Wednesday, 3 January 2007 - Monthly Climate Summary for Northern Territory - Product code IDCKGC12R0
Late Monsoon - Northern Territory in December 2006
Consistent with El Niño) conditions, the summer monsoon was late, having failed to develop by the end of the year. Nonetheless, some useful rainfall totals were recorded over large swathes of the Territory.Jump to: Extremes Records Summaries Notes the top
Rainfall
Despite the failure of the monsoon to eventuate over the Territory this December, some useful falls were recorded in many parts. In the south there were some reasonable falls early in the month (particularly in central/western parts), followed by more substantial falls just ahead of Christmas, which led to a flow of the Todd River. The trough associated with that pre-Christmas rainfall subsequently pushed northward, producing some large rainfall totals over many parts of the Territory.
Some sites had their lowest total December rainfall on record.
Maximum temperature
Average maximum temperatures were mostly near to or above average across most of the Territory, though there was a particularly cold spell late in the month, behind the rain-bearing trough. Several sites experienced their coldest December day on record.
Some sites had their highest December temperature on record.
Some sites had their coldest December day (lowest maximum temperature) on record.
Minimum temperature
Average minimum temperatures were mostly within 1°C of the long-term mean, with a mixture of above and below average values. The intrusion of that cold air mass late in the month gave a few new December cold-night records, while earlier in the month Alice Springs recorded its hottest December night on record.
Some sites had their lowest December temperature on record.
Some sites had their warmest December night (highest daily minimum temperature) on record.
Some sites had their highest December mean daily minimum temperature on record.
Some sites had their lowest December mean daily minimum temperature on record.
Further information
NT Climate Services CentreBureau of Meteorology
Phone (08) 8920 3813
Email climate.nt@bom.gov.au
Jump to: Extremes Records Summaries Notes the top
Extremes
| Hottest day Highest temperature |
44.6°C at Rabbit Flat on the 1st |
|---|---|
| Warmest days on average Highest mean daily maximum temperature |
38.9°C at Ngukurr |
| Coolest days on average Lowest mean daily maximum temperature |
32.5°C at Cape Don AWS |
| Coldest day Lowest daily maximum temperature |
20.3°C at Alice Springs Airport on the 24th |
| Coldest night Lowest temperature |
10.5°C at Kulgera on the 27th and Arltunga on the 28th |
| Coolest nights on average Lowest mean daily minimum temperature |
20.6°C at Territory Grape Farm AWS |
| Warmest nights on average Highest mean daily minimum temperature |
27.7°C at Centre Island AWS |
| Warmest night Highest daily minimum temperature |
31.0°C at Alice Springs Airport on the 14th |
| Wettest overall Highest total rainfall |
431.0 mm at Point Fawcett AWS |
| Wettest day Highest daily rainfall |
112.4 mm at Middle Point AWS on the 31st |
| Highest wind gust |
89 km/h at Tennant Creek Airport on the 17th |
Jump to: Extremes Records Summaries Notes the top
Records
| Record lowest total rainfall for December 2006 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Total rainfall (mm) |
Previous lowest | Normal | Years of record |
||
Tindal RAAF AWS |
72.0 |
73.0 |
in 1981 |
201.3 |
22 |
| Record highest daily rainfall for December 2006 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Highest daily rainfall (mm) |
Previous highest | Years of record |
|||
Nutwood Downs |
90.4 |
on the 26th |
54.0 |
on the 26th in 1987 |
67 |
Yirrkala Tropical Gardens |
110.0 |
on the 15th |
82.4 |
on the 18th in 1975 |
47 |
Gove Airport |
100.2 |
on the 29th |
92.0 |
on the 20th in 2000 |
29 |
| Record highest daily maximum temperature for December 2006 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Highest daily maximum temperature (°C) |
Previous highest | Normal | Years of record |
|||
Jabiru Airport AWS |
39.6 |
on the 1st |
39.3 |
on the 5th in 1984 |
34.9 |
29 |
Mango Farm |
40.5 |
on the 3rd |
40.2 |
on the 22nd in 1986 |
34.8 |
26 |
Tindal RAAF AWS |
41.6 |
on the 1st |
41.1 |
on the 14th in 2004 |
35.5 |
18 |
Black Point AWS |
35.5 |
on the 19th |
35.3 |
on the 5th in 2005 |
32.3 |
14 |
Batchelor Aero AWS |
39.8 |
on the 2nd |
37.7 |
on the 5th in 2002 |
33.6 |
10 |
| Record lowest daily maximum temperature for December 2006 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Lowest daily maximum temperature (°C) |
Previous lowest | Normal | Years of record |
|||
Brunette Downs |
21.5 |
on the 26th |
24.4 |
on the 31st in 1957 |
38.4 |
40 |
Tennant Creek Airport |
20.4 |
on the 25th |
23.4 |
on the 6th in 1970 |
37.3 |
37 |
Wave Hill |
25.5 |
on the 26th |
26.2 |
on the 23rd in 2003 |
38.2 |
32 |
Elliott |
22.1 |
on the 25th |
26.6 |
on the 30th in 1997 |
38.7 |
26 |
Ali Curung |
21.0 |
on the 25th |
25.0 |
on the 15th in 2001 |
37.7 |
18 |
Lajamanu |
23.0 |
on the 25th |
24.0 |
on the 23rd in 2003 |
37.9 |
14 |
Kidman Springs |
26.8 |
on the 26th |
29.9 |
on the 20th in 1999 |
37.3 |
10 |
| Record highest mean minimum temperature for December 2006 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mean minimum temperature (°C) |
Previous highest | Normal | Years of record |
||
Kidman Springs |
26.1 |
25.9 |
in 1999 |
25.3 |
10 |
| Record lowest mean minimum temperature for December 2006 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mean minimum temperature (°C) |
Previous lowest for December |
Normal for December |
Years of record |
||
Ali Curung |
22.0 |
22.2 |
in 2001 |
23.2 |
18 |
| Record highest daily minimum temperature for December 2006 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Highest daily minimum temperature (°C) |
Previous highest | Normal | Years of record |
|||
Alice Springs Airport |
31.0 |
on the 14th |
30.9 |
on the 11th in 1967 |
20.2 |
65 |
Kidman Springs |
30.9 |
on the 7th |
29.5 |
on the 29th in 2002 |
25.3 |
10 |
| Record lowest daily minimum temperature for December 2006 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Lowest daily minimum temperature (°C) |
Previous lowest | Normal | Years of record |
|||
Tennant Creek Airport |
15.7 |
on the 28th |
17.8 |
on the 6th in 1970 |
24.9 |
37 |
Ali Curung |
14.8 |
on the 28th |
15.3 |
on the 13th in 2002 |
23.2 |
18 |
Lajamanu AWS |
14.0 |
on the 28th |
16.8 |
on the 29th in 1969 |
24.2 |
14 |
Jump to: Extremes Records Summaries Notes the top
Summaries
| Summary statistics for December 2006 | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum temperatures (°C) |
Minimum temperatures (°C) |
Rainfall (millimetres) |
||||||||||
| Mean | Diff from normal |
Highest | Mean | Diff from normal |
Highest | Total | Normal | Rank | Percentage of |
|||
| Darwin-Daly (district 14GA) | ||||||||||||
Batchelor Aero AWS |
35.8 |
+2.2 |
39.8 |
2nd |
24.2 |
+0.2 |
22.5 |
31st |
230.0 |
243.0 |
normal |
95% |
Black Point AWS |
35.5 |
19th |
24.6 |
7th |
20.5 |
206.9 |
very low |
10% |
||||
Bradshaw |
38.2 |
42.8 |
3rd |
25.3 |
21.9 |
27th |
105.6 |
|||||
Cape Don AWS |
32.5 |
34.3 |
7th |
26.3 |
22.5 |
11th |
246.6 |
252.9 |
normal |
98% |
||
Central Arnhem Plateau AWS |
33.9 |
38.0 |
2nd |
23.6 |
20.6 |
8th |
245.2 |
|||||
Channel Point |
32.7 |
+0.4 |
34.5 |
3rd |
24.5 |
−0.5 |
22.5 |
4th |
356.4 |
288.1 |
normal |
124% |
Darwin Airport |
33.9 |
+1.4 |
35.5 |
24th |
25.1 |
−0.2 |
20.7 |
4th |
241.6 |
246.2 |
normal |
98% |
Delamere Weapons Range AWS |
37.4 |
+2.0 |
43.0 |
1st |
24.9 |
+0.5 |
19.0 |
27th |
73.8 |
|||
Dum In Mirrie AWS |
33.3 |
34.5 |
19th |
25.4 |
21.7 |
5th |
278.6 |
260.0 |
normal |
107% |
||
Jabiru Airport AWS |
36.3 |
+1.4 |
39.6 |
1st |
25.2 |
+0.4 |
22.2 |
8th |
227.4 |
218.5 |
normal |
104% |
Katherine Aviation Museum |
36.5 |
+0.5 |
41.4 |
1st |
24.0 |
−0.6 |
21.0 |
8th |
182.7 |
208.5 |
normal |
88% |
Mango Farm |
35.6 |
+0.8 |
40.5 |
3rd |
23.4 |
−0.4 |
21.5 |
1st |
283.9 |
227.1 |
normal |
125% |
McCluer Island AWS |
31.8 |
33.5 |
14th |
27.6 |
23.9 |
8th |
20.4 |
219.5 |
lowest |
9% |
||
Middle Point AWS |
35.7 |
39.2 |
4th |
23.8 |
22.1 |
8th |
263.2 |
|||||
Pine Creek Council |
34.9 |
39.9 |
2nd |
24.2 |
20.2 |
1st |
321.4 |
|||||
Pirlangimpi AWS |
34.0 |
+1.5 |
36.4 |
5th |
25.0 |
+0.4 |
22.8 |
7th |
164.6 |
346.8 |
very low |
47% |
Point Fawcett AWS |
32.6 |
+0.3 |
34.1 |
23rd |
24.9 |
−0.9 |
22.7 |
10th |
431.0 |
260.6 |
very high |
165% |
Port Keats Aero |
37.9 |
6th |
22.8 |
12th |
64.4 |
|||||||
Tindal RAAF AWS |
37.1 |
+1.6 |
41.6 |
1st |
24.9 |
+0.1 |
21.1 |
28th |
72.0 |
201.3 |
lowest |
36% |
Arnhem (district 14BC) | ||||||||||||
Alyangula Police |
33.3 |
−0.6 |
36.5 |
5th |
25.0 |
−1.3 |
22.0 |
29th |
131.1 |
162.8 |
normal |
81% |
Gove Airport |
32.6 |
−0.3 |
36.2 |
4th |
24.4 |
−0.2 |
21.9 |
22nd |
197.2 |
175.3 |
normal |
112% |
Groote Eylandt Airport AWS |
35.1 |
22nd |
21.8 |
1st |
134.4 |
|||||||
Maningrida Aero AWS |
33.3 |
34.9 |
5th |
25.2 |
22.9 |
26th |
129.8 |
|||||
Milingimbi AWS |
33.5 |
35.2 |
27th |
26.0 |
23.8 |
10th |
38.8 |
|||||
Ngayawili AWS |
33.1 |
34.8 |
26th |
25.2 |
22.1 |
22nd |
102.4 |
|||||
Warruwi |
33.6 |
+0.5 |
35.7 |
5th |
26.5 |
+0.2 |
22.9 |
8th |
56.0 |
190.3 |
low |
29% |
Roper-Mcarthur (district 14DE) | ||||||||||||
Borroloola AWS |
36.7 |
+0.3 |
42.0 |
4th |
25.1 |
−0.2 |
21.8 |
9th |
89.6 |
143.1 |
normal |
63% |
Bulman AWS |
37.4 |
42.2 |
2nd |
23.8 |
21.0 |
26th |
250.2 |
|||||
Centre Island AWS |
35.0 |
+0.5 |
38.9 |
4th |
27.7 |
+0.3 |
24.8 |
27th |
30.6 |
126.1 |
low |
24% |
Daly Waters AWS |
38.6 |
+1.3 |
42.9 |
1st |
23.5 |
−0.8 |
17.6 |
27th |
37.8 |
103.9 |
low |
36% |
Larrimah |
37.9 |
+1.0 |
42.4 |
7th |
24.5 |
0 |
18.2 |
27th |
122.5 |
135.0 |
normal |
91% |
McArthur River Mine |
38.4 |
+0.5 |
43.4 |
2nd |
25.2 |
+0.4 |
21.8 |
27th |
37.0 |
125.9 |
low |
29% |
Ngukurr |
38.9 |
+1.0 |
43.2 |
4th |
26.0 |
+0.6 |
22.8 |
27th |
36.1 |
129.0 |
low |
28% |
Wollogorang |
37.6 |
+0.8 |
43.6 |
2nd |
23.6 |
−0.6 |
21.5 |
5th |
47.2 |
171.0 |
low |
28% |
Victoria (district 14F) | ||||||||||||
Kidman Springs |
38.5 |
+1.2 |
43.1 |
2nd |
26.1 |
+0.9 |
21.6 |
28th |
62.0 |
136.3 |
low |
45% |
Lajamanu AWS |
38.6 |
+0.7 |
44.0 |
1st |
23.8 |
−0.3 |
14.0 |
28th |
32.6 |
76.3 |
low |
43% |
Timber Creek |
38.4 |
+1.3 |
42.9 |
7th |
25.1 |
−0.4 |
21.1 |
27th |
107.8 |
167.8 |
low |
64% |
Victoria River Downs |
38.0 |
+0.5 |
42.8 |
2nd |
25.4 |
+0.4 |
20.6 |
28th |
96.4 |
117.3 |
normal |
82% |
Wave Hill |
38.5 |
+0.3 |
43.6 |
7th |
24.7 |
+0.2 |
16.4 |
28th |
49.2 |
117.1 |
low |
42% |
Barkly (district 15A) | ||||||||||||
Brunette Downs |
37.9 |
−0.5 |
43.9 |
1st |
24.6 |
+0.3 |
16.0 |
27th |
47.8 |
67.6 |
normal |
71% |
Elliott |
43.7 |
1st |
17.7 |
27th |
125.4 |
93.0 |
high |
135% |
||||
Tennant Creek Airport |
36.5 |
−0.7 |
42.7 |
1st |
24.4 |
−0.5 |
15.7 |
28th |
52.8 |
69.7 |
normal |
76% |
Alice Springs (district 15B) | ||||||||||||
Ali Curung |
37.0 |
−0.6 |
44.1 |
1st |
22.0 |
−1.2 |
14.8 |
28th |
136.4 |
64.0 |
very high |
213% |
Alice Springs Airport |
35.1 |
−0.3 |
41.7 |
14th |
21.1 |
+0.9 |
11.6 |
27th |
39.8 |
37.5 |
normal |
106% |
Arltunga |
34.0 |
40.6 |
14th |
21.0 |
10.5 |
28th |
5.0 |
40.8 |
low |
12% |
||
Curtin Springs |
35.9 |
−0.5 |
43.0 |
31st |
20.8 |
+0.4 |
13.6 |
28th |
17.5 |
29.8 |
normal |
59% |
Jervois |
36.8 |
−1.0 |
43.2 |
20th |
22.6 |
+1.4 |
14.3 |
28th |
49.4 |
38.9 |
high |
127% |
Kulgera |
35.1 |
0 |
42.7 |
31st |
20.9 |
+0.4 |
10.5 |
27th |
7.0 |
34.3 |
low |
20% |
Papunya |
37.1 |
41.6 |
13th |
21.6 |
13.5 |
27th |
22.4 |
31.6 |
normal |
71% |
||
Rabbit Flat |
44.6 |
1st |
14.5 |
3rd |
53.8 |
83.1 |
normal |
65% |
||||
Territory Grape Farm AWS |
36.4 |
+0.1 |
42.4 |
20th |
20.6 |
−0.2 |
12.8 |
27th |
36.2 |
49.2 |
normal |
74% |
Watarrka |
36.4 |
0 |
49.0 |
31st |
22.5 |
+0.4 |
12.5 |
27th |
10.6 |
35.6 |
low |
30% |
Wulungurru AWS |
43.0 |
13th |
20.8 |
25th |
18.6 |
|||||||
Yuendumu |
41.6 |
2nd |
13.2 |
28th |
25.1 |
47.7 |
normal |
53% |
||||
Yulara Aero AWS |
36.4 |
0 |
42.6 |
31st |
21.5 |
+1.0 |
12.5 |
29th |
14.4 |
42.5 |
normal |
34% |
Jump to: Extremes Records Summaries Notes the top
Notes
This statement has been prepared based on information available at 9 am on Wednesday 3 January 2007. Some checks have been made on the data, but it is possible that results will change as new information becomes available.
Normals are long-term averages based on observations from the years 1800 to 2005. They are not shown for sites with less than 10 years of record in that time.
The Rank indicates about where rainfall this time ranks in the climate record for the site.
Further information
NT Climate Services CentreBureau of Meteorology
Phone (08) 8920 3813
Email climate.nt@bom.gov.au