Monday, 3 December 2012 - Monthly Climate Summary for Northern Territory - Product code IDCKGC12R0

Northern Territory in November 2012: Hot with patchy rainfall

• Very dry conditions over the northeast and southwest.
• Oenpelli's driest November since 1965.
• Second warmest November for the Territory in over two decades.
• Hot in Alice Springs.

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Dry conditions across the northeast

Dry conditions dominated most of the Arnhem and the Roper - McArthur Districts. Gove Airport failed to register any rainfall during November, making it the driest November since 1994. Since the beginning of the wet season (1 October), Gove Airport has only measured 7.8 mm of rain, well under their October to November average of 55.6 mm. Farther south, Boroloola received 13.8 mm, their lowest November rainfall since 2006.

Oenpelli driest November since 1965*

Oenpelli, on the eastern boundary of Kakadu National Park only managed to receive 9.0 mm of rain this November, making it the driest November since 1965.

*Note: there were no rainfall observations for this site in November 1989.

2nd warmest November Territory-wide in two decades

Both daytime and night-time temperatures were above average across the Northern Territory. The area-average mean temperature (average of daily maximum and daily minimum temperature) for the Northern Territory was 30.5 °C, the warmest since 2006 and second highest since the early 1990s.

November 2012, second hottest for Alice Springs

With a mean daytime temperature of 36.7 °C (third highest November on record) and a mean night-time temperature of 20.2 °C (also third highest), Alice Springs endured its second hottest November with a mean temperature of 28.5 °C, just 0.6 °C shy of the record set in 1987.

Rainfall

Area averaged, the Northern Territory received 43.6 mm of rain, just above the historical average of 41.9 mm. Although some areas of the southwestern Darwin - Daly District received above average or very much above average rainfall during November, most of the Top End (particularly the Arnhem District) received below average or very much below average rainfall. During the "build up" season, rainfall across the Top End comes in the form of patchy thunderstorm activity and gulf lines that roll westwards from the Gulf of Carpentaria. However, the season so far has seen below average convective activity across the north. Across central and southern parts of the Territory, rainfall has been mixed, with the southern Roper -McArthur, most of the Barkly and the eastern Alice Springs Districts picking up above average to very much above average rainfall. The exception within these regions is Elliot which received only 1.0 mm of rain, its lowest November rainfall since 1990 (note: there were no observations for this site in November 2010). Rainfall over the Victoria River and western Alice Springs Districts was below average to very much below average with Yuendumu picking up just 5.2 mm (its lowest since 1996) and Yulara only 2.4 mm, its third driest November since 1994.

In Darwin, the Airport only received 77.4 mm in over 11 days, which is well below the November norm of 140.2 mm. However, due to patchy thunderstorm activity not all suburbs in the Greater Darwin Region were as unlucky, with the Darwin Botanical Gardens, Palmerston and Nightcliff (among others) receiving in excess of 100 mm. Middle Point, in the rural area only managed to pick up 48.2 mm, its lowest November rainfall in 13 years of records.

The wettest overall was Tipperary (just to the south of Litchfield national Park) with 295.9 mm, followed by Channel Point with 245.7 mm and then by Geriatric Park with 238.6 mm.

The wettest single day was at Roper River Mataranka with 115.5 mm on the 30th, followed by Tipperary with 92.0 mm on the 30th and then by Adelaide River Post Office with 82.0 mm on the 28th.

Temperature

During November, the overall mean temperature (average of daily maximum and daily minimum temperature) was above average across central and most of the northern parts of the NT except for the far western Darwin -Daly District and the far northwestern part of the Victoria River District, which were near average. Everywhere else, including the western Arnhem and Roper - McArthur Districts, mean temperatures were very much above average. Jervois, with a mean temperature of 29.7 °C had its highest November mean temperature on record. The Territory mean area-averaged temperature was 30.5 °C, the 7th warmest November since records began and the second warmest in two decades.

The warmest on average was Ngukurr with 32.9 °C, followed by Victoria River Downs with 32.5 °C and then by Walungurru with 32.4 °C.

The coolest on average was Arltunga with 27.9 °C, followed by Gove Airport with 28.0 °C and then by Kulgera with 28.2 °C.

Maximum temperature

Maximum temperatures were generally above average across most of Northern Territory, with the Alice Springs District, areas of the far northern Top End, and east of Mataranka experiencing very much above average temperatures. Maximum temperatures surrounding the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf were close to average, just a degree cooler than the norm. During the month, two hot spells affected the southern NT with hot northerly winds ahead of slow moving troughs. The first hot spell earlier in the month was short lived lasting from about the 3rd of the month to the 5th, bringing daytime and night-time temperatures 4 to 8 °C warmer than usual. The second hot spell came through during the last two weeks in November, with temperatures up to 8 °C warmer than usual. Yulara with a mean maximum temperature of 38.1 °C had its highest November mean daily maximum temperature on record. The Territory mean daytime area-average temperature was 37.8 °C, the hottest since 2006 and the second highest in two decades.

The hottest day was at Yulara Aero with 44.1 °C on the 25th, followed by McArthur River Mine with 43.5 °C on the 21st and then by Rabbit Flat with 43.5 °C on the 24th. Pirlangimpi had its highest November temperature on record.

The warmest days on average were at Ngukurr AWS with 39.8 °C, followed by Walungurru with 39.7 °Ca nd then by Rabbit Flat with 39.3 °C..

The coolest days on average were at McCluer Island with 31.6 °C, followed by Channel Point with 32.5 °C and then by Darwin Harbour with 33.0 °C.

The coldest day was at Arltunga with 25.7 °C on the 8th, followed by Arltunga with 25.9 °C on the 9th, and then by Jervois with 26.3 °C on the 9th.

Minimum temperature

Daily minimum temperatures across most of the Northern Territory were above average with the Alice Springs District, Arnhem and Roper - McArthur Districts experiencing very much above average night-time temperatures. An area extending from the Victoria River into the Barkly Districts, around the far northeastern Arnhem and the Darwin Greater Region had the coolest nights in the Territory, with approximately a degree below the norm. The Territory mean night-time area-average temperature was 23.3 °C, the warmest November nights since 2008.

The coldest night was at Kulgera with 10.7 °C on the 10th, followed by Alice Springs Airport with 11.8 °C on the 10th and then by Yulara Aero with 12.3 °C on the 11th.

The coolest nights on average were at Arltunga with 19.9 °C, followed by Alice Springs Airport with 20.2 °C and then by Yulara Aero with 20.5 °C.

The warmest nights on average were at McCluer Island with 27.6 °C, followed by Cape Don with 27.3 °C and then by Centre Island with 27.0 °C.

The warmest night was at Ngukurr with 29.6 °C on the 18th, followed by Ngukurr with 29.5 °C on the 23rd and then by Cape Don with 29.3 °C on the 23rd.

Wind

The strongest wind gust recorded was 91 km/h at Jabiru Airport, which was measured as a localized storm rolled in through the town on the 28th.

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Extremes in November 2012
Hottest day	44.1 °C at Yulara Aero on the 25th
Warmest days on average	39.8 °C at Ngukurr
Coolest days on average	31.6 °C at McCluer Island
Coldest day	25.7 °C at Arltunga on the 8th
Coldest night	10.7 °C at Kulgera on the 10th
Coolest nights on average	19.9 °C at Arltunga
Warmest nights on average	27.6 °C at McCluer Island
Warmest night	29.6 °C at Ngukurr on the 18th
Warmest on average overall	32.9 °C at Ngukurr
Coolest on average overall	27.9 °C at Arltunga
Wettest overall	295.9 mm at Tipperary
Wettest day	115.5 mm at Roper River Mataranka on the 30th
Highest wind gust	91 km/h at Jabiru Airport on the 28th

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Maps
	Observed	Anomaly	Decile rank
Total rainfall
Mean daily maximum temperatures
Mean daily minimum temperatures

Click on a map to show it full size in a pop-up window

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Record highest November temperature
	Highest temperature in November 2012 (°C)		Previous warmest for November		Years of record	Average for November
Pirlangimpi	36.6	on the 27th	36.2	on the 2nd in 2009	31	33.4

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Record highest November mean daily maximum temperature
	Mean daily maximum temperature for November 2012 (°C)	Previous warmest for November		Years of record	Average for November
Yulara Aero	38.1	= 38.1	in 2006	25	34.7

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Record highest November mean temperature
	Mean daily temperature for November 2012 (°C)	Previous warmest for November		Years of record	Average for November
Jervois	29.7	29.6	in 1990	43	27.3

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Summary statistics for November 2012
	Maximum temperatures for November (°C)				Minimum temperatures for November (°C)				Rainfall for November (millimetres)
	Mean for November 2012	Diff from average	Highest for November 2012		Mean for November 2012	Diff from average	Lowest for November 2012		Total for November 2012	Average for November	Rank of November 2012	Fraction of November average
Darwin-Daly (district 14GA)
Batchelor Aero	35.4	-0.1	38.6	4th	23.9	0.0	21.4	23rd	207.8	133.9	high	155%
Black Point	33.4	+0.2	34.6	12th	25.6	0.0	23.3	27th	26.6	64.0	average	42%
Bradshaw	37.5	-0.8	40.5	2nd	25.6	+0.1	23.0	9th	159.2	105.0	high	152%
Cape Don	34.2		36.4	1st	27.3		23.7	12th	50.0	95.3	low	52%
Central Arnhem Plateau	35.4		38.7	4th	23.8		21.0	9th	72.8
Channel Point	32.5	-0.3	33.7	27th	24.6	-0.4	21.6	10th	245.7	129.6	v high	190%
Croker Island Airport	34.2		35.3	24th	25.9		23.6	27th	0
Darwin Airport	33.9	+0.6	35.9	27th	25.4	+0.1	22.8	12th	77.4	139.3	low	56%
Darwin Harbour	33.0		35.3	27th	26.3		21.4	12th
Delamere Weapons Range	38.2	+0.8	41.4	22nd	24.9	+0.2	20.6	14th	67.4	70.9	average	95%
Douglas River	36.6	-0.2	39.9	2nd	24.0	+0.5	21.4	18th	150.2	115.8	high	130%
Dum In Mirrie	33.2	+0.3	34.4	26th	26.0	0.0	23.6	12th	106.0	128.4	average	83%
Jabiru Airport	37.8	+1.0	39.5	1st	25.6	+0.7	23.1	9th	132.6	142.9	average	93%
Katherine Country Club	38.2		40.9	1st	25.4		22.6	30th	82.2
Mango Farm	35.6	-0.7	39.5	2nd	23.8	+0.4	21.2	17th	197.4	130.2	high	152%
McCluer Island	31.6	-0.6	33.8	22nd	27.6	+0.4	26.0	28th	0	28.8	v low	0%
Middle Point	37.0	+0.9	39.5	27th	23.1	-0.5	21.8	4th	48.2	119.0	v low	41%
Murganella Airstrip	34.9		37.7	21st	23.1		21.1	4th	1.0
Noonamah	36.6		38.5	11th	23.9		21.6	5th	144.8
Oenpelli Airport	38.0		40.2	4th	24.4		22.0	26th	66.6
Pirlangimpi	34.1	+0.7	36.6	27th	24.5	+0.3	22.6	18th	71.4	189.5	v low	38%
Point Fawcett	33.3	+0.3	34.4	30th	24.6	-0.5	22.4	26th	90.4	119.6	average	76%
Point Stuart	34.5		36.0	11th	24.8		21.8	19th	103.4	85.9	average	120%
Port Keats Aero	33.9	-0.4	36.6	4th			21.7	12th	56.8	76.7	average	74%
Tindal RAAF	37.9	+0.7	41.0	1st	25.2	+0.2	22.3	30th	92.4	94.5	average	98%
Arnhem (district 14BC)
Cape Wessel	33.9		35.0	24th	26.1		23.5	3rd	0	31.8	lowest	0%
Gove Airport	33.2	+0.1	35.3	21st	22.9	-0.6	20.8	9th	0	44.4	lowest	0%
Groote Eylandt Airport	34.8	+0.4	36.9	21st	23.9	+0.4	21.1	14th	46.8	122.5	v low	38%
Maningrida Aero	34.0		36.0	24th	24.9		23.7	2nd	4.2	49.0	v low	9%
Milingimbi	33.5		35.1	24th	25.6		24.1	14th	0.2	63.0	v low	0%
Ngayawili	33.5	+0.3	35.6	25th	24.1	-0.3	22.6	2nd	0	60.8	v low	0%
North East Island	33.1		35.4	21st	26.4		24.7	14th	0.4	45.0	low	1%
Roper-Mcarthur (district 14DE)
Borroloola	38.0	+0.8	42.5	21st	24.8	+1.0	22.5	16th	13.8	77.2	low	18%
Centre Island	35.1	+0.5	38.0	22nd	27.0	+0.2	25.1	10th	10.8	37.4	average	29%
Daly Waters	38.9	+0.9	41.9	22nd	23.9	+0.2	21.1	10th	76.0	48.2	high	158%
McArthur River Mine	39.1	+0.6	43.5	21st	25.5	+1.5	22.5	10th	24.8	53.8	average	46%
Ngukurr	39.8		43.1	21st	26.1		21.6	9th	12.2
Wollogorang	37.5	+0.1	41.4	20th	23.4	+0.9	20.1	20th	78.9	66.5	high	119%
Victoria (district 14F)
Timber Creek	38.5	+0.1	42.0	2nd	25.1	0.0	22.5	9th	108.9	83.8	high	130%
Victoria River Downs	39.3	+0.9	43.4	22nd	25.6	+1.1	21.6	11th	25.6	59.6	low	43%
Barkly (district 15A)
Brunette Downs	38.7	+0.8	42.7	21st	23.7	+0.7	18.7	10th	66.0	30.0	v high	220%
Tennant Creek Airport	38.1	+1.7	42.2	23rd	24.1	+0.4	18.6	10th	82.0	41.1	high	200%
Alice Springs (district 15B)
Alice Springs Airport	36.7	+3.1	42.4	29th	20.2	+2.4	11.8	10th	43.2	29.1	high	148%
Arltunga	35.9	+2.7	40.5	30th	19.9	+2.0	12.9	11th	47.2	31.3	high	151%
Curtin Springs	37.1	+2.8	43.0	25th	20.8	+3.0	13.7	10th	29.0	24.0	average	121%
Jervois	37.9	+2.0	42.8	4th	21.6	+2.8	16.0	10th	42.8	24.8	high	173%
Kulgera	35.8	+2.6	41.4	25th	20.7	+2.5	10.7	10th	14.4	25.0	average	58%
Rabbit Flat	39.3	+0.7	43.5	24th	23.3	+1.4	17.0	11th	50.4	39.6	average	127%
Territory Grape Farm	37.0	+1.7	40.8	4th	20.8	+2.3	14.6	10th	38.4	31.9	average	120%
Walungurru	39.7	+2.5	43.4	30th	25.1	+2.0	19.9	7th	4.2	18.7	low	22%
Yulara Aero	38.1	+3.4	44.1	25th	20.5	+2.4	12.3	11th	2.4	36.1	v low	7%

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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