Tuesday, 4 August 2015 - Monthly Climate Summary for Northern Territory - Product code IDCKGC12R0

Northern Territory in July 2015: a very warm end to the month

July maximum temperatures were warmer than average in the north of the Territory and cooler than average in the south. Minimum temperatures were below average in the southern Arnhem Land and central parts of the Territory. Northeastern parts of the Territory recorded above-average rainfall.

  • Two notable rainfall events
  • Overall wetter than average in Arnhem Land
  • Mean maximum temperatures were above average in the Top End and below average in the south of the Territory
  • Several daily maximum temperature records broken on the 26th, 27th and 31st
There were two notable rainfall events during July. At the beginning of the month, a moist easterly flow over northern Australia produced generally light to moderate falls in the eastern Top End. The wettest day was at Alcan Minesite with 18.2 mm during the 24 hours to 9 am on the 2nd. Towards the end of the month, a cloudband associated with a surface trough and broad upper-level trough extended into southern parts of the Northern Territory and delivered some light rainfall to the Alice Springs District. Rainfall was higher than averager in Arnhem Land and below-average across the centre of the Territory. Darwin Airport recorded no rain during the month of July, which is typical for the dry season.

Overall, July experienced above-average day-time temperatures in the Top End, while below-average maximum temperatures were recorded in some southern parts of the Territory. Towards the end of the month, some record high daily maximum temperatures were experienced in the Darwin–Daly and Roper–McArthur districts. The highest temperature was 36.8 °C at Douglas River on the 26th, some 0.2 °C above the previous July record for that location set in 1998. Minimum temperatures were below average in central areas and in the southern parts of Arnhem Land. The lowest overnight temperature was at Alice Springs and Arltunga, both with –5 °C on the 20th. Territory Grape Farm observed –3 °C also on the 20th; the coldest overnight temperature on record for this station. The cold temperatures were due to a strong high in the Bight which brought a cool, fresh and dry flow over the southern end of the Territory.  For the month as a whole, Darwin Airport had slightly above-average maximum temperatures and slightly below-average minimum temperatures.

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Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes in July 2015
Hottest day 36.8 °C at Douglas River on the 26th
Warmest days on average 33.0 °C at Middle Point
Coolest days on average 18.8 °C at Arltunga
Coldest day 13.2 °C at Kulgera on the 25th
Coldest night -5.0 °C at Alice Springs Airport on the 20th
Coolest nights on average 2.2 °C at Alice Springs Airport
Warmest nights on average 23.6 °C at Cape Wessel
Warmest night 25.2 °C at Bradshaw on the 27th
Warmest on average overall 26.2 °C at Cape Wessel
Coolest on average overall 10.8 °C at Arltunga
Wettest overall 38.4 mm at Gove Airport
Wettest day 18.2 mm at Alcan Minesite on the 2nd
Strongest wind gust 69 km/h at Cape Wessel on the 2nd

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Maps
ObservedAnomalyDecile rank
Total
rainfall		 Map of Rainfall totals Map of Percentage of normal rainfall Map of Rainfall deciles
Mean
daily
maximum
temperatures		 Map of Mean maximum temperature Map of Anomaly in mean maximum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean maximum temperature
Mean
daily
minimum
temperatures		 Map of Mean minimum temperature Map of Anomaly in mean minimum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean minimum temperature

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Record highest July temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
July
Jabiru Airport 36.2 on the 26th 36.1 on the 1st in 2009 38 31.9
McArthur River Mine Airport 35.9 on the 26th 35.4 on the 13th in 2012 38 30.0
Douglas River 36.8 on the 26th 36.6 on the 8th in 1998 24 31.7
Watarrka 30.8 on the 31st 30.5 on the 30th in 2008 24 21.6
Channel Point 34.7 on the 27th 34.5 on the 20th in 2003 21 29.2


Record lowest July temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
July
Territory Grape Farm -3.0 on the 20th -2.0 on the 21st in 2007 23 5.2


Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Summary statistics for July 2015
Maximum temperatures
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
(°C)		 Rainfall
(millimetres)
Mean for
July
2015		 Diff
from
average		 Highest for
July
2015		 Mean for
July
2015		 Diff
from
average		 Lowest for
July
2015		 Total for
July
2015		 Average
for
July		 Rank of
July
2015		 Fraction of
July
average
Darwin-Daly (district 14GA)
Batchelor Airport 32.2 +0.4 35.6 26th 16.8 +0.5 11.0 15th 0 0.1 lowest 0%
Black Point 29.9 +0.2 32.0 26th 20.9 +0.1 17.2 14th 0 3.5 lowest 0%
Bradshaw 32.0 +0.1 36.7 26th 16.0 +0.9 9.3 15th 0 0.3 v low 0%
Central Arnhem Plateau 28.8 0.0 32.6 26th 15.3 -0.4 10.0 18th 0 3.1 v low 0%
Channel Point 29.9 +0.7 34.7 27th 16.6 -0.5 11.8 15th 0 0.1 lowest 0%
Charles Point 29.2   32.4 27th 19.9   16.0 19th 0
Croker Island Airport 29.5   32.0 22nd 20.9   17.2 14th 0
Darwin Airport 31.3 +0.7 34.4 27th 18.9 -0.4 14.8 14th 0 1.2 lowest 0%
Delamere Weapons Range 29.4 -0.1 34.4 26th 14.7 0.0 9.1 15th 0 0.3 v low 0%
Douglas River 32.2 +0.5 36.8 26th 13.4 +0.6 8.0 23rd 0 2.5 lowest 0%
Dum In Mirrie Airstrip 30.8 +0.6 35.5 27th 17.4 -0.8 12.6 15th 0 0 lowest
Jabiru Airport 32.5 +0.6 36.2 26th 18.8 +0.2 14.7 18th 0 2.8 lowest 0%
Katherine Country Club 30.9   35.5 26th 13.4   6.8 15th 0
Mango Farm 31.8 +0.2 36.0 26th 14.4 -0.6 9.2 23rd 0 2.0 lowest 0%
McCluer Island 27.2 0.0 28.7 12th 23.0 +0.2 20.1 14th 3.8 1.2 v high 317%
Middle Point 33.0 +0.4 36.1 27th 13.0 -1.4 5.7 14th 0 0.4 v low 0%
Murganella Airstrip 30.8   32.9 26th 16.3   8.7 14th 0
Noonamah Airstrip 32.7   35.5 27th 15.9   10.5 19th 0
Oenpelli Airport 32.9   36.0 26th 17.8   13.4 18th 0
Pirlangimpi Airport 32.0 +0.8 34.6 26th 18.7 +0.4 13.4 19th 0 2.8 lowest 0%
Point Fawcett 30.8 +0.9 33.8 27th 16.8 -1.6 10.8 19th 0 0.2 v low 0%
Point Stuart 31.2   33.9 12th 17.5   11.3 14th 0 0.8 v low 0%
Port Keats Airport 31.5 +0.1 35.4 27th 17.1 +0.6 12.8 22nd 0 1.3 v low 0%
Tindal RAAF 30.9 +0.8 35.8 26th 12.5 -1.1 6.6 14th 0 2.8 lowest 0%
Arnhem (district 14BC)
Cape Wessel 28.8   29.9 31st 23.6   22.2 14th 24.6 16.5 high 149%
Gove Airport 27.8 0.0 30.0 23rd 19.9 -0.3 16.4 12th 38.4 18.7 high 205%
Groote Eylandt Airport 28.9 +0.2 32.2 26th 15.2 -0.2 8.8 18th 1.6 3.4 average 47%
Maningrida Airport 30.6 0.0 32.9 30th 18.0 -0.4 11.1 14th 5.2 1.1 high 473%
Milingimbi Airport 30.1 -0.2 32.7 27th 19.2 0.0 13.4 14th 12.8 2.8 v high 457%
Warruwi Airport 28.8 +0.1 30.7 2nd 21.4 +0.2 17.4 14th 0 1.8 lowest 0%
Roper-Mcarthur (district 14DE)
Borroloola Airport 30.9 +0.7 35.6 26th 12.6 +0.8 5.6 15th 0 0.5 lowest 0%
Bulman 31.4 +0.8 35.7 25th 14.2 +0.6 6.9 18th 2.8 1.4 high 200%
Centre Island 27.0 +0.8 30.9 23rd 18.9 +0.4 15.4 18th 1.4 1.8 average 78%
Daly Waters Airstrip 30.1 +1.2 35.3 26th 10.8 -1.3 3.5 21st 0 1.7 lowest 0%
McArthur River Mine Airport 30.8 +0.8 35.9 26th 12.3 +0.1 5.3 15th 0 2.2 lowest 0%
Ngukurr Airport 31.2   35.6 26th 13.1   5.9 15th 0
Victoria (district 14F)
Lajamanu Airport 27.3 +0.5 34.0 24th 9.8 +0.7 3.5 21st 0 3.8 lowest 0%
Victoria River Downs 29.9 +0.6 35.5 26th 10.6 -0.3 3.4 18th 0 2.8 lowest 0%
Wave Hill 28.6 +0.2 34.0 25th 11.2 +0.5 4.0 15th 0 4.1 lowest 0%
Barkly (district 15A)
Brunette Downs 26.7 0.0 34.8 24th 10.6 0.0 5.0 18th 0 4.3 lowest 0%
Elliott 27.8 -0.5 34.4 24th 10.8 -0.4 5.8 22nd 0 2.8 lowest 0%
Tennant Creek Airport 24.7 +0.1 32.6 24th 11.8 -0.5 7.1 17th 0 4.6 lowest 0%
Alice Springs (district 15B)
Alice Springs Airport 19.6 -0.1 28.6 23rd 2.2 -1.8 -5.0 20th 0 15.3 lowest 0%
Arltunga 18.8 -1.0 27.4 23rd 2.8 -0.5 -5.0 20th 0 10.4 lowest 0%
Curtin Springs 19.9 -0.3 29.3 31st 4.6 +0.9 -0.8 19th 10.5 12.7 high 83%
Jervois 21.1 -0.8 29.4 23rd 5.2 -0.1 -0.7 21st 0 13.4 lowest 0%
Rabbit Flat 26.2 +0.1 33.0 23rd 5.4 -1.4 -2.5 20th 0 5.3 v low 0%
Territory Grape Farm 22.3 -0.2 29.5 23rd 3.7 -1.5 -3.0 20th 0 4.7 lowest 0%
Walungurru Airport 23.3 0.0 29.9 31st 10.5 +0.1 6.5 12th 1.2 15.8 average 8%
Watarrka 21.3 -0.3 30.8 31st 5.1 -1.0 -1.9 19th 5.5 15.1 average 36%
Yulara Airport 20.0 -0.5 29.4 31st 4.4 0.0 0.3 21st 9.2 18.4 average 50%

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Notes

The Monthly climate summary lists the main features of the weather in Northern Territory using the most timely and accurate information available on the date of publication; it will generally not be updated. Later information, including data that has had greater opportunity for quality control, will be presented in the Monthly Weather Review.

A climate summary is generally published on the first working day of each month.

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 8 am on Tuesday 4 August 2015. Some checks have been made on the data, but it is possible that results will change as new information becomes available.

Averages for individual sites are long-term means based on observations from all available years of record, which vary widely from site to site. They are not shown for sites with less than 10 years of record, 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.

The ACORN-SAT dataset is used for temperature area averages.

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