Friday, 3 January 2014 - Monthly Climate Summary for Northern Territory - Product code IDCKGC12R0

Northern Territory in December 2013: A return to normal temperatures

• Average temperatures for most of the NT
• Records
• 5 low temperature records, no high temperature records
• One daily rainfall record and One total rainfall record
• Extremes
  • Hottest day 44.8 °C at Jervois on the 9th and on the 31st
  • Coldest night 12.3 °C at Alice Springs Airport on the 6th
  • Wettest day 113.0 mm at Snowdrop Creek on the 29th

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Monthly Summary

After a year of hot weather, December was quite average in terms of both maximum and minimum temperatures across the NT. Both Darwin and Alice Springs some some exceptionally hot and cool days but ended the month near average. rainfall was also near average for most of the NT, with dry conditions over Arnhem Land being the exception. Most of the month saw monsoon break conditions, but one last monsoon burst for the year brought thick cloud cover, lower temperatures and some rainfall to the western Top End.

Rainfall

When averaged across the Territory, this months rainfall of 69.5 mm was only 5 mm below the December mean. The month began with the Top End under monsoon break conditions with occasional afternoon thunderstorms. Toward the end of the month the monsoon reformed off the north coast and moved south over the continent on the 25th and the 26th. However, the northwest coast was the only region that saw much rainfall from this monsoon event and rainfall totals were relatively small. The eastern Top End was left dry and ended the month with below average rainfall. Several locations across the Top End had their lowest total December rainfall on record.

The souther portions saw a few rainfall events this month from the passage frontal systems along the southern border. Rabbit Flat was the only site to see their highest December daily rainfall on record this month when 74.4 mm fell on the 5th.

The locations to see the highest rainfall this month was Pirlangimpi with 428.4 mm, followed by Cape Don with 413.2 mm, and then Channel Point with 333.4 mm. In contrast, the driest overall Wallace Rock Hole with 9.2 mm, followed by Ngukurr with 10.8 mm.

The wettest single day was the 24 hour period to 9 am on the 29th when 113.0 mm fell at Snowdrop Creek, Wandie Creek had 100.6 mm and Mount Stow measured 82.4 mm.

Temperature

The mean temperature for the Northern Territory for December was 30.2 °C, which is 0.2 below the long-tem average. The warmest on average was Ngukurr with 32.2 °C, followed by Brunette Downs with 32.0 °C, and then Elliott and McArthur River Mine with 31.5 °C. The coolest on average was Arltunga with 27.2 °C, followed by Alice Springs Airport with 27.8 °C, and then Kulgera with 28.2 °C.

Maximum temperature

After 18 months of above average maximum temperatures in the NT, December 2013 was below average. The mean maximum temperature in the NT this month was 36.32 °C, this is 0.49 °C below the long-term December average. Three sites, Point Fawcett, Dum-In-Mirrie and Port Keats Aero, saw their coldest December day (lowest maximum temperature) on record on the 25th and 26th as monsoon activity, including thick cloud cover and rainfall, affected the northwest Top End.

Darwin Airport ended the month with an mean daily maximum temperature of 32.6 °C, which equals the long-term average. The coolest day at Darwin Airport this month was on the 26th when the daytime temperature reached only 28.1 °C. The warmest day was the 7th with a maximum temperature of 35.2 °C.

Alice Springs saw some hot days and some cool days, this month, and ended the month with a mean daily maximum temperature of 35.6 °C, this is 0.2 °C above average. The coolest day at Alice Springs was on the 23rd when the daytime temperature reached only 20.6 °C. Alice Springs rose above 40 °C eleven times this month, including four consecutive days from the 19th through the 21st, inclusive, and another hot spell that ran from the 28th into early January.

The hottest place anywhere in the NT, this month, was at Jervois where the daytime maximum reached 44.8 °C on the 9th and then again on the 31st. Jervois also reached 44.0 °C a third time this month on the 30th. The coldest day was the 23rd when the temperature reached only 18.8 °C at Arltunga and 20.6 °C at Alice Springs Airport.

The warmest days on average were at Brunette Downs with 39.1 °C, followed by Ngukurr with 38.7 °C, and then Elliott with 38.4 °C. The coolest days on average were at McCluer Island with 31.8 °C, followed by Darwin Harbour and Dum In Mirrie with 32.2 °C.

Minimum temperature

The average minimum temperature for the NT in December was 24.0 °C, 0.1 °C above average. With a daily minimum temperature of only 21.9 °C on the 20th, Point Fawcett had their lowest December temperature on record. Groote Eylandt Airport had their lowest December mean daily minimum temperature on record with a mean daily minimum temperature of 23.9 °C. While there was only one monthly mean minimum temperature record set, several places came close: With a mean daily minimum of 23.8 °C, Gove Airport saw their third coolest December on record; likewise, Borroloola had their third coolest December with 24.3 °C; and Batchelor, with a mean daily minimum of 23.9 °C had their third coolest December.

Darwin Airport ended the month only slightly below average with a mean daily minimum temperature of 25.0 °C. Alice Springs was also a little below average with a mean daily minimum temperature of 20.0 °C, which tied with Arltunga for the coolest mean daily minimum in the NT this month.

The coldest night was at Alice Springs Airport with 12.3 °C on the 6th. The Alice Springs region also saw a drop in temperatures on the 12th when Kulgera dropped to 12.4 °C and Curtin Springs had 12.6 °C. The warmest nights in the Territory in December. was at Cape Don with 29.5 °C on the 16th, and Katherine Country Club also with 29.5 °C on the 20th.

The warmest nights on average were at Centre Island with 27.3 °C, followed by McCluer Island with 27.2 °C.

Wind

The strongest wind gust was at Douglas River with 89 km/h on the 14th, followed by Lajamanu with 81 km/h on the 19th, and McArthur River Mine also with 81 km/h on the 28th.

---

Extremes in December 2013
Hottest day	44.8 °C at Jervois on the 9th 44.8 °C at Jervois on the 31st
Warmest days on average	39.1 °C at Brunette Downs
Coolest days on average	31.8 °C at McCluer Island
Coldest day	18.8 °C at Arltunga on the 23rd
Coldest night	12.3 °C at Alice Springs Airport on the 6th
Coolest nights on average	20.0 °C at Alice Springs Airport 20.0 °C at Arltunga
Warmest nights on average	27.3 °C at Centre Island
Warmest night	29.5 °C at Cape Don on the 16th
Warmest on average overall	32.2 °C at Ngukurr
Coolest on average overall	27.2 °C at Arltunga
Wettest overall	428.4 mm at Pirlangimpi
Driest overall	9.2 mm at Wallace Rock Hole
Wettest day	113.0 mm at Snowdrop Creek on the 29th
Highest wind gust	89 km/h at Douglas River on the 14th

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

---

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

---

Record highest December daily rainfall
	Highest daily rainfall in December 2013 (mm)		Previous wettest for December		Years of record
Rabbit Flat	74.4	on the 5th	53.8	on the 4th in 1999	18

---

Record highest total December rainfall
	Total rainfall for December 2013 (mm)	Previous wettest for December		Years of record	Average for December
Upper Wickham River	204.0	190.4	in 2012	10	122.0

---

Record lowest total December rainfall
	Total rainfall for December 2013 (mm)	Previous driest for December		Years of record	Average for December
Adelaide River Post Office	77.0	94.0	in 2012	50	249.4
CSIRO Berrimah	62.0	117.8	in 2002	18	330.3
Walker Creek	97.0	213.2	in 2001	17	298.3
Darwin River Ridge	45.6	112.6	in 2005	13	299.5
Bulman	55.4	90.2	in 2002	12	211.9
Central Arnhem Plateau	42.4	196.4	in 2012	11	284.8
Edith Farms Road	141.5	156.3	in 2004	11	303.9

---

Record lowest December daily maximum temperature
	Lowest daily maximum temperature in December 2013 (°C)		Previous coolest for December		Years of record	Average for December
Point Fawcett	26.9	on the 25th	28.0	on the 9th in 1998	17	32.4
Dum In Mirrie	26.9	on the 26th	27.0	on the 13th in 2009	16	32.5
Port Keats Aero	25.6	on the 26th	26.2	on the 18th in 2008	14	33.5

---

Record lowest December temperature
	Lowest temperature in December 2013 (°C)		Previous coolest for December		Years of record	Average for December
Point Fawcett	21.9	on the 20th	22.0	on the 7th in 2002	17	25.5

---

Record lowest December mean daily minimum temperature
	Mean daily minimum temperature for December 2013 (°C)	Previous coolest for December		Years of record	Average for December
Groote Eylandt Airport	23.9	24.1	in 2006	14	25.0

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

---

Summary statistics for December 2013
	Maximum temperatures for December (°C)				Minimum temperatures for December (°C)				Rainfall for December (millimetres)
	Mean for December 2013	Diff from average	Highest for December 2013		Mean for December 2013	Diff from average	Lowest for December 2013		Total for December 2013	Average for December	Rank of December 2013	Fraction of December average
Darwin-Daly (district 14GA)
Batchelor Aero	33.8	0.0	36.6	12th	23.9	-0.2	21.8	29th	215.6	265.3	average	81%
Black Point	33.0	+0.5	35.3	9th	25.6	-0.5	23.4	30th	141.8	212.0	average	67%
Bradshaw	36.8	+0.3	41.3	13th	25.4	0.0	22.0	17th	162.6	169.6	average	96%
Cape Don	33.4		37.7	12th	26.3		23.2	21st	413.2	272.7	v high	152%
Central Arnhem Plateau	34.1	+0.9	37.0	12th	23.3	-0.3	21.1	27th	42.4	284.8	lowest	15%
Croker Island Airport	33.4		35.3	8th	25.9		23.6	27th	114.8
Darwin Airport	32.6	0.0	35.2	7th	25.0	-0.3	22.8	17th	209.4	250.8	average	83%
Darwin Harbour	32.2		34.4	11th	26.1		21.2	16th
Delamere Weapons Range	35.7	0.0	39.8	15th	24.7	+0.2	22.2	26th	178.4	174.0	average	103%
Douglas River	35.4	+0.4	38.6	13th	24.3	+0.6	21.1	15th	132.0	206.0	low	64%
Dum In Mirrie	32.2	-0.3	33.9	20th	25.6	-0.5	22.9	16th	205.6	272.7	average	75%
Gunn Point	32.5		34.8	11th	24.0		21.1	20th	204.0
Jabiru Airport	35.6	+0.6	37.6	14th	25.2	+0.3	22.3	1st	237.8	234.8	average	101%
Katherine Country Club	36.7		38.8	14th	24.9		22.7	1st	165.9
Mango Farm	35.3	+0.5	37.5	11th	23.4	-0.4	20.9	6th	156.6	243.8	low	64%
McCluer Island	31.8	-0.2	33.2	15th	27.2	+0.2	24.2	27th	68.6	210.3	low	33%
Middle Point	34.5	-0.5	36.9	31st	24.1	0.0	21.9	29th	309.4	243.3	average	127%
Murganella Airstrip	33.6		36.5	15th	24.4		23.4	11th	127.2
Noonamah (Mkt)	34.1		36.6	31st	24.6		22.6	29th	227.2
Oenpelli Airport	35.9		37.9	11th	24.9		22.7	1st	91.8
Pirlangimpi	32.9	+0.2	35.5	9th	24.5	-0.2	22.9	18th	428.4	350.0	average	122%
Point Fawcett	32.5	+0.1	34.6	17th	24.8	-0.7	21.9	20th	0	292.3	lowest	0%
Point Stuart	33.8		36.1	17th	25.1		22.6	1st	279.8	210.6	average	133%
Port Keats Aero	33.5	0.0	36.3	18th	24.7	-0.8	23.0	14th	215.8	165.3	high	131%
Tindal RAAF	36.4	+0.8	39.1	15th	24.7	-0.1	22.3	6th	179.6	202.5	average	89%
Arnhem (district 14BC)
Cape Wessel	32.7		34.2	31st	25.9		23.8	1st	114.8	135.8	average	85%
Gove Airport	32.7	-0.2	34.9	14th	23.8	-0.8	22.5	5th	90.6	178.9	low	51%
Groote Eylandt Airport	34.2	0.0	36.7	7th	23.9	-1.1	21.8	7th	127.4	185.0	low	69%
Maningrida Aero	33.0	-0.3	35.4	7th	25.0	-0.3	23.1	6th	151.6	165.7	average	91%
Milingimbi	33.3	-0.4	35.9	7th	25.4	-0.6	23.7	29th	180.2	141.6	average	127%
Ngayawili	32.9	+0.1	36.0	7th	25.1	-0.5	22.9	1st	123.6	249.9	average	49%
North East Island	33.9		35.9	14th	26.9		24.8	1st	33.2	92.0	average	36%
Warruwi	33.0	-0.2	34.9	31st	26.5	+0.3	23.7	1st	117.4	194.4	average	60%
Roper-Mcarthur (district 14DE)
Borroloola	36.7	+0.4	40.6	14th	24.3	-0.9	21.5	17th	27.8	138.1	low	20%
Bulman	36.1	-1.1	38.7	31st	24.4	-0.4	21.9	10th	55.4	211.9	lowest	26%
Centre Island	35.0	+0.4	37.6	14th	27.3	0.0	23.7	28th	73.6	135.2	average	54%
Daly Waters	38.1	+0.8	41.5	15th	24.7	+0.5	21.7	8th	77.0	103.7	average	74%
McArthur River Mine	37.8	+0.1	41.5	14th	25.3	+0.4	22.3	20th	54.8	121.3	low	45%
Ngukurr	38.7		41.4	14th	25.6		23.3	7th	10.8
Wollogorang			41.3	31st	23.6	-0.6	19.5	14th	25.2	155.1	v low	16%
Victoria (district 14F)
Lajamanu	38.0	0.0	42.7	10th	24.2	+0.1	19.5	31st	106.2	76.8	high	138%
Timber Creek	36.8	-0.4	39.9	13th	25.0	-0.4	22.1	26th	196.3	174.9	high	112%
Victoria River Downs	36.5	-1.3	40.2	15th	24.7	-0.4	22.7	16th	209.2	117.8	high	178%
Wave Hill	37.0	-1.1	41.5	10th	24.6	+0.1	21.5	25th	140.7	117.2	high	120%
Barkly (district 15A)
Brunette Downs	39.1	+0.7	42.7	30th	25.0	+0.7	19.2	6th	69.2	67.1	average	103%
Elliott	38.4	-0.2	41.6	15th	24.7	+0.4	21.0	14th	75.9	95.7	average	79%
Tennant Creek Airport	37.9	+0.7	42.1	9th	24.8	-0.1	21.1	5th	42.4	69.6	average	61%
Alice Springs (district 15B)
Ali Curung	37.7	-0.1	43.8	30th	23.1	0.0	18.2	14th	31.4	61.5	average	51%
Alice Springs Airport	35.6	+0.2	43.5	31st	20.0	-0.2	12.3	6th	29.2	36.8	average	79%
Arltunga	34.3	-0.1	41.5	31st	20.0	-0.2	14.3	27th	43.2	39.6	average	109%
Curtin Springs	36.4	+0.1	43.0	19th	20.7	+0.2	12.6	12th	31.5	29.2	high	108%
Jervois	37.7	0.0	44.8	31st	22.4	+1.1	15.1	6th	19.0	38.0	average	50%
Kulgera	35.1	+0.1	43.4	20th	21.2	+0.9	12.4	12th	33.2	32.8	average	101%
Rabbit Flat	37.0	-1.5	41.7	20th	23.8	+0.2	19.9	5th	92.8	74.5	average	125%
Territory Grape Farm	35.7	-0.6	42.3	31st	21.7	+0.7	16.1	6th	83.0	48.0	high	173%
Walungurru	38.0	-0.2	43.1	29th	24.6	-0.2	19.1	23rd	46.2	42.9	average	108%
Yuendumu	36.3	+0.1	42.4	31st	22.8	+1.4	17.7	24th	11.6	46.0	low	25%
Yulara Aero	36.7	+0.3	43.8	28th	20.7	0.0	14.1	12th	15.2	40.3	average	38%

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

---

---