–0.1 |
44.4 |
1 Dec |
18.2 |
+0.3 |
2.9 |
10 Jul |
780.8 |
high |
156% |
Timber Creek |
35.1 |
+0.2 |
42.5 |
2 Mar |
20.6 |
–0.6 |
6.4 |
29 Jun |
930.0 |
normal |
100% |
Victoria River Downs |
34.2 |
–0.2 |
43.3 |
3 Dec |
19.4 |
–0.2 |
4.0 |
11 Jul |
681.6 |
normal |
107% |
Wave Hill |
34.2 |
0.0 |
45.2 |
2 Dec |
18.8 |
0.0 |
1.2 |
11 Jul |
627.8 |
normal |
90% |
Barkly (district 15A) | |||||||||||
Brunette Downs |
33.6 |
+0.1 |
45.5 |
2 Dec |
19.3 |
+0.5 |
5.1 |
8 Jun |
452.6 |
high |
109% |
Elliott |
46.5 |
2 Dec |
5.2 |
21 Jul |
715.9 |
high |
119% |
||||
Tennant Creek Airport |
32.0 |
+0.1 |
45.4 |
2 Dec |
20.0 |
+0.2 |
5.7 |
21 Jun |
438.0 |
normal |
95% |
Alice Springs (district 15B) | |||||||||||
Ali Curung |
32.0 |
–0.3 |
46.0 |
2 Dec |
15.9 |
–0.8 |
0.9 |
15 Jun |
472.6 |
high |
121% |
Alice Springs Airport |
29.6 |
+0.9 |
42.6 |
1 Dec |
13.7 |
+0.5 |
–3.7 |
21 Jul |
233.0 |
normal |
83% |
Arltunga |
28.6 |
41.2 |
1 Dec |
13.4 |
–3.4 |
21 Jul |
407.8 |
high |
141% |
||
Curtin Springs |
30.5 |
+1.0 |
44.1 |
1 Dec |
14.1 |
+0.8 |
–1.5 |
20 Jul |
210.9 |
normal |
89% |
Jervois |
31.6 |
+0.6 |
43.1 |
3 Jan |
–0.8 |
23 Jun |
274.6 |
normal |
95% |
||
Kulgera |
29.1 |
+0.8 |
43.8 |
2 Mar |
14.3 |
+0.4 |
–3.2 |
14 Jun |
147.6 |
low |
58% |
Papunya |
31.3 |
44.1 |
1 Dec |
15.0 |
0.5 |
16 Jun |
242.7 |
normal |
86% |
||
Rabbit Flat |
33.4 |
–0.3 |
45.3 |
1 Dec |
15.4 |
–1.3 |
–0.5 |
23 Jul |
609.6 |
high |
120% |
Territory Grape Farm AWS |
30.8 |
0.0 |
43.6 |
2 Dec |
13.9 |
–0.6 |
–2.0 |
21 Jul |
316.4 |
normal |
98% |
Watarrka |
30.4 |
–0.2 |
44.0 |
1 Jan |
15.5 |
–0.3 |
–1.0 |
28 Jun |
350.4 |
normal |
116% |
Wulungurru AWS |
32.5 |
45.5 |
9 Feb |
19.0 |
4.0 |
29 Jun |
253.8 |
||||
Yuendumu |
31.2 |
+0.9 |
44.6 |
2 Dec |
–0.2 |
23 Jul |
393.6 |
normal |
106% |
||
Yulara Aero AWS |
30.5 |
+0.5 |
44.0 |
1 Dec |
14.2 |
+0.2 |
–1.8 |
10 Jul |
165.4 |
low |
56% |
Notes
This statement has been prepared based on information available at 11am on Thursday 3 January 2008.
Some checks have been made on the data, but it is possible that results will change as new information becomes available.
The Rank indicates how rainfall this time compares with the climate record for the site,
based on the
decile ranking
(very low rainfall is in decile 1, low in decile 2 or 3,
normal in decile 4 to 7, high in decile 8 or 9
and very high is in decile 10).
The Fraction of normal shows how much rain has fallen this time as a
percentage of the long-term mean.
Further information
NT Climate Services CentreBureau of Meteorology
Phone (08) 8920 3813
Email climate.nt@bom.gov.au