Tuesday, 2 May 2017 - Monthly Climate Summary for Northern Territory - Product code IDCKGC12R0
Northern Territory in April 2017: a wet month in the northeast and southwest corners; a record cold day in Darwin
April saw above average rainfall in the southwest due to a cloudband, and above average rainfall over the northeastern Top End. On the 11th the Top End experienced a highly unusual cold day. Tropical cyclone Frances formed on the 27th in the Timor Sea, moved southwest and did not make landfall over the Northern Territory.
Above average rainfall in the northeast and southwest corners of the Territory
- The monsoon trough mostly remained over water north of Australia at the beginning of the month, dipping south briefly to affect some of the northern coast
- Northeastern Arnhem Land received above average rainfall, with some locations receiving more than 400 mm during the month and a few sites having their wettest April rainfall for many years
- A tropical low over northwestern Western Australia fed tropical moisture into the southwestern NT in the middle of the month, leading to above average rainfall over the Lasseter District: Walungurru Airport recorded 84.2 mm for April, well above the April average of 15 mm
- Total April rainfall was about 12% above average for the NT
Record cold day in the Top End
- Rain falling into cool, dry southeast winds saw Darwin record a maximum temperature of just 21.9°C on the 11th, its coldest April day on record, well below the previous wet season record of 24.0°C and the third-coldest day for any time of year
- A number of other locations in the wider Darwin area also recorded their coldest April day (lowest maximum temperature) on record during this event
- There were some cold nights inland at the end of the month, with two sites having their lowest April temperature on record
- The Territory's mean daily maximum temperature was 0.43 °C above average, but the mean minimum temperature was 0.11 °C below average
End of wet season tropical cyclone
- A tropical low formed into tropical cyclone Frances over the Timor Sea on the 27th, before moving away southwest into Western Australian waters
Further information
- Media
- media@bom.gov.au (03) 9669 4057
- Enquiries
- helpdesk.climate@bom.gov.au
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
| Extremes in April 2017 | |
|---|---|
| Hottest day | 40.0 °C at Watarrka on the 2nd |
| Warmest days on average | 35.9 °C at Bradshaw |
| Coolest days on average | 28.0 °C at Yulara Airport |
| Coldest day | 19.6 °C at Arltunga on the 28th |
| Coldest night | 3.5 °C at Alice Springs Airport on the 29th |
| Coolest nights on average | 12.1 °C at Alice Springs Airport |
| Warmest nights on average | 25.7 °C at Centre Island |
| Warmest night | 27.6 °C at Centre Island and Jabiru Airport on the 9th, and McCluer Island on the 21st |
| Warmest on average overall | 29.3 °C at Bradshaw |
| Coolest on average overall | 20.4 °C at Alice Springs Airport |
| Wettest overall | 509.8 mm at Alcan Minesite |
| Wettest day | 222.4 mm at Warruwi Airport on the 11th |
| Strongest wind gust | 85 km/h at McCluer Island on the 10th |
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
| Maps | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Observed | Anomaly | Decile rank | |
| Total rainfall |
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| Mean daily maximum temperatures |
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| Mean daily minimum temperatures |
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Click on a map to show it full size in a pop-up window
| Highest April total rainfall for at least 20 years | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Observed (mm) |
Most recent higher |
Average for April |
|||
| Alcan Minesite | 509.8 | 666.8 | in 1983* | 246.7 | |
| Cape Wessel | 414.4 | 1061.2 | in 1992* | 161.5 | |
| Warruwi Airport | 291.2 | 455.6 | in 1996 | 118.8 | |
| Black Point | 269.8 | 375.0 | in 1995* | 110.8 | |
* note: there are gaps in the historical record at this site, so it is possible a higher value has gone unreported
| Record highest April temperature | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for April |
|||
| Watarrka | 40.0 | on the 2nd | 39.0 | on the 2nd in 2005 | 23 | 30.6 |
| Record lowest April daily maximum temperature | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for April |
|||
| Darwin Airport | 21.9 | on the 11th | 24.6 | on the 10th in 1954 | 76 | 32.7 |
| Pirlangimpi Airport | 23.6 | on the 11th | 25.5 | on the 17th in 1989 | 35 | 32.9 |
| Douglas River | 25.5 | on the 11th | 26.7 | on the 25th in 2012 | 26 | 34.6 |
| Black Point | 25.8 | on the 10th | 26.0 | on the 18th in 2001 | 25 | 31.8 |
| Channel Point | 25.8 | on the 11th | 26.5 | on the 4th in 2006 | 23 | 32.5 |
| Batchelor Airport | 23.6 | on the 11th | 25.9 | on the 25th in 2006 | 20 | 33.9 |
| Record lowest April temperature | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for April |
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| Borroloola Airport | 9.0 | on the 30th | = 9.0 | on the 30th in 1999 | 23 | 20.3 |
| Territory Grape Farm | 4.9 | on the 29th | 5.0 | on the 23rd in 2001 | 21 | 14.5 |
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
| Summary statistics for April 2017 | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum temperatures (°C) |
Minimum temperatures (°C) |
Rainfall (millimetres) |
||||||||||
| Mean for April 2017 |
Diff from average |
Highest for April 2017 |
Mean for April 2017 |
Diff from average |
Lowest for April 2017 |
Total for April 2017 |
Average for April |
Rank of April 2017 |
Fraction of April average |
|||
| Darwin-Daly (district 14GA) | ||||||||||||
| Batchelor Airport | 32.7 | -1.2 | 35.2 | 8th | 22.4 | +0.7 | 16.8 | 12th | 6.4 | 88.3 | low | 7% |
| Black Point | 30.7 | -1.1 | 33.0 | 15th | 24.9 | -0.1 | 23.1 | 30th | 269.8 | 110.8 | v high | 244% |
| Bradshaw | 35.9 | -0.2 | 38.2 | 9th | 22.7 | +0.4 | 16.9 | 30th | ||||
| Central Arnhem Plateau | 31.4 | -1.1 | 33.9 | 5th | 22.0 | +0.4 | 18.7 | 30th | 94.6 | 59.7 | high | 158% |
| Charles Point | 32.0 | 35.1 | 8th | 24.1 | 17.8 | 12th | 181.6 | |||||
| Croker Island Airport | 30.6 | 33.4 | 15th | 24.7 | 22.7 | 30th | 275.6 | |||||
| Darwin Airport | 32.0 | -0.7 | 34.2 | 8th | 24.1 | +0.1 | 18.0 | 12th | 191.4 | 101.6 | high | 188% |
| Delamere Weapons Range | 34.8 | +0.7 | 37.6 | 8th | 21.3 | +0.2 | 15.1 | 30th | 0.8 | 17.2 | average | 5% |
| Douglas River | 33.9 | -0.7 | 36.0 | 9th | 21.5 | +1.0 | 16.2 | 30th | 64.4 | 49.8 | high | 129% |
| Dum In Mirrie Airstrip | 32.1 | -0.9 | 35.1 | 9th | 23.9 | -0.5 | 18.1 | 12th | 87.6 | |||
| Jabiru Airport | 33.6 | -1.0 | 36.1 | 5th | 24.7 | +1.1 | 22.2 | 11th | 162.4 | 88.8 | high | 183% |
| Katherine Country Club | 34.0 | 36.0 | 6th | 21.3 | 16.0 | 30th | 22.2 | |||||
| McCluer Island | 29.9 | -1.0 | 31.6 | 5th | 25.6 | -0.5 | 24.2 | 11th | 375.6 | 152.6 | v high | 246% |
| Middle Point | 32.9 | -1.4 | 34.9 | 8th | 23.1 | +0.7 | 18.5 | 12th | 108.4 | 101.2 | average | 107% |
| Murganella Airstrip | 31.1 | 34.1 | 5th | 23.6 | 21.6 | 30th | 279.8 | |||||
| Noonamah Airstrip | 33.1 | 35.3 | 8th | 23.1 | 17.7 | 12th | 188.2 | |||||
| Oenpelli Airport | 33.1 | 35.5 | 6th | 24.3 | 21.6 | 30th | 153.8 | |||||
| Pirlangimpi Airport | 31.6 | -1.3 | 35.1 | 8th | 23.7 | +0.6 | 20.7 | 12th | 393.0 | 157.0 | v high | 250% |
| Point Fawcett | 31.6 | -0.8 | 34.0 | 3rd | 23.4 | -0.1 | 20.2 | 12th | 316.6 | 141.7 | high | 223% |
| Point Stuart | 31.8 | 33.3 | 8th | 21.3 | 30th | 46.8 | 124.6 | low | 38% | |||
| Port Keats Airport | 33.6 | -0.8 | 36.7 | 9th | 23.3 | +0.9 | 18.3 | 12th | 89.4 | 82.2 | average | 109% |
| Tindal RAAF | 34.0 | 0.0 | 36.0 | 7th | 21.0 | +0.4 | 15.0 | 30th | 20.6 | 39.6 | average | 52% |
| Arnhem (district 14BC) | ||||||||||||
| Cape Wessel | 31.3 | 32.9 | 5th | 25.5 | 24.0 | 24th | 414.4 | 161.5 | v high | 257% | ||
| Gove Airport | 30.8 | -0.1 | 32.2 | 5th | 24.2 | +0.9 | 22.2 | 22nd | 488.2 | 228.4 | high | 214% |
| Groote Eylandt Airport | 32.3 | -0.1 | 33.8 | 7th | 22.7 | +0.9 | 16.6 | 30th | 177.8 | 150.6 | average | 118% |
| Maningrida Airport | 31.2 | -1.4 | 33.9 | 5th | 23.4 | 0.0 | 20.1 | 29th | 491.6 | 151.3 | v high | 325% |
| Milingimbi Airport | 31.1 | -1.3 | 33.7 | 5th | 23.9 | 0.0 | 20.9 | 29th | 442.4 | 135.0 | v high | 328% |
| Ngayawili | 30.7 | -1.2 | 32.9 | 6th | 24.3 | +0.6 | 22.0 | 30th | 458.0 | 166.7 | high | 275% |
| Roper-Mcarthur (district 14DE) | ||||||||||||
| Borroloola Airport | 34.0 | -0.1 | 35.8 | 24th | 19.5 | -0.8 | 9.0 | 30th | 29.4 | 65.6 | average | 45% |
| Bulman | 32.7 | -1.5 | 34.9 | 6th | 22.0 | +1.3 | 16.7 | 29th | 113.6 | 64.2 | high | 177% |
| Centre Island | 32.7 | +0.6 | 34.6 | 16th | 25.7 | +0.4 | 20.3 | 30th | 13.8 | 94.4 | average | 15% |
| Daly Waters Airstrip | 35.0 | +1.1 | 37.4 | 6th | 18.9 | -0.7 | 10.8 | 30th | 0.2 | 21.2 | average | 1% |
| McArthur River Mine Airport | 35.2 | +0.4 | 36.7 | 15th | 21.1 | +0.4 | 10.2 | 30th | 0 | 31.1 | lowest | 0% |
| Ngukurr Airport | 33.9 | 36.5 | 5th | 21.9 | 13.8 | 30th | 69.6 | |||||
| Victoria (district 14F) | ||||||||||||
| Lajamanu Airport | 34.5 | +0.8 | 37.7 | 8th | 18.9 | +0.9 | 11.4 | 30th | 0.4 | 15.2 | average | 3% |
| Victoria River Downs | 34.6 | 0.0 | 36.5 | 23rd | 20.0 | +0.2 | 13.6 | 30th | 5.0 | 22.4 | average | 22% |
| Wave Hill | 34.1 | -0.2 | 36.5 | 22nd | 19.7 | +0.9 | 11.7 | 30th | 0 | 17.9 | lowest | 0% |
| Barkly (district 15A) | ||||||||||||
| Brunette Downs | 34.2 | +0.6 | 37.0 | 25th | 18.7 | -0.5 | 10.0 | 30th | 0 | 14.8 | lowest | 0% |
| Elliott | 34.1 | -0.4 | 36.7 | 7th | 19.7 | +0.1 | 11.4 | 30th | 0 | 21.7 | lowest | 0% |
| Tennant Creek Airport | 32.8 | +1.1 | 35.9 | 9th | 20.4 | 0.0 | 13.0 | 29th | 0 | 16.7 | lowest | 0% |
| Alice Springs (district 15B) | ||||||||||||
| Alice Springs Airport | 28.7 | +0.4 | 35.5 | 8th | 12.1 | -0.5 | 3.5 | 29th | 0 | 17.0 | lowest | 0% |
| Curtin Springs | 28.2 | -1.0 | 36.4 | 8th | 13.1 | -0.5 | 7.5 | 12th | 27.0 | 15.5 | high | 174% |
| Jervois | 31.1 | +0.6 | 36.2 | 24th | 14.6 | +0.2 | 7.3 | 28th | 0 | 16.5 | lowest | 0% |
| Rabbit Flat | 34.2 | +0.2 | 37.7 | 23rd | 16.9 | +0.2 | 7.6 | 29th | 0 | 21.2 | lowest | 0% |
| Territory Grape Farm | 31.3 | +0.7 | 35.6 | 8th | 13.8 | -0.7 | 4.9 | 29th | ||||
| Walungurru Airport | 30.8 | -2.3 | 37.2 | 8th | 18.3 | -2.3 | 13.0 | 28th | 84.2 | 15.3 | high | 550% |
| Yulara Airport | 28.0 | -1.8 | 36.8 | 8th | 13.5 | -0.9 | 9.1 | 11th | 57.8 | 16.3 | high | 355% |
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
Notes
The Monthly climate summary, generally published on the first working day of each month, 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. More extensive discussion of significant weather events, along with later information and data that has had greater opportunity for quality control, will be presented in the Monthly Weather Review.
This statement has been prepared based on information available at 12 pm on Tuesday 2 May 2017. Some checks have been made on the data, but it is possible that results will change as new information becomes available.
In some situations, some or all of the rainfall is in the form of hail or snow. In these cases the totals given are for the water equivalent: the depth of liquid water that results from melting any frozen precipitation. There can be significant 'undercatch' of snow in strong winds, meaning the true precipitation can be higher than that reported.
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.
Where temperature area averages are mentioned, they are derived from the ACORN-SAT dataset.
Further information
- Media
- media@bom.gov.au (03) 9669 4057
- Enquiries
- helpdesk.climate@bom.gov.au
Unless otherwise noted, all maps, graphs and diagrams in this page are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence
