Friday 2 February 2007 - Monthly Climate Summary for Northern Territory - Product code IDCKGC12R0

Late monsoon over the north while ex-TC Isobel floods the south - Northern Territory in January 2007

Heavy rainfall at several locations caused extensive flooding in the Alice Springs district mainly due to the passage of ex-tropical cyclone Isobel. Temperatures were cooler than normal in the central parts of the Territory, and average to above average over rest of the remainder.

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Rainfall

The onset of the monsoon over the Northern Top End occurred during the second week of January with the trough remaining over northwestern Australia during the month. Despite this, the Top End received average to below average rainfall. The remains of Tropical Cyclone Isobel, which formed off the coast of the Western Australia, moved through the Alice Springs district bringing unusually heavy rainfall to the area. A few stations recorded record rainfall for the month as a result.

Some sites had their highest total January rainfall on record.

Some sites had their lowest total January rainfall on record.

Maximum temperature

Average maximum temperatures over southern parts of the Territory were below average, with some areas as low as 3 to 4°C below normal. This was mostly due to the weather associated with ex-Tropical Cyclone Isobel that passed through the region. Maximums were mostly average across the Top End.

Some sites had their highest January temperature on record.

Some sites had their lowest January mean daily maximum temperature on record.

Minimum temperature

Intrusions of cold air masses over the central parts of the Territory during mid January resulted in cooler nights in the area. The temperatures were 2 to 3 degrees below normal at some locations. The rest of the Territory, including the Top End, had above average minimums for the month.

Some sites had their lowest January temperature on record.

Some sites had their highest January daily minimum temperature on record.

Some sites had their highest January mean daily minimum temperature on record.

Further information

NT Climate Services Centre
Bureau of Meteorology
Phone (08) 8920 3813
Email climate.nt@bom.gov.au

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Extremes

Hottest day
Highest temperature
 44.0°C at Watarrka on the 1st
Warmest days on average
Highest mean daily maximum temperature
 36.9°C at Yulara Aero AWS
Coolest days on average
Lowest mean daily maximum temperature
 31.4°C at Cape Don AWS
and Point Fawcett AWS
Coldest day
Lowest daily maximum temperature
 24.1°C at Yuendumu on the 15th
and Arltunga on the 19th
Coldest night
Lowest temperature
 13.5°C at Territory Grape Farm AWS on the 22nd
Coolest nights on average
Lowest mean daily minimum temperature
 20.4°C at Yuendumu
Warmest nights on average
Highest mean daily minimum temperature
 27.1°C at Centre Island AWS
Warmest night
Highest daily minimum temperature
 31.4°C at Alice Springs Airport on the 5th
and Jervois on the 5th
Wettest overall
Highest total rainfall
 488.4 mm at Pirlangimpi AWS
Wettest day
Highest daily rainfall
 246.0 mm at Numery on the 18th
Highest wind gust
 100 km/h at Centre Island AWS on the 21st

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Records

Record highest total rainfall for January 2007
Total rainfall
(mm) 		Previous highest Years of
record
Tanami Downs *
456.5
275.8
in 1974
32
Numery *
374.6
110.6
in 2001
24
Tilmouth Well *
150.7
112.3
in 2001
10


Record lowest total rainfall January 2007
Total rainfall
(mm) 		Previous lowest Years of
record
Jabiru Airport AWS
169.2
188.5
in 1983
19


Record highest daily rainfall for January 2007
Highest daily rainfall
(mm)		 Previous highest Years of
record
Arltunga *
111.5
on the 18th
80.8
on the 21st in 1925
60
Tanimi Downs *
147.0
on the 15th
54.8
on the 24th in 1987
32

Atula *

114.0
on the 20th
69.0
on the 30th in 2001
25
Numery *
246.0
on the 18th
59.0
on the 4th in 1980
21
Tilmouth Well *
76.0
on the 18th
65.2
on the 30th in 2001
11


Record lowest mean daily maximum temperature for January 2007
Mean daily maximum
temperature
(°C) 		Previous lowest Years of
record
Watarrka
36.1
36.6
in 1995
16
Territory Grape Farm AWS
34.2
35.6
in 2001
12


Record highest daily maximum temperature for January 2007
Highest temperature
(°C) 		Previous highest Years of
record
Black Point
34.7
on the 6th
34.5
on the 26th in 2001
15


Record highest mean daily minimum temperature for January 2007
Mean daily minimum
temperature
(°C) 		Previous highest Years of
record
Pirlangimpi AWS
25.6
25.4
in 2002
23
Douglas River
24.8
24.4
in 2004
13
Batchelor Aero AWS
24.7
24.4
in 1998
10
Kidman Springs
25.8
25.5
in 1999
10


Record highest daily minimum temperature for January 2007
Highest daily minimum
temperature
(°C) 		Previous highest Years of
record
Yulara Aero AWS
30.6
on the 4th
30.3
on the 19th in 1987
19
Kidman Springs
29.0
on the 7th
28.5
on the 28th in 1999
10


Record lowest daily minimum temperature for January 2007
Lowest temperature
(°C) 		Previous lowest Years of
record
Ali Curung
15.8
on the 22nd
16.7
on the 6th in 2005
18
Territory Grape Farm AWS
13.5
on the 22nd
14.0
on the 3rd in 2003
12


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Summaries

Summary statistics for January 2007
Maximum temperatures
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
(°C)		 Rainfall
(millimetres)
Mean Diff
from
normal		 Highest Mean Diff
from
normal		 Lowest Total Normal Rank Fraction of
January
normal
Darwin-Daly (district 14GA)
Batchelor Aero AWS
33.2
+0.4
35.8
26th
24.7
+0.8
23.1
1st
254.2
285.9
low
89%
Black Point
32.2
+0.8
34.7
6th
26.6
+0.9
23.7
22nd
253.0
303.4
normal
83%
Bradshaw
35.9
39.1
6th
25.7
22.2
18th
216.6
Cape Don AWS
31.4
32.6
21st
25.8
24.2
30th
357.2
215.9
very high
165%
Central Arnhem Plateau AWS
32.0
35.3
24th
23.8
22.0
1st
296.0
Channel Point
32.0
+0.3
33.0
6th
25.6
+0.7
23.0
3rd
262.2
412.2
normal
64%
Darwin Airport
32.4
+0.6
34.2
27th
25.6
+0.8
23.3
1st
205.0
422.2
very low
49%
Delamere Weapons Range AWS
34.7
+0.6
39.0
6th
24.5
+0.8
23.0
2nd
169.4
Douglas River
33.8
+0.1
36.7
26th
24.8
+0.9
23.3
22nd
182.6
275.4
low
66%
Dum In Mirrie AWS
32.0
33.5
6th
25.9
23.1
28th
316.6
330.0
normal
96%
Jabiru Airport AWS
34.3
+0.7
37.3
5th
25.2
+0.7
22.4
28th
169.2
365.4
lowest
46%
Katherine Aviation Museum
34.7
−0.1
37.3
26th
24.5
+0.3
22.1
18th
240.9
272.9
normal
88%
Mango Farm
33.7
+0.1
36.4
25th
24.6
+0.7
23.4
2nd
236.9
333.1
normal
71%
McCluer Island AWS
31.8
33.4
10th
27.1
23.9
22nd
127.6
235.3
normal
54%
Middle Point AWS
33.8
36.2
25th
24.5
23.1
1st
250.0
Oenpelli
34.0
+0.9
37.3
1st
25.3
+0.8
23.5
28th
142.4
341.8
very low
42%
Pine Creek Council
33.6
36.6
26th
24.6
22.9
21st
204.5
Pirlangimpi AWS
32.2
+0.5
34.3
3rd
25.6
+1.1
23.4
28th
488.4
409.0
normal
119%
Point Fawcett AWS
31.4
−0.3
32.5
23rd
26.2
+0.5
23.7
28th
280.0
341.7
normal
82%
Tindal RAAF AWS
34.9
+0.9
37.3
26th
24.8
+0.7
22.2
18th
254.8
270.0
normal
94%
Arnhem (district 14BC)
Alyangula Police
33.2
+0.2
35.0
10th
24.7
−1.0
21.0
17th
116.5
218.7
low
53%
Gove Airport
31.7
−0.3
33.8
22nd
25.0
+0.4
23.5
16th
207.0
287.7
low
72%
Groote Eylandt Airport AWS
34.4
37.1
27th
25.7
24.1
30th
163.2
Maningrida Aero AWS
32.2
34.6
27th
25.6
23.9
1st
215.6
Ngayawili AWS
31.6
34.0
5th
26.0
22.5
17th
341.0
Warruwi AWS
32.1
+0.1
34.1
26th
26.0
+0.4
23.6
22nd
261.8
265.4
normal
99%
Roper-Mcarthur (district 14DE)
Borroloola AWS
35.2
+1.4
37.7
5th
24.9
0
20.3
21st
194.4
208.1
normal
93%
Bulman AWS
35.3
37.5
9th
24.3
22.4
21st
332.8
Centre Island AWS
34.4
+0.8
36.0
24th
27.1
+0.4
22.8
21st
213.8
220.0
normal
97%
Daly Waters AWS
36.5
+0.7
41.3
6th
24.2
+0.3
20.4
24th
217.4
149.7
high
145%
Larrimah
35.1
−0.2
39.5
6th
24.2
+0.2
20.0
7th
270.5
209.6
high
129%
McArthur River Mine
36.6
+1.0
40.5
1st
25.3
+0.7
22.0
23rd
186.4
199.3
normal
94%
Wollogorang
35.0
0
39.2
1st
24.4
+0.2
20.8
23rd
281.5
210.0
high
134%
Victoria (district 14F)
Kidman Springs
36.0
+0.1
39.9
6th
25.8
+0.9
23.0
10th
134.4
164.9
normal
82%
Lajamanu AWS
36.2
−0.6
42.0
6th
24.2
+0.3
19.0
31st
281.2
147.5
high
191%
Timber Creek
35.7
−0.3
39.1
31st
25.0
0
22.3
21st
121.2
236.0
low
51%
Victoria River Downs
35.4
−1.3
39.5
6th
24.9
0
21.5
30th
205.8
150.2
high
137%
Wave Hill
35.9
−1.1
41.3
6th
24.3
0
18.7
31st
225.4
144.2
high
156%
Barkly (district 15A)
Brunette Downs
35.7
−1.3
41.1
1st
24.4
0
18.1
22nd
135.6
104.6
high
130%
Tennant Creek Airport
34.9
−1.9
40.9
5th
24.2
−0.7
17.5
22nd
227.4
106.6
high
213%
Alice Springs (district 15B)
Ali Curung
34.1
−3.9
41.5
7th
15.8
22nd
273.8
75.4
very high
363%
Alice Springs Airport
34.0
−2.4
42.5
1st
22.3
+0.9
14.0
22nd
98.6
37.1
very high
266%
Arltunga
32.9
40.3
2nd
21.8
14.0
30th
179.4
38.3
very high
468%
Curtin Springs
36.4
−1.3
43.0
1st
23.2
+1.1
17.0
22nd
37.0
29.2
high
127%
Kulgera
35.3
−1.4
42.9
3rd
22.2
+0.3
14.9
29th
47.7
31.8
high
150%
Papunya
35.4
42.0
1st
21.9
15.6
30th
58.1
43.2
high
134%
Territory Grape Farm AWS
34.2
−3.5
41.2
6th
21.2
−0.3
13.5
22nd
144.0
42.9
very high
336%
Watarrka
36.1
−2.5
44.0
1st
23.3
−0.3
17.0
22nd
30.4
32.2
normal
94%
Yuendumu
34.3
−2.1
41.9
2nd
20.4
−2.1
14.4
1st
233.8
63.1
very high
371%
Yulara Aero AWS
36.9
−1.6
42.8
1st
23.8
+1.3
16.1
22nd
32.0
26.8
normal
119%

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Notes

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 11am on Friday 2 February 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 means based on observations from all years up to and including 2006. They are not shown for sites with less than 10 years of record in that time, as they cannot then be calculated reliably.
The median is sometimes more representative than the mean of "normal" rain.

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 Centre
Bureau of Meteorology
Phone (08) 8920 3813
Email climate.nt@bom.gov.au