Tuesday, 1 September 2009 - Monthly Climate Summary for Northern Territory - Product code IDCKGC12R0
Northern Territory in August 2009
Record Breaking Heat!
August 2009 has been the hottest August on record across the Territory, with all sites recording day time temperatures greater than their long-term mean, and many breaking August records. Rainfall values were close to zero across most of the Northern Territory, with the exception of isolated showers about the north and northeast coasts, and in the Alice Springs District associated with the passage of a few frontal systems (which is normal for the dry season).
Darwin
Darwin days were warmer than usual, with an average maximum temperature of 32.0°C being 0.7°C greater than the long-term mean for August. Minimum temperatures were lower than average however, with 20.1°C being 0.3°C below the long-term August average for Darwin.
Alice Springs
Alice Springs saw its hottest winter month on record this August. The previous August maximum temperature record of 34.0°C was surpassed on three consecutive days with 34.7°C on the 21st, 35.2°C on the 22nd and 35.1°C on the 23rd, with a new record established twice on consecutive days (the 21st and 22nd). The average maximum temperature of 28.1°C was 5.6°C greater than the August average! Minimum temperatures records were also broken, with the previous record of 22.1°C broken with 23.1°C on the 16th. The average minimum temperature of 10.4°C was 4.4°C greater than the long-term August average!
An archive of previous monthly summaries for Northern Territory is also available, as are summaries for other states and many other climate summaries and diagnostics.
Jump to: Extremes Records Summaries Notes the top
Rainfall
Little rain fell over the Territory during August, which is not unusual. Isolated coastal showers, mainly around the north and northeast, bought small rainfall totals to various locations throughout the month. Some rainfall was observed around Darwin on the 14th,15th, 28th and 29th, but did not fall in any of the rain gauges. In the south, a cloud band delivered rainfall to various locations on 18 August, with the heaviest falls in the southwest. A second cloud band bought showers and thunderstorms to the Alice Region on the 26th and 27th, with a cumulative total of 12.8 mm falling at Alice Springs over these two days.
Over the Territory as a whole, the area-averaged rainfall was 1.0 mm, 3.4 mm below the long-term August average of 4.4 mm.The wettest overall was 13.0 mm at Alice Springs Airport, followed by 8.0 mm at Curtin Springs, and then by 7.8 mm at Yulara Aero AWS.
One site had its highest total August rainfall on record.
The wettest single day 8.4 mm at Alice Springs Airport on the 27th, followed by 8.0 mm at Curtin Springs on the 18th, and then by 7.2 mm at Yulara Aero AWS on the 18th.
One site had its highest August daily rainfall on record.
Maximum temperature
Average maximum temperatures were much hotter than usual across the whole Territory. Stations in the north were one to two degrees above climatology, but in the south average day time temperatures were four to six degrees warmer than normal. Alice Springs broke the record for the number of days over 30°C with 16 days (previously 8 days in 1942 and 1995). Tennant Creek also broke the record for consecutive days over 30°C with 21 days (previous record 13 days in 1995).
The August area-averaged maximum temperature was 31.8°C, 3.9°C above the long-term average of 27.9°C, and the highest ever recorded.
The hottest day was 39.1°C at Bradshaw AWS on the 31st, followed by 38.8°C at Oenpelli on the 23rd and at Timber Creek on the 31st, and then by 38.6°C at Elliott on the 30th.
The warmest days on average were 35.1°C at Bradshaw AWS and Noonamah AWS, followed by 35.0°C at Jabiru Airport AWS and Timber Creek, and then by 34.8°C at Douglas River and Middle Point AWS.
The coolest days on average were 26.9°C at Kulgera, followed by 27.4°C at Yulara Aero AWS, followed by 27.6°C at Curtin Springs.
The coldest day was 16.7°C at Yulara Aero AWS on the 17th, followed by 16.9°C at Curtin Springs on the 17th, then by 17.0°C at Arltunga on the 26th.
Some sites had their highest August temperature on record.
Some sites had their highest August mean daily maximum temperature on record.
Minimum temperature
Average minimum temperatures were mixed in the Top End, but clearly much warmer in the south, with anomalies between three to six degrees warmer than climatology in the southern Barkly and Alice Springs Districts.
The August area-averaged minimum temperature was 14.9°C, 2.4°C above the long-term average of 12.5°C, and the second highest on record.The coldest nights were at Arltunga with −1.7°C on the 5th, followed by −1.5°C on the 6th and by −1.3°C on the 4th.
The coolest nights on average were 8.3°C at Arltunga, followed by 9.2°C at Yulara Aero AWS, then by 9.6°C at Curtin Springs.
The warmest nights on average were 22.8°C at Cape Don AWS.
The warmest night was 25.9°C at Dum In Mirrie AWS on the 31st.
Some sites had their warmest August night (highest daily minimum temperature) on record.
Some sites had their highest August mean daily minimum temperature on record.
Wind
The strongest wind gust was 70 km/h at Bradshaw AWS on the 19th, followed by 67 km/h at Central Arnhem Plateau AWS on the 22nd, then by 65 km/h at Yulara Aero AWS on the 15th.
Further information
NT Climate Services Centre
Bureau of Meteorology
Phone (08) 8920 3813
Email climate.nt@bom.gov.au
Extremes
| Hottest day Highest temperature |
39.1°C at Bradshaw AWS on the 31st * |
|---|---|
| Warmest days on average Highest mean daily maximum temperature |
35.1°C at Bradshaw AWS 35.1°C at Noonamah AWS |
| Coolest days on average Lowest mean daily maximum temperature | 26.9°C at Kulgera |
| Coldest day Lowest daily maximum temperature |
16.7°C at Yulara Aero AWS on the 17th |
| Coldest night Lowest temperature | −1.7°C at Arltunga on the 5th |
| Coolest nights on average Lowest mean daily minimum temperature | 8.3°C at Arltunga |
| Warmest nights on average Highest mean daily minimum temperature | 22.8°C at Cape Don AWS |
| Wettest overall Highest total rainfall | 13.0 mm at Alice Springs Airport |
| Wettest day Highest daily rainfall | 8.4 mm at Alice Springs Airport on the 27th |
| Highest wind gust |
70 km/h at Bradshaw AWS on the 19th |
* Bradshaw AWS recorded the highest August temperature for the Northern Territory and its hottest August temperature to date, but is not included in the Records Table due to its short climate record of 8 years.
Jump to: Extremes Records Summaries Notes the top
Records
| Record highest August daily rainfall | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highest daily rainfall (mm) |
Previous highest |
Years of record |
||||
| Tilmouth Well | 3.0 | on the 27th | 1.6 | on the 12th in 2000 | 10 | |
| Record highest total August rainfall | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total rainfall (mm) |
Previous highest |
Years of record |
|||
| Tilmouth Well | 3.1 | 1.6 | in 2000 | 10 | |
| Record highest August temperature | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Highest temperature (°C) |
Previous highest |
Years of record |
||||
| Alice Springs Airport | 35.2 | on the 22nd | 34.0 | on the 26th in 1970 | 67 | |
| Jervois | 37.3 | on the 29th | 36.1 | on the 27th in 1985 | 40 | |
| Tennant Creek Airport | 35.7 | on the 29th | 35.5 | on the 29th in 1992 | 39 | |
| Yuendumu | 35.2 | on the 23rd | 33.8 | on the 31st in 2002 | 40 | |
| Daly Waters AWS | 37.2 | on the 31st | 37.1 | on the 31st in 2008 | 39 | |
| Wave Hill | 38.0 | on the 30th | 37.8 | on the 31st in 2000 | 35 | |
| Jabiru Airport AWS | 38.0 | on the 31st | 37.5 | on the 31st in 2008 | 30 | |
| McArthur River Mine | 37.9 | on the 30th | 37.8 | on the 30th in 1970 | 28 | |
| Elliott | 38.6 | on the 30th | 38.0 | on the 28th in 1985 | 25 | |
| Timber Creek | 38.8 | on the 31st | 38.4 | on the 8th in 1981 | 28 | |
| Tindal RAAF AWS | 37.3 | on the 30th | = 37.3 | on the 31st in 2008 | 21 | |
| Territory Grape Farm AWS | 35.2 | on the 29th | 33.8 | on the 22nd in 1995 | 15 | |
| Ngukurr | 37.4 | on the 30th | 37.2 | on the 28th in 1970 | 15 | |
| Batchelor Aero AWS | 36.5 | on the 29th | 36.3 | on the 31st in 2008 | 11 | |
| Rabbit Flat | 37.3 | on the 22nd | 35.6 | on the 30th in 2005 | 12 | |
| Groote Eylandt Airport AWS | 33.2 | on the 29th | 33.0 | on the 25th in 2003 | 10 | |
| Record highest August mean daily maximum temperature | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mean daily maximum temperature (°C) |
Previous highest |
Years of record |
|||
| Alice Springs Airport | 28.1 | 26.5 | in 1977 | 67 | |
| Curtin Springs | 27.6 | 26.2 | in 1977 | 44 | |
| Jervois | 30.2 | 27.7 | in 1977 | 40 | |
| Tennant Creek Airport | 31.3 | 30.1 | in 1985 | 39 | |
| Yuendumu | 30.5 | 27.3 | in 1977 | 40 | |
| Daly Waters AWS | 34.4 | 33.9 | in 1955 | 39 | |
| Wave Hill | 33.8 | 33.6 | in 1981 | 35 | |
| Jabiru Airport AWS | 35.0 | 34.8 | in 1998 | 30 | |
| McArthur River Mine | 34.3 | 33.7 | in 1981 | 28 | |
| Elliott | 34.2 | 33.4 | in 1985 | 25 | |
| Kulgera | 26.9 | 24.4 | in 2006 | 28 | |
| Wollogorang | 33.5 | 32.4 | in 2000 | 26 | |
| Yulara Aero AWS | 27.4 | 25.1 | in 1985 | 20 | |
| Douglas River | 34.8 | 34.6 | in 1971 | 18 | |
| Watarrka | 28.9 | 26.0 | in 2006 | 19 | |
| Territory Grape Farm AWS | 29.5 | 26.2 | in 2003 | 15 | |
| Ngukurr | 34.1 | 33.7 | in 1971 | 15 | |
| Borroloola AWS | 33.8 | 33.1 | in 1998 | 14 | |
| Kidman Springs | 34.4 | 34.1 | in 1998 | 13 | |
| Delamere Weapons Range AWS | 33.3 | 33.0 | in 1998 | 12 | |
| Rabbit Flat | 33.1 | 30.8 | in 1998 | 12 | |
| Groote Eylandt Airport AWS | 31.3 | 30.8 | in 2000 | 10 | |
| Record highest August daily minimum temperature | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Highest daily minimum temperature (°C) |
Previous highest |
Years of record |
||||
| Alice Springs Airport | 23.1 | on the 16th | 22.1 | on the 26th in 1972 | 67 | |
| Jervois | 23.7 | on the 29th | 22.6 | on the 29th in 2004 | 38 | |
| Rabbit Flat | 22.1 | on the 28th | 21.8 | on the 21st in 1997 | 12 | |
| Dum In Mirrie AWS | 25.9 | on the 31st | 25.3 | on the 23rd in 2003 | 10 | |
| Record highest August mean daily minimum temperature | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mean daily minimum temperature (°C) |
Previous highest |
Years of record |
|||
| Curtin Springs | 9.6 | 8.6 | in 1973 | 43 | |
| Jervois | 12.4 | 9.4 | in 1972 | 38 | |
| Tennant Creek Airport | 17.7 | 16.6 | in 1985 | 39 | |
| Kulgera | 9.8 | 8.9 | in 1996 | 28 | |
| Yulara Aero | 9.2 | 8.5 | in 1998 | 21 | |
| Watarrka | 11.6 | 10.2 | in 1997 | 19 | |
| Ngukurr | 18.8 | 17.9 | in 2003 | 16 | |
Jump to: Extremes Records Summaries Notes the top
Summaries
This table is very wide and may not fit if printed.
| Summary statistics for August 2009 | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum temperatures (°C) | Minimum temperatures (°C) | Rainfall (millimetres) |
||||||||||
| Mean for August 2009 |
Diff from average |
Highest for August 2009 |
Mean for August 2009 |
Diff from average |
Lowest for August 2009 |
Total for August 2009 |
Rank of August 2009 |
Fraction of August average |
||||
| Darwin-Daly (district 14GA) | ||||||||||||
| Batchelor Aero | 34.1 | +0.9 | 36.5 | 29th | 18.1 | +1.1 | 13.7 | 3rd | 0 | lowest | 0% | |
| Black Point | 30.9 | +0.6 | 32.2 | 30th | 21.5 | +0.1 | 17.1 | 7th | 0 | lowest | 0% | |
| Bradshaw | 35.1 | +1.9 | 39.1 | 31st | 18.1 | +1.8 | 11.7 | 5th | 0 | lowest | 0% | |
| Cape Don | 30.0 | 31.6 | 18th | 22.8 | 21.5 | 8th | 0.6 | average | 46% | |||
| Central Arnhem Plateau | 31.9 | 35.2 | 31st | 15.7 | 10.8 | 8th | 0 | |||||
| Channel Point | 29.6 | +0.1 | 31.5 | 27th | 18.5 | +0.4 | 13.5 | 2nd | 0 | lowest | 0% | |
| Darwin Airport | 32.0 | +0.7 | 33.9 | 18th | 20.1 | −0.3 | 16.2 | 3rd | 0 | lowest | 0% | |
| Delamere Weapons Range | 33.3 | +1.8 | 36.8 | 29th | 16.5 | +0.7 | 10.7 | 3rd | 0 | highest | ||
| Douglas River | 34.8 | +1.4 | 38.5 | 31st | 15.5 | +1.4 | 10.0 | 6th | 0.6 | high | 46% | |
| Dum In Mirrie AWS | 30.8 | +0.3 | 34.5 | 18th | 20.2 | +1.0 | 15.7 | 5th | 3.4 | high | 89% | |
| Jabiru Airport | 35.0 | +1.3 | 38.0 | 31st | 19.1 | 0.0 | 15.4 | 7th | 0 | lowest | 0% | |
| Katherine Aviation Museum | 33.5 | +1.2 | 36.7 | 30th | 14.8 | +0.2 | 9.5 | 5th | 0 | lowest | 0% | |
| Mango Farm | 34.7 | +1.3 | 37.0 | 26th | 15.8 | −0.1 | 11.8 | 6th | 0 | lowest | 0% | |
| McCluer Island | 28.0 | 29.7 | 31st | 23.8 | 21.6 | 6th | 0 | lowest | 0% | |||
| Middle Point AWS | 34.8 | 37.5 | 31st | 15.6 | 9.9 | 1st | 0 | |||||
| Noonamah AWS | 35.1 | 37.9 | 29th | 16.9 | 11.9 | 3rd | 0 | |||||
| Pine Creek Council | 33.5 | 36.1 | 30th | 18.5 | 14.4 | 1st | 0 | |||||
| Pirlangimpi | 32.9 | +1.0 | 34.1 | 27th | 19.8 | +0.7 | 17.4 | 6th | 0 | lowest | 0% | |
| Point Fawcett | 31.1 | +0.5 | 32.6 | 27th | 18.0 | −1.0 | 14.0 | 7th | 0 | lowest | 0% | |
| Port Keats Aero | 32.4 | +0.7 | 36.1 | 19th | 18.1 | +0.7 | 13.4 | 6th | 0.4 | high | 133% | |
| Tindal RAAF | 33.8 | +1.8 | 37.3 | 30th | 15.8 | +0.4 | 9.8 | 5th | 0 | lowest | 0% | |
| Arnhem (district 14BC) | ||||||||||||
| Alyangula Police | 29.7 | +0.8 | 31.8 | 26th | 19.1 | +1.1 | 16.3 | 9th | 0 | lowest | 0% | |
| Gove Airport | 29.6 | +1.1 | 32.1 | 31st | 18.4 | −0.8 | 15.3 | 9th | 0.6 | low | 10% | |
| Groote Eylandt Airport AWS | 31.3 | +1.3 | 33.2 | 29th | 15.1 | +0.2 | 11.7 | 9th | 1.2 | high | 109% | |
| Maningrida Aero | 31.1 | 32.8 | 9th | 18.6 | 14.4 | 7th | 0 | |||||
| Milingimbi AWS | 30.7 | 32.3 | 3rd | 19.7 | 17.3 | 5th | 0 | |||||
| Ngayawili | 31.1 | 32.7 | 29th | 19.5 | 16.6 | 5th | 0.8 | |||||
| Warruwi | 29.6 | +0.4 | 32.4 | 31st | 22.3 | +0.6 | 19.9 | 7th | 0 | lowest | 0% | |
| Roper-Mcarthur (district 14DE) | ||||||||||||
| Borroloola | 33.8 | +2.2 | 37.1 | 31st | 14.8 | +1.3 | 9.7 | 1st | 0.4 | average | 44% | |
| Bulman AWS | 34.3 | 37.6 | 30th | 14.5 | 10.2 | 10th | 0 | |||||
| Daly Waters AWS | 34.4 | +3.5 | 37.2 | 31st | 11.9 | −1.1 | 6.6 | 10th | 0 | lowest | 0% | |
| Larrimah | 33.1 | +1.3 | 36.5 | 30th | 13.1 | −1.1 | 7.0 | 4th | 0 | lowest | 0% | |
| McArthur River Mine | 34.3 | +2.4 | 37.9 | 30th | 15.4 | +2.1 | 10.1 | 6th | 0 | lowest | 0% | |
| Ngukurr | 34.1 | +2.3 | 37.4 | 30th | 18.8 | +2.8 | 15.1 | 9th | 0.7 | high | 100% | |
| Wollogorang | 33.5 | +2.4 | 36.7 | 29th | 13.4 | +1.2 | 8.4 | 6th | 0 | lowest | 0% | |
| Victoria (district 14F) | ||||||||||||
| Kidman Springs | 34.4 | +1.8 | 38.0 | 31st | 13.6 | −0.2 | 7.5 | 5th | 0 | lowest | 0% | |
| Timber Creek | 35.0 | +2.2 | 38.8 | 31st | 15.2 | −0.7 | 8.4 | 10th | 0 | lowest | 0% | |
| Victoria River Downs | 34.7 | +2.9 | 38.1 | 30th | 13.9 | +0.6 | 6.8 | 1st | 0 | lowest | 0% | |
| Wave Hill | 33.8 | +2.7 | 38.0 | 30th | 13.8 | +1.1 | 4.4 | 5th | 0 | lowest | 0% | |
| Barkly (district 15A) | ||||||||||||
| Elliott | 34.2 | +3.1 | 38.6 | 30th | 14.4 | +1.1 | 8.5 | 2nd | 0 | lowest | 0% | |
| Tennant Creek Airport | 31.3 | +3.9 | 35.7 | 29th | 17.7 | +3.3 | 11.8 | 1st | 0 | lowest | 0% | |
| Alice Springs (district 15B) | ||||||||||||
| Alice Springs Airport | 28.1 | +5.6 | 35.2 | 22nd | 10.4 | +4.4 | 1.6 | 1st | 13.0 | high | 140% | |
| Arltunga | 27.7 | 34.0 | 29th | 8.3 | −1.7 | 5th | 2.1 | average | 31% | |||
| Curtin Springs | 27.6 | +4.8 | 34.4 | 22nd | 9.6 | +4.0 | 0.8 | 4th | 8.0 | average | 96% | |
| Jervois | 30.2 | +5.2 | 37.3 | 29th | 12.4 | +5.4 | 2.6 | 5th | 0 | lowest | 0% | |
| Kulgera | 26.9 | +5.1 | 33.8 | 22nd | 9.8 | +3.1 | 1.5 | 1st | 0.5 | average | 5% | |
| Papunya | 29.2 | 35.5 | 23rd | 10.6 | 4.3 | 5th | 5.6 | high | 93% | |||
| Rabbit Flat | 33.1 | +3.9 | 37.3 | 22nd | 10.5 | +2.1 | 2.1 | 5th | 0 | lowest | 0% | |
| Territory Grape Farm | 29.5 | +4.5 | 35.2 | 29th | 10.5 | +3.5 | 2.5 | 6th | 0.8 | average | 20% | |
| Watarrka | 28.9 | +4.5 | 34.2 | 22nd | 11.6 | +3.3 | 0.8 | 7th | 0 | lowest | 0% | |
| Yuendumu | 30.5 | +5.6 | 35.2 | 23rd | 11.5 | +3.0 | 3.9 | 5th | 1.2 | average | 15% | |
| Yulara Aero | 27.4 | +4.1 | 34.3 | 22nd | 9.2 | +3.4 | 2.1 | 4th | 7.8 | high | 200% | |
Jump to: Extremes Records Summaries Notes the top
Notes
This statement has been prepared based on information available at 12 pm on Tuesday 1 September 2009. Some checks have been made on the data, but it is possible that results will change as new information becomes available.
Averages are long-term means based on observations from
the years 1800 to 2008.
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 long-term average 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,
average in decile 4 to 7, high in decile 8 or 9
and very high is in decile 10).
The Fraction of average 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