Wednesday, 1 February 2012 - Monthly Climate Summary for Northern Territory - Product code IDCKGC22R0

Northern Territory in January 2012: A dry start

• After a long break, Monsoon returns to Top End
• Yulara sees coolest January on record
• Darwin Airport sees 10 consecutive days without rain

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Monsoon returns to Top End

In the last week of December the North Australian Monsoon was very active over the eastern half of Northern Australia. As January began the monsoon trough moved north, slowing the rainfall over land. By the end of the first week the monsoon trough had broken up with storm activity concentrated to the west and east of the Northern Territory while a pocket of dry air sat over the Top End. This pattern repeated itself as TC Heidi formed off the northwest coast of WA, again drawing storm activity away from the Top End. Toward the end of the month a strong westerly burst, aided by the Madden-Julian oscillation (MJO), reinvigorated the monsoon trough over northern Australia. This trough stretched from the central Indian Ocean to the western Pacific with five low pressure centres within it, including one over the Arafura Sea and one north of Western Australia. Heavy rains returned to the Top End reducing the monthly rainfall deficit.

Yulara has cool January

Yulara Aero ended the month with an average maximum temperature of 36.2 °C, their lowest January mean daily maximum temperature on record. January is typically the hottest month of the year at Yulara, with a long term average of 38.6 °C. .

Darwin dry spell

During the break in the monsoon, in the first half of the month, Darwin Airport had 10 days in a row without rain. This tied the record for the longest January dry spell at Darwin Airport, a record set in 1948.

Rainfall

The first two weeks marked the driest start to any year for most locations in the NT, especially locations along the north coast. By the 20th of the month most of the Top End was nearly 200 mm below the long term monthly average. But as the monsoon trough moved over in the last part of the month many stations received their average January rainfall within just a few days, especially in the western Top End. Dum-in-Mirrie had their highest total January rainfall on record. While no daily rainfall records were broken, on the 25th several locations received over 200 mm of rainfall including Stokes Hill, near the Darwin CBD, and Point Fawcett.

The wettest overall was Channel Point with 644.2 mm, followed by Geriatric Park with 585.6 mm, and then Majestic Orchids with 540.6 mm. The wettest single day was at Mallapunyah with 287.4 mm on the 27th, followed by Baileys Grave with 254.5 mm on the 27th, and then Stokes Hill with 229.4 mm on the 25th.

Even with the heavy rainfall near the end of the month, some sites had their lowest total January rainfall on record, including Alyangula Police and Howard Springs Nature Park. The driest overall was Bond Springs Turnoff with 3.0 mm, followed by Bullita with 4.8 mm, and then Wongalara with 7.7 mm. There is a map of rainfall deciles below.

Temperature

When combining maximum and minimum temperatures, the warmest on average was Rabbit Flat with 32.1 °C, followed by Kidman Springs with 32.0 °C, and then Victoria River Downs and Walungurru, both with 31.9 °C. The coolest on average was Central Arnhem Plateau with 27.9 °C, followed by Channel Point with 28.3 °C, and then Batchelor Aero with 28.4 °C. There were no new mean temperature records set this month.

Maximum temperature

For most of the month maximum temperatures in the north part of the NT were consistently 2 °C to 3 °C above average, until the monsoon rains began, at which point the temperatures dropped to a few degrees below average. Most sites in the Top End finished the month near the monthly average temperature, with a few exceptions. Bradshaw, Kidman Springs, and Delamere Weapons Range each had their highest January mean daily maximum temperature on record. During the monsoon break some sites had their highest January temperature on record, including Tindal RAAF and Pirlangimpi.

In the Alice Springs District the second week of the month saw some refreshingly cool days which helped lower the monthly average and even set a few records. On the 10th Yulara Aero had their coldest January day (lowest maximum temperature) on record with a daily maximum temperature of only 22.2 °C, this is 16.4 °C below their January average.

The hottest days were at Jervois with 43.6 °C on the 30th and 43.3 °C on the 6th. The next hottest day was at Rabbit Flat with 43.2 °C on the 19th, and Jervois also with 43.2 °C on the 21st. The warmest days on average were at Rabbit Flat with 39.9 °C, followed by Lajamanu with 39.3 °C, and then Jervois with 39.2 °C.

The coolest days on average were at McCluer Island with 31.6 °C, followed by Black Point with 31.8 °C, and then Point Fawcett with 31.9 °C. The coldest day was on the 10th when Kulgera had a maximum temperature of only 21.5 °C, Papunya had 22.0 °C, and Curtin Springs had 22.1 °C.

There is a map of mean maximum temperature anomalies below.

Minimum temperature

Two sites had their highest January mean daily minimum temperature on record; these were Ngukurr and Delamere Weapons Range. Batchelor Aero was the only site to have its lowest January mean daily minimum temperature on record.

The coldest night was at Arltunga with 15.0 °C on the 16th, followed by Curtin Springs with 15.5 °C on the 10th, and then Yulara Aero with 15.6 °C also on the 10th. The coolest nights on average were at Arltunga with 21.2 °C, followed by Alice Springs Airport with 21.6 °C, and then Yulara Aero with 21.7 °C.

The warmest nights on average were at North East Island with 27.1 °C, followed by Cape Don and Centre Island with 27.0 °C. The warmest night this month was at Jervois with 30.5 °C on the 7th.

There is a map of mean minimum temperature anomalies below.

Wind

The strongest wind gust anywhere in the NT this month was at Tennant Creek Airport with 117 km/h from a thunderstorm on the 23rd. This ties the record for strongest wind gust ever recorded at Tennant Creek Airport. The record of a 117 km/h wind gust, originally set on 15 January 1986, was met once before on 4 January 2004.

The next strongest wind gusts in the NT this month were both at Alice Springs Airport with 96 km/h on the 7th and again on the 18th. This was followed by a 94 km/h gust Bradshaw on the 17th.

---

Extremes in January 2012
Hottest day	43.6 °C at Jervois on the 30th
Warmest days on average	39.9 °C at Rabbit Flat
Coolest days on average	31.6 °C at McCluer Island
Coldest day	21.5 °C at Kulgera on the 10th
Coldest night	15.0 °C at Arltunga on the 16th
Coolest nights on average	21.2 °C at Arltunga
Warmest nights on average	27.1 °C at North East Island
Warmest night	30.5 °C at Jervois on the 7th
Warmest on average overall	32.1 °C at Rabbit Flat
Coolest on average overall	27.9 °C at Central Arnhem Plateau
Wettest overall	644.2 mm at Channel Point
Driest overall	3.0 mm at Bond Springs Turnoff
Wettest day	287.4 mm at Mallapunyah on the 27th
Highest wind gust	117 km/h at Tennant Creek Airport on the 23rd

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

---

Maps

Anomaly in mean maximum temperature

Anomaly in mean minimum temperature

Rainfall deciles

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

---

Record highest total January rainfall
	Total rainfall for January 2012 (mm)	Previous wettest for January		Years of record	Average for January
Dum In Mirrie AWS	506.4	489.2	in 2004	13	325.3

---

Record lowest total January rainfall
	Total rainfall for January 2012 (mm)	Previous driest for January		Years of record	Average for January
Howard Springs Nature Park	117.2	152.6	in 1975	41	448.6
Douglas River	93.8	106.3	in 1970	35	274.4
Alyangula Police	21.2	29.7	in 1983	32	225.4
Gorrie	40.3	88.8	in 1989	24	217.4
Bing Bong Port	31.4	37.0	in 2000	14	253.2

---

Record highest January temperature
	Highest temperature in January 2012 (°C)		Previous warmest for January		Years of record	Average for January
Pirlangimpi	35.6	on the 17th	= 35.6	on the 1st in 2001	28	31.8
Tindal RAAF	40.2	on the 13th	39.8	on the 16th in 1992	22	34.0
Channel Point	34.9	on the 11th	34.2	on the 12th in 2003	15	31.7
Delamere Weapons Range	42.3	on the 13th	40.0	on the 9th in 2008	12	34.2
Dum In Mirrie AWS	34.9	on the 10th	34.0	on the 8th in 2003	11	31.6
Bradshaw	41.4	on the 13th	40.0	on the 26th in 2005	10	34.7

---

Record lowest January daily maximum temperature
	Lowest daily maximum temperature in January 2012 (°C)		Previous coolest for January		Years of record	Average for January
Yulara Aero	22.2	on the 10th	25.0	on the 17th in 1995	22	38.6
Dum In Mirrie AWS	27.0	on the 24th	28.0	on the 20th in 2006	11	31.6

---

Record highest January mean daily maximum temperature
	Mean daily maximum temperature for January 2012 (°C)	Previous warmest for January		Years of record	Average for January
Kidman Springs	38.4	38.1	in 2008	13	35.9
Delamere Weapons Range	37.3	35.9	in 2002	12	34.2
Bradshaw	36.6	35.9	in 2007	10	34.7

---

Record lowest January mean daily maximum temperature
	Mean daily maximum temperature for January 2012 (°C)	Previous coolest for January		Years of record	Average for January
Yulara Aero	36.2	36.5	in 1992	22	38.6

---

Record highest January mean daily minimum temperature
	Mean daily minimum temperature for January 2012 (°C)	Previous warmest for January		Years of record	Average for January
Ngukurr	25.8	25.5	in 1963	16	24.8
Delamere Weapons Range	24.7	24.5	in 2007	12	23.8

---

Record lowest January mean daily minimum temperature
	Mean daily minimum temperature for January 2012 (°C)	Previous coolest for January		Years of record	Average for January
Batchelor Aero	23.6	= 23.6	in 2003	13	24.0

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

---

Summary statistics for January 2012
	Maximum temperatures (°C)				Minimum temperatures (°C)				Rainfall (millimetres)
	Mean	Diff from average	Highest		Mean	Diff from average	Lowest		Total	Average for January	Rank	Fraction of January average
Darwin-Daly (district 14GA)
Batchelor Aero	33.1	+0.3	36.1	14th	23.6	-0.4	21.7	14th	326.2	281.6	high	116%
Black Point	31.8	+0.3	34.2	17th	26.5	+0.6	24.0	29th	272.4	293.5	average	93%
Bradshaw	36.6	+1.9	41.4	13th	25.4	+0.6	21.2	26th	252.8	228.1	high	111%
Cape Don	32.6		35.4	17th	27.0		22.9	22nd	226.6	217.4	high	104%
Central Arnhem Plateau	32.5		37.7	13th	23.2		21.4	27th	185.6
Channel Point	32.2	+0.5	34.9	11th	24.5	-0.5	22.0	2nd	644.2	403.2	high	160%
Darwin Airport	32.6	+0.8	35.0	10th	24.9	+0.1	21.9	14th	454.6	420.3	average	108%
Delamere Weapons Range	37.3	+3.1	42.3	13th	24.7	+0.9	21.1	26th	103.8	189.0	v low	55%
Dum In Mirrie AWS	32.0	+0.4	34.9	10th	25.4	-0.3	22.8	14th	506.4	325.3	highest	156%
Jabiru Airport	34.1	+0.5	36.8	8th	25.0	+0.4	22.7	18th	275.2	351.2	average	78%
Mango Farm	34.5	+0.9	37.9	14th	23.3	-0.5	21.0	27th	339.6	334.0	average	102%
McCluer Island	31.6		34.0	17th	26.8		23.2	18th	262.6	214.4	high	122%
Middle Point AWS	33.4		36.1	13th	23.6		21.3	12th	399.2
Oenpelli	33.7	+0.6	36.2	15th	25.0	+0.5	22.6	12th	351.8	336.7	average	104%
Pirlangimpi	32.4	+0.6	35.6	17th	24.8	+0.2	22.4	3rd	474.4	403.7	average	118%
Point Fawcett	31.9	+0.3	33.7	9th	25.3	-0.5	23.0	5th	508.2	330.1	high	154%
Port Keats Aero	33.6		35.8	1st	25.2		22.5	26th	154.4
Tindal RAAF	35.4	+1.4	40.2	13th	24.8	+0.6	22.9	22nd	131.8	274.0	low	48%
Arnhem (district 14BC)
Cape Wessel	32.4		34.7	13th	26.1		23.2	26th	32.4	219.1	low	15%
Gove Airport	32.7	+0.8	35.1	13th	24.9	+0.2	23.0	4th	117.6	281.1	v low	42%
Groote Eylandt Airport AWS	34.1	+0.9	37.0	16th	25.1	0.0	22.3	5th	142.8	247.4	low	58%
Milingimbi AWS	32.8		35.9	12th	25.8		24.0	31st	120.0
Ngayawili	32.2	+0.5	33.8	15th	26.2	+0.6	24.1	26th	225.4	385.4	low	58%
North East Island	33.3		35.8	13th	27.1		24.6	29th	62.4	113.0	average	55%
Warruwi	32.6	+0.6	35.2	13th	25.7	+0.1	23.0	18th	84.0	260.3	v low	32%
Roper-Mcarthur (district 14DE)
Borroloola	34.6	+0.6	38.3	16th	24.0	-0.8	22.1	11th	224.0	190.0	high	118%
Bulman AWS	36.2		39.3	15th	24.3		22.6	5th	56.8
Centre Island	34.3	+0.7	36.9	12th	27.0	+0.3	23.7	11th	206.0	219.7	average	94%
Daly Waters AWS	37.4	+1.6	40.9	16th	23.7	-0.3	21.2	16th	44.0	161.2	v low	27%
Larrimah	36.4	+1.1	40.0	16th	24.1	+0.1	22.5	6th	82.6	212.9	low	39%
McArthur River Mine	36.6	+0.7	40.6	16th	25.0	+0.2	23.2	18th	215.0	205.4	average	105%
Ngukurr	36.9	+1.4	41.9	17th	25.8	+1.0	23.4	18th	50.4	180.5	v low	28%
Wollogorang			37.9	1st	23.7	-0.5	18.7	17th	238.4	223.1	average	107%
Victoria (district 14F)
Kidman Springs	38.4	+2.5	42.8	13th	25.6	+0.6	20.8	26th	80.8	169.8	low	48%
Lajamanu	39.3	+2.2	42.1	17th	24.3	+0.3	20.2	26th	33.8	143.8	low	24%
Timber Creek	37.5	+1.6	41.8	13th	24.7	-0.3	21.2	26th	123.2	223.1	low	55%
Victoria River Downs	38.6	+2.0	42.6	13th	25.1	+0.2	20.4	20th	122.2	152.9	average	80%
Barkly (district 15A)
Brunette Downs	38.1	+1.1	40.2	21st	24.2	-0.3	22.0	3rd	55.0	106.4	average	52%
Elliott	37.7	+0.1	41.0	16th	23.9	-0.2	21.5	15th	75.9	134.8	average	56%
Tennant Creek Airport	37.5	+0.8	40.5	30th	25.3	+0.3	20.8	11th	32.6	113.5	low	29%
Alice Springs (district 15B)
Alice Springs Airport	37.6	+1.2	42.7	4th	21.6	+0.2	15.7	11th	26.8	37.2	average	72%
Arltunga	36.4		40.9	6th	21.2		15.0	16th	16.4	39.9	average	41%
Curtin Springs	36.6	-1.2	42.0	20th	22.2	+0.1	15.5	10th	38.5	28.4	high	136%
Jervois	39.2	+0.7	43.6	30th	24.2	+1.6	19.1	18th	8.4	48.2	low	17%
Kulgera	36.7	0.0	42.2	20th	22.7	+0.7	16.0	10th	14.5	30.5	average	48%
Papunya	36.8		41.2	4th	22.7		17.0	11th	88.4	42.3	v high	209%
Rabbit Flat	39.9	+1.4	43.2	19th	24.3	+0.3	20.4	15th	30.6	118.8	low	26%
Territory Grape Farm	37.9	+0.4	41.6	30th	23.1	+1.4	19.3	11th	64.0	47.6	high	134%
Walungurru	38.8		43.1	21st	25.1		18.1	10th	53.6
Yulara Aero	36.2	-2.4	42.2	1st	21.7	-0.9	15.6	10th	45.6	24.8	high	184%
Offshore Islands (district 200)
Northern Endeavour	33.3		35.0	26th	27.4		23.0	25th

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

---

---