Monday, 3 October 2016 - Monthly Climate Summary for Northern Territory - Product code IDCKGC12R0

Northern Territory in September 2016: Very wet start to the build up

Rainfall across the Northern Territory was the highest ever observed in September. Warm conditions were again a feature, although below average daytime temperatures were observed in the southern half of the NT. Overnight temperatures were well above average throughout.

Wettest September on record

• The Northern Territory observed more rainfall than any previous September on record. Territory-wide, nearly seven times the average rainfall was recorded
• Rainfall in the southern half of the NT was due to rain-bearing cloudbands which moved across the region several times during the month
• The bulk of the rain in the north fell on the 19th and 20th as tropical moisture from the north combined with a deep low-pressure trough
• Many sites in the north had their highest September daily rainfall on record during this two-day period. Many sites also had their highest total September rainfall on record or highest in several decades

Warm conditions continue

• Territory-wide, daytime temperatures were 0.10 °C above average, although maximum temperatures were significantly above average in the northern half of the NT
• Overnight temperatures were well above average in all districts, apart from the far south. Overall, the mean minimum temperature was 2.19 °C above average, the ninth-warmest on record
• Several sites had their highest September mean daily minimum temperature on record or highest for several decades, including Darwin, with 24.7 °C, second only to 1992 when the mean daily minimum was 24.9 °C
• A few sites had their coldest September day (lowest maximum temperature) on record on the 19th, as a result of the exceptional rain which affected the Top End.

Further information

Media

media@bom.gov.au (03) 9669 4057

Enquiries

helpdesk.climate@bom.gov.au

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Extremes in September 2016
Hottest day	40.7 °C at Victoria River Downs on the 28th 40.7 °C at Bradshaw on the 30th
Warmest days on average	37.8 °C at Bradshaw
Coolest days on average	24.8 °C at Curtin Springs
Coldest day	11.8 °C at Arltunga on the 14th
Coldest night	1.0 °C at Watarrka on the 30th
Coolest nights on average	10.0 °C at Curtin Springs
Warmest nights on average	26.0 °C at McCluer Island
Warmest night	28.1 °C at Dum In Mirrie Airstrip on the 26th
Warmest on average overall	31.3 °C at Bradshaw
Coolest on average overall	17.4 °C at Curtin Springs
Wettest overall	253.8 mm at Leaders Creek
Wettest day	168.2 mm at Mainoru Outstation Store on the 19th
Strongest wind gust	76 km/h at Yulara 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 September daily rainfall
	New record (mm)		Old record		Years of record
Warruwi Airport	26.6	on the 20th	15.8	on the 15th in 1993	93
Black Point	27.0	on the 20th	8.9	on the 16th in 1992	51
Jervois	43.0	on the 20th	42.6	on the 18th in 2010	51
Camfield	64.2	on the 19th	33.0	on the 29th in 1979	48
Kidman Springs	24.0	on the 19th	21.8	on the 24th in 1998	48
Riveren	40.0	on the 20th	26.0	on the 25th in 1995	48
Wave Hill	79.2	on the 20th	48.0	on the 25th in 1995	43
Jabiru Airport	107.8	on the 19th	62.0	on the 14th in 1984	40
Nhulunbuy	35.0	on the 19th	22.6	on the 20th in 1998	40
Labelle Downs	44.0	on the 19th	38.0	on the 30th in 2012	29
Mount Sanford	23.0	on the 19th	19.0	on the 30th in 1992	28
Gemtree Park	55.0	on the 20th	36.0	on the 10th in 2010	25
Ban Ban Springs	67.0	on the 4th	15.0	on the 22nd in 2013	23
Territory Wildlife Park	38.6	on the 19th	32.6	on the 15th in 2002	23
Walker Creek	56.5	on the 22nd	56.0	on the 30th in 2012	23
Batchelor Airport	36.0	on the 28th	29.0	on the 19th in 2013	22
Bing Bong Port	13.0	on the 29th	2.6	on the 25th in 1998	20
Bonalbo	23.0	on the 19th	15.0	on the 14th in 2005	20




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Record highest September total rainfall
	New record (mm)	Old record		Years of record	Average for September
Katherine Council	111.2	90.9	in 1895	136	6.6
Avon Downs	99.6	73.7	in 1947	106	6.4
Warruwi Airport	41.6	15.8	in 1993	94	1.4
Mount Skinner	120.4	83.4	in 2010	53	11.6
Black Point	41.4	16.0	in 1992	51	1.7
Camfield	79.4	41.6	in 1979	48	7.5
Centre Island	27.6	23.0	in 1978	48	1.9
Douglas River	64.8	37.6	in 1986	47	5.4
Pirlangimpi Airport	139.0	124.6	in 1984	45	28.6
Wave Hill	234.2	65.2	in 1995	43	13.5
Jabiru Airport	242.2	81.2	in 1984	40	12.6
Nhulunbuy	64.0	53.5	in 2010	40	5.2
Alcan Minesite	64.4	49.7	in 1973	39	7.0
Tindal RAAF	68.2	65.4	in 1986	34	9.1
Yirrkala Tropical Gardens	59.0	46.0	in 2010	33	5.3
Nathan River	28.2	24.0	in 1998	32	1.9
Elizabeth Valley	140.8	84.8	in 2009	29	22.0
Mount Sanford	32.1	19.0	in 1992	28	3.3
Gemtree Park	116.6	99.0	in 2010	26	13.7
Ban Ban Springs	76.0	21.0	in 2010	23	7.5
Batchelor Airport	39.4	29.8	in 2013	22	8.8
Borroloola Airport	37.8	22.6	in 2012	22	3.7
Walker Creek	78.5	60.6	in 2002	22	17.1
CSIRO Berrimah	87.6	46.2	in 2002	21	13.7
Bing Bong Port	40.0	2.6	in 1998	20	2.2
Bonalbo	38.0	15.0	in 2005	20	4.1
Delamere Weapons Range	25.0	20.0	in 1998	20	4.0
Thorak Cemetery	52.6	35.4	in 2002	20	10.5




Highest September total rainfall for at least 20 years
	Observed (mm)	Most recent higher		Average for September
Austral Downs	66.8	90.2	in 1947*	6.0
Mount Denison	48.8	76.6	in 1975*	8.7
Victoria River Downs	39.2	68.2	in 1979	4.4
Coniston	80.5	114.8	in 1975*	8.8
McArthur River Mine Airport	37.2	89.6	in 1978*	5.2
McMinns Lagoon	54.6	71.7	in 1981*	17.0
Darwin Airport	64.8	66.6	in 1984	15.8
Kurundi	64.1	114.8	in 1984*	7.1
Larrimah	45.2	61.0	in 1984*	4.0
Lajamanu Airport	31.2	32.9	in 1984*	4.7
Howard Springs Nature Park	70.5	123.4	in 1988	20.4
Adelaide River Post Office	38.0	81.2	in 1986*	15.1
Brunette Downs	16.8	19.4	in 1992	5.8
Broadmere	23.0	36.0	in 1985*	3.2
Tanumbirini	13.0	15.5	in 1994*	5.5

* note: there are gaps in the historical record at this site, so it is possible a higher value has gone unreported.




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Record highest September temperature
	New record (°C)		Old record		Years of record	Average for September
Victoria River Downs	40.7	on the 28th	= 40.7	on the 27th in 2013	51	35.6




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Record lowest September daily maximum temperature
	New record (°C)		Old record		Years of record	Average for September
Jabiru Airport	28.8	on the 19th	30.9	on the 1st in 2004	39	36.2
Tindal RAAF	27.1	on the 19th	28.0	on the 23rd in 1998	29	35.8
Borroloola Airport	25.6	on the 19th	28.5	on the 7th in 1996	23	35.0




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Record highest September mean daily maximum temperature
	New record (°C)	Old record		Years of record	Average for September
Gove Airport	31.5	= 31.5	in 1998	37	30.3




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Record highest September mean daily minimum temperature
	New record (°C)	Old record		Years of record	Average for September
Victoria River Downs	23.1	22.9	in 1992	49	18.1
Wave Hill	22.3	22.1	in 1992	42	17.8
Douglas River	22.4	22.1	in 2010	29	18.5
Lajamanu Airport	21.0	20.8	in 2005	22	16.4
Batchelor Airport	23.2	= 23.2	in 2010	20	20.5




Highest September mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years
	Observed (°C)	Most recent higher		Average for September
Elliott	20.8	20.9	in 1986*	17.3
Darwin Airport	24.7	24.9	in 1992	23.0
Tindal RAAF	23.5	23.9	in 1992	19.9

* note: there are gaps in the historical record at this site, so it is possible a higher value has gone unreported.




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Record highest September mean temperature
	New record (°C)	Old record		Years of record	Average for September
Victoria River Downs	30.1	29.9	in 1992	49	26.8




Highest September mean temperature for at least 20 years
	Observed (°C)	Most recent higher		Average for September
Tindal RAAF	29.8	30.6	in 1992	27.9





Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Summary statistics for September 2016
	Maximum temperatures (°C)				Minimum temperatures (°C)				Rainfall (millimetres)
	Mean for September 2016	Diff from average	Highest for September 2016		Mean for September 2016	Diff from average	Lowest for September 2016		Total for September 2016	Average for September	Rank of September 2016	Fraction of September average
Darwin-Daly (district 14GA)
Batchelor Airport	35.9	-0.1	38.4	11th	23.2	+2.7	20.9	7th	39.4	8.8	highest	448%
Black Point	32.4	+0.8	33.7	26th	24.4	+1.5	22.5	2nd	41.4	1.7	highest	2435%
Bradshaw	37.8	+0.4	40.7	30th	24.8	+3.0	19.9	8th	1.0	2.1	average	48%
Central Arnhem Plateau	33.1	-0.7	35.2	27th	22.2	+3.2	18.0	7th	4.4	6.2	high	71%
Charles Point	32.1		33.9	29th	25.6		23.4	6th	9.2
Croker Island Airport	33.2		35.0	26th	24.0		21.9	2nd	0
Darwin Airport	33.2	+0.6	35.5	22nd	24.7	+1.7	22.8	7th	64.8	15.8	v high	410%
Delamere Weapons Range	36.3	+0.6	38.8	29th	23.8	+3.2	19.5	8th	25.0	4.0	highest	625%
Douglas River	36.8	+0.1	39.8	11th	22.4	+3.9	16.1	8th	64.8	5.4	highest	1200%
Dum In Mirrie Airstrip	32.4	+0.7	33.9	5th	25.2	+2.3	22.8	11th	32.4	13.3	high	244%
Jabiru Airport	35.7	-0.5	38.1	11th	23.8	+2.3	21.2	22nd	242.2	12.6	highest	1922%
Katherine Country Club	36.5		39.0	27th	23.4		17.5	7th	58.0
McCluer Island	30.0	+0.8	31.7	25th	26.0	+1.4	24.6	10th	25.0	1.6	v high	1563%
Middle Point	36.4	0.0	38.4	11th	22.1	+3.3	19.6	7th	35.2	17.9	average	197%
Murganella Airstrip	32.7		34.6	16th	22.6		20.3	2nd	161.0
Noonamah Airstrip	35.5		38.0	11th	23.8		21.6	7th	74.4
Oenpelli Airport	36.4		38.5	12th	22.9		19.8	6th	95.8
Pirlangimpi Airport	33.8	+0.5	35.0	6th	23.4	+2.1	22.6	9th	139.0	28.6	highest	486%
Point Fawcett	32.7	+0.7	35.1	6th	23.1	+2.0	21.1	10th	16.6	10.2	high	163%
Point Stuart	32.4		34.5	6th	24.4		22.2	6th	142.4	12.3	v high	1158%
Port Keats Airport	33.7	+0.1	36.4	28th	23.6	+2.9	19.6	7th	15.8	3.2	v high	494%
Tindal RAAF	36.2	+0.4	38.7	25th	23.5	+3.6	17.5	7th	68.2	9.1	highest	749%
Arnhem (district 14BC)
Cape Wessel	32.5		34.6	26th	25.0		22.2	2nd	22.0	6.8	high	324%
Gove Airport	31.5	+1.2	33.1	26th	22.2	+2.6	18.8	2nd	62.4	6.9	v high	904%
Groote Eylandt Airport	32.6	+0.1	36.0	27th	21.0	+3.3	16.3	1st	76.4	8.6	v high	888%
Maningrida Airport	32.6	+0.4	35.4	5th	22.9	+2.6	20.3	1st	55.4	8.1	v high	684%
Milingimbi Airport	32.6	+0.8	35.2	5th	23.8	+2.6	21.3	11th	20.4	4.7	high	434%
Ngayawili	32.1	+0.3	34.0	23rd	22.5	+2.0	19.7	1st	26.6	7.2	high	369%
Warruwi Airport	31.7	+0.8	33.9	25th	25.2	+1.6	23.4	20th	41.6	1.4	highest	2971%
Roper-Mcarthur (district 14DE)
Borroloola Airport	35.3	+0.3	39.7	25th	20.4	+2.9	16.0	6th	37.8	3.7	highest	1022%
Bulman	36.2	-0.1	39.2	27th	22.3	+4.8	17.6	7th	230.8	19.2	v high	1202%
Centre Island	31.7	+1.1	35.3	28th	23.9	+1.7	20.8	1st	27.6	1.9	highest	1453%
Daly Waters Airstrip	36.8	+2.0	40.3	30th	19.9	+3.1	12.9	7th	14.2	2.0	v high	710%
McArthur River Mine Airport	35.7	+0.3	40.1	27th	21.3	+4.1	16.4	7th	37.2	5.2	v high	715%
Ngukurr Airport	36.3		39.8	28th	22.9		18.5	6th	49.0
Victoria (district 14F)
Lajamanu Airport	35.8	+1.3	39.4	26th	21.0	+4.6	13.3	3rd	31.2	4.7	v high	664%
Victoria River Downs	37.1	+1.5	40.7	28th	23.1	+5.0	16.0	8th	39.2	4.4	v high	891%
Wave Hill			39.2	28th	22.3	+4.5	15.8	3rd	234.2	13.5	highest	1735%
Barkly (district 15A)
Brunette Downs	33.4	-0.1	38.3	26th	18.5	+1.9	14.0	3rd	16.8	5.8	v high	290%
Elliott	35.2	-0.2	39.2	28th	20.8	+3.5	16.8	12th	11.9	5.8	high	205%
Tennant Creek Airport	32.4	+0.7	37.1	13th			13.9	3rd	4.4	7.3	average	60%
Alice Springs (district 15B)
Alice Springs Airport	24.9	-2.4	33.5	8th	10.2	-0.1	4.0	10th	48.6	8.7	v high	559%
Curtin Springs	24.8	-3.1	31.5	28th	10.0	0.0	2.2	30th	11.5	9.6	high	120%
Jervois	24.9	-4.9	33.8	8th	12.4	+1.1	7.6	30th	146.0	11.0	v high	1327%
Rabbit Flat	33.9	-0.5	39.3	26th	17.5	+3.3	10.7	30th	6.0	5.6	high	107%
Territory Grape Farm	27.0	-3.4	34.3	8th	12.7	+0.8	7.4	5th	25.8	10.5	high	246%
Walungurru Airport	29.4	-2.5	35.3	23rd	15.1	-1.7	8.3	29th	3.0	7.6	high	39%
Watarrka	25.5	-4.0	32.2	12th	11.5	-1.6	1.0	30th	10.8	10.3	high	105%
Yulara Airport	25.1	-3.7	32.4	23rd	10.5	-0.2	2.7	30th	15.6	7.8	high	200%

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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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 Monday 3 October 2016. 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.

Further information

Media

media@bom.gov.au (03) 9669 4057

Enquiries

helpdesk.climate@bom.gov.au

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