Friday, 1 February 2019 - Monthly Climate Summary for Northern Territory - Product code IDCKGC12R0
Northern Territory in January 2019: Very hot, very dry
Another very warm month across the Northern Territory, with the highest daytime and overnight temperatures recorded for any January. Apart from some parts in the northern half of the Territory, rainfall was generally well below average.
Record high maximum and minimum temperatures
- Territory-wide, the mean maximum temperature was 3.71 °C above the long-term average, nearly a full degree higher than previously recorded during any January in the NT
- Virtually the entire southern half of the Territory had their warmest January daytime temperatures on record: many sites had either their highest January mean daily maximum temperature on record or their highest January temperature on record
- Walungurru Airport in the northern Lasseter District recorded a maximum temperature of 47.4 °C on the 3rd, the fourth highest temperature recorded in the NT for any month, and highest since 1960
- The mean daily minimum temperature across the Territory was 2.82 °C above the long-term average, more than a degree above the previous highest on record in January; the mean temperature (maximum and minimum combined) was also more than a degree higher than any previous January on record at 3.27 °C above the long-term average
- Nearly all locations south of the Top End had overnight temperatures very much above average, with many sites recording their highest January mean daily minimum temperature on record; several sites also had their warmest January night (highest daily minimum temperature) on record
- Walungurru Airport reported an exceptionally high daily minimum temperature of 34.3 °C, which is the highest minimum temperature ever recorded in the NT in any month
- Many sites set records for consecutive days of very high temperatures: Alice Springs Airport had 16 days in a row above 42 °C, beating its previous record of 11 consecutive days. Rabbit Flat, in the Tanami District, and Walungurru, broke their record for consecutive days above 40 °C, with 26 and 27 days, respectively
- Further information about the heatwaves that affected large areas of the country can be found in the Special Climate Statement Widespread heatwaves during December 2018 and January 2019
Driest January since 2013
- Averaged across the entire Northern Territory, rainfall was only 38% of the long-term January average
- Nearly all sites south of the Top End had below averge rainfall during the month, and only a few isolated regions around the Top End recorded above average rainfall
- Delayed onset of the Australian monsoon was the primary cause of the low rainfall during the month; monsoon onset occurred at Darwin on 23 January, but its effects were relatively brief and it dissipated over the NT within a few days of forming
- Several sites had either their lowest total January rainfall on record or lowest total January rainfall for at least 20 years
Darwin Airport
- Total rainfall for Darwin Airport was 363.0 mm, which is 85% of the long-term average of 429.4 mm
- The mean daily maximum temperature for Darwin Airport was 32.7 °C, which is 0.9 °C above the long-term average of 31.8 °C. The warmest day was 34.5 °C on the 12th, and the coolest day was on the 31st when the temperature reached 29.8 °C
- The mean daily minimum temperature for Darwin Airport was 25.3 °C, which is 0.5 °C above the long-term average of 24.8 °C. The coldest morning was 21.6 °C on the 6th, and the warmest morning was on the 12th when the minimum temperature was 28.9 °C
Alice Springs Airport
- Total rainfall for Alice Springs Airport was 15.6 mm, which is 38% of the long-term average of 40.6 mm
- The mean daily maximum temperature for Alice Springs Airport was 41.5 °C, which is 5.1 °C above the long-term average of 36.4 °C and the highest on record. The warmest day was 45.6 °C on the 3rd, the equal highest temperature ever recorded, and the coolest day was on the 27th when the temperature reached 34.8 °C
- The mean daily minimum temperature for Alice Springs Airport was 25.0 °C, which is 3.5 °C above the long-term average of 21.5 °C. The coldest morning was 17.8 °C on the 8th, and the warmest morning was on the 17th when the minimum temperature was 30.4 °C
Severe Weather across the Northern Territory
- Severe thunderstorms across the Tanami District generated a gust of 131 km/h at Rabbit Flat on the 3rd
- Severe wind gusts with thunderstorms were recorded at Tindal (100 km/h) and Darwin Harbour (93 km/h) on 6 January
- Jabiru Airport had severe gusts from thunderstorms on both the 10th (109 km/h) and 11th (102 km/h)
- On the 26th, a storm produced 87.8 mm of rain in 1 hour at Wandie Creek, near Katherine, exceeding the 1 in 10 year rainfall rate for that region; Giles, near the NT/WA border recorded a gust of 113 km/h from a thunderstorm
- Heavy rainfall of 78.5 mm fell in 1 hour at Daly River Police Station, exceeding its 1 in 10 year rainfall rate
- On the 31st, 109 mm of rain fell in 2 hours at Upper Adelaide River, exceeding its 1 in 10 year rainfall rate, while a 94 km/h gust from a thunderstorm was recorded at Victoria River Downs
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 January 2019 | |
---|---|
Hottest day | 47.4 °C at Walungurru Airport on the 3rd |
Warmest days on average | 43.0 °C at Walungurru Airport |
Coolest days on average | 31.2 °C at McCluer Island |
Coldest day | 26.8 °C at Central Arnhem Plateau on the 31st |
Coldest night | 14.0 °C at Kulgera on the 28th |
Coolest nights on average | 23.1 °C at Central Arnhem Plateau |
Warmest nights on average | 28.4 °C at Walungurru Airport |
Warmest night | 34.3 °C at Walungurru Airport on the 3rd |
Warmest on average overall | 35.7 °C at Walungurru Airport |
Coolest on average overall | 27.9 °C at Central Arnhem Plateau |
Wettest overall | 612.0 mm at Croker Island Airport |
Wettest day | 139.0 mm at Charles Point on the 27th |
Strongest wind gust | 131 km/h at Rabbit Flat on the 3rd |
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
Maps | |||
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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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Record lowest January total rainfall | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
New record (mm) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for January |
||
Tennant Creek Airport | 1.2 | 2.2 | in 1985 | 50 | 116.9 |
Gilnockie | 37.2 | 38.3 | in 1989 | 29 | 199.2 |
Lowest January total rainfall for at least 20 years | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Observed (mm) |
Most recent lower |
Average for January |
|||
Yuendumu | 2.2 | 0.4 | in 1989* | 71.6 | |
Territory Grape Farm | 3.8 | 3.4 | in 1994 | 63.7 | |
Elliott | 30.8 | 21.6 | in 1992* | 138.2 | |
Jervois | 6.2 | 3.7 | in 1996 | 49.8 |
* note: there are gaps in the historical record at this site, so it is possible a lower value has gone unreported
Record highest January temperature | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for January |
|||
Alice Springs Airport | 45.6 | on the 3rd | 45.2 | on the 3rd in 1960 | 78 | 36.4 |
Curtin Springs | 46.5 | on the 4th | 46.4 | on the 11th in 2013 | 55 | 37.8 |
Kulgera | 47.0 | on the 3rd | 44.9 | on the 8th in 2013 | 38 | 36.8 |
Yulara Airport | 46.8 | on the 3rd | 46.4 | on the 11th in 2013 | 32 | 38.4 |
Lajamanu Airport | 46.2 | on the 3rd | 44.5 | on the 3rd in 2014 | 27 | 37.1 |
Watarrka | 45.5 | on the 7th | 45.3 | on the 12th in 2013 | 27 | 38.3 |
Borroloola Airport | 42.6 | on the 3rd | 42.3 | on the 3rd in 2014 | 26 | 34.2 |
Dum In Mirrie Airstrip | 35.0 | on the 20th | 34.9 | on the 10th in 2012 | 21 | 31.6 |
Bradshaw | 42.8 | on the 12th | 41.5 | on the 9th in 2014 | 20 | 35.1 |
Record highest January mean daily maximum temperature | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for January |
||
Alice Springs Airport | 41.5 | 40.0 | in 2006 | 77 | 36.4 |
Curtin Springs | 42.3 | 41.3 | in 2006 | 54 | 37.8 |
Jervois | 42.6 | 42.1 | in 1990 | 49 | 38.4 |
Tennant Creek Airport | 41.6 | 40.4 | in 2008 | 49 | 36.6 |
Elliott | 41.2 | 40.8 | in 1985 | 37 | 37.3 |
Kulgera | 42.0 | 40.5 | in 2006 | 37 | 36.8 |
Yulara Airport | 42.4 | 41.3 | in 2013 | 31 | 38.4 |
Lajamanu Airport | 42.3 | 40.6 | in 2008 | 26 | 37.1 |
Territory Grape Farm | 42.1 | 40.8 | in 1994 | 26 | 37.3 |
Rabbit Flat | 42.7 | 42.0 | in 2013 | 22 | 38.4 |
Highest January mean daily maximum temperature for at least 20 years | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Observed (°C) |
Most recent higher |
Average for January |
|||
Victoria River Downs | 38.8 | 39.0 | in 1992 | 36.5 |
Record highest January daily minimum temperature | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for January |
|||
Wave Hill | 31.1 | on the 30th | 30.0 | on the 8th in 2013 | 46 | 24.4 |
Kulgera | 32.0 | on the 4th | 31.8 | on the 17th in 1998 | 38 | 22.0 |
Lajamanu Airport | 33.2 | on the 30th | 29.5 | on the 13th in 2013 | 27 | 24.1 |
Rabbit Flat | 31.4 | on the 30th | 30.9 | on the 25th in 2013 | 23 | 24.0 |
Record lowest January temperature | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for January |
|||
Jabiru Airport | 20.3 | on the 11th | 20.5 | on the 2nd in 1973 | 43 | 24.7 |
Ngayawili | 22.0 | on the 31st | = 22.0 | on the 14th in 2009 | 20 | 25.7 |
Record highest January mean daily minimum temperature | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for January |
||
Jervois | 26.4 | 25.7 | in 2013 | 49 | 22.9 |
Tennant Creek Airport | 28.3 | 27.1 | in 1988 | 49 | 24.9 |
Elliott | 26.2 | 25.4 | in 1990 | 37 | 24.2 |
Pirlangimpi Airport | 25.8 | 25.6 | in 2016 | 37 | 24.7 |
Lajamanu Airport | 27.0 | 25.2 | in 2013 | 26 | 24.1 |
Territory Grape Farm | 25.1 | 23.9 | in 2006 | 26 | 22.0 |
Rabbit Flat | 26.6 | 26.1 | in 1998 | 22 | 24.0 |
Record highest January mean temperature | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for January |
||
Alice Springs Airport | 33.3 | 33.2 | in 2006 | 77 | 28.9 |
Jervois | 34.5 | 33.4 | in 2013 | 49 | 30.6 |
Tennant Creek Airport | 35.0 | 33.7 | in 1971 | 49 | 30.8 |
Elliott | 33.6 | 32.7 | in 1988 | 37 | 30.7 |
Kulgera | 33.6 | = 33.6 | in 2006 | 37 | 29.4 |
Yulara Airport | 33.9 | 33.6 | in 2006 | 31 | 30.6 |
Lajamanu Airport | 34.6 | 32.9 | in 2013 | 26 | 30.6 |
Territory Grape Farm | 33.6 | 32.0 | in 2008 | 26 | 29.6 |
Rabbit Flat | 34.7 | 33.7 | in 1998 | 22 | 31.2 |
Highest January mean temperature for at least 20 years | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Observed (°C) |
Most recent higher |
Average for January |
|||
Victoria River Downs | 32.4 | =32.4 | in 1988 | 30.7 |
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
Summary statistics for January 2019 | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Maximum temperatures (°C) |
Minimum temperatures (°C) |
Rainfall (millimetres) |
||||||||||
Mean for January 2019 |
Diff from average |
Highest for January 2019 |
Mean for January 2019 |
Diff from average |
Lowest for January 2019 |
Total for January 2019 |
Average for January |
Rank of January 2019 |
Fraction of January average |
|||
Darwin-Daly (district 14GA) | ||||||||||||
Batchelor Airport | 33.5 | +0.9 | 37.5 | 7th | 24.4 | +0.5 | 21.1 | 13th | 337.6 | 331.7 | average | 102% |
Central Arnhem Plateau | 32.7 | +1.0 | 36.2 | 7th | 23.1 | -0.2 | 20.7 | 29th | 276.8 | 258.7 | average | 107% |
Channel Point | 32.5 | +0.9 | 34.0 | 21st | 25.5 | +0.5 | 22.0 | 6th | 340.8 | 459.8 | average | 74% |
Charles Point | 31.6 | 33.5 | 20th | 25.7 | 21.1 | 6th | 430.4 | |||||
Croker Island Airport | 31.4 | 33.1 | 7th | 25.6 | 22.4 | 6th | 612.0 | |||||
Darwin Airport | 32.7 | +0.9 | 34.5 | 12th | 25.3 | +0.5 | 21.6 | 6th | 363.0 | 429.4 | average | 85% |
Delamere Weapons Range | 36.4 | +1.9 | 39.6 | 12th | 24.7 | +0.6 | 20.6 | 10th | 151.6 | 204.0 | average | 74% |
Douglas River Research Farm | 34.8 | +1.2 | 38.0 | 5th | 24.5 | +0.6 | 21.5 | 6th | 216.2 | 290.0 | average | 75% |
Dum In Mirrie Airstrip | 32.5 | +0.9 | 35.0 | 20th | 25.7 | +0.1 | 21.4 | 6th | 505.8 | 424.2 | high | 119% |
Jabiru Airport | 34.3 | +0.7 | 37.0 | 6th | 24.5 | -0.2 | 20.3 | 11th | 364.6 | 357.5 | average | 102% |
McCluer Island | 31.2 | -0.3 | 33.2 | 7th | 26.3 | -0.3 | 23.1 | 6th | 384.6 | 252.0 | high | 153% |
Middle Point | 34.2 | +0.8 | 37.4 | 7th | 24.4 | +0.2 | 21.4 | 31st | 358.6 | 310.9 | average | 115% |
Mount Bundey North (Defence) | 34.2 | 37.1 | 8th | 24.5 | 22.1 | 30th | 269.4 | |||||
Mount Bundey South (Defence) | 34.7 | 37.7 | 11th | 24.6 | 22.3 | 17th | 390.4 | |||||
Murganella Airstrip | 32.6 | 35.4 | 7th | 24.4 | 22.1 | 6th | 410.0 | |||||
Noonamah Airstrip | 33.4 | 36.9 | 7th | 25.1 | 20.4 | 6th | 266.2 | |||||
Pirlangimpi Airport | 32.6 | +0.7 | 34.7 | 4th | 25.8 | +1.1 | 21.7 | 31st | 203.4 | 410.1 | v low | 50% |
Point Fawcett | 32.3 | +0.6 | 34.4 | 15th | 26.3 | +0.6 | 22.4 | 31st | 228.8 | 330.8 | average | 69% |
Point Stuart | 32.7 | 34.9 | 12th | 24.9 | 22.0 | 31st | 417.4 | 297.0 | high | 141% | ||
Port Keats Airport | 33.4 | +0.9 | 36.1 | 21st | 25.5 | +0.6 | 22.1 | 4th | 236.0 | 312.2 | average | 76% |
Tindal RAAF | 35.5 | +1.4 | 37.6 | 12th | 24.1 | -0.2 | 20.9 | 6th | 180.8 | 263.6 | average | 69% |
Arnhem (district 14BC) | ||||||||||||
Cape Wessel | 33.2 | 35.4 | 12th | 26.1 | 23.7 | 31st | 324.0 | 264.0 | average | 123% | ||
Gove Airport | 33.0 | +1.0 | 36.5 | 10th | 25.7 | +1.0 | 23.2 | 26th | 222.8 | 275.6 | average | 81% |
Groote Eylandt Airport | 34.2 | +0.9 | 37.6 | 10th | 25.8 | +0.6 | 23.6 | 4th | 229.0 | 245.2 | average | 93% |
Milingimbi Airport | 33.6 | +0.8 | 37.1 | 4th | 25.3 | -0.2 | 23.5 | 11th | 400.4 | 283.9 | high | 141% |
Ngayawili | 32.1 | +0.4 | 33.6 | 18th | 25.6 | -0.1 | 22.0 | 31st | 456.2 | 384.9 | average | 119% |
Warruwi Airport | 32.6 | +0.5 | 34.9 | 11th | 25.3 | -0.3 | 22.4 | 30th | 265.2 | 262.4 | average | 101% |
Roper-Mcarthur (district 14DE) | ||||||||||||
Borroloola Airport | 36.9 | +2.7 | 42.6 | 3rd | 25.3 | +0.5 | 20.9 | 7th | 148.6 | 214.6 | average | 69% |
Bulman | 35.7 | +0.8 | 39.2 | 11th | 24.4 | -0.1 | 22.1 | 29th | 282.2 | 230.9 | high | 122% |
Centre Island | 34.8 | +1.1 | 39.5 | 10th | 27.2 | +0.5 | 24.6 | 25th | 170.4 | 237.4 | average | 72% |
Daly Waters Airstrip | 39.0 | +3.3 | 43.4 | 11th | 24.7 | +0.7 | 22.1 | 4th | 55.2 | 166.1 | low | 33% |
McArthur River Mine Airport | 38.1 | +2.2 | 43.0 | 10th | 25.6 | +0.6 | 22.0 | 7th | 139.6 | 219.0 | average | 64% |
Ngukurr Airport | 37.9 | 42.4 | 3rd | 25.8 | 21.4 | 5th | 147.8 | |||||
Victoria (district 14F) | ||||||||||||
Bradshaw | 37.8 | +2.7 | 42.8 | 12th | 25.9 | +0.9 | 22.9 | 27th | 124.6 | 239.9 | low | 52% |
Lajamanu Airport | 42.3 | +5.2 | 46.2 | 3rd | 27.0 | +2.9 | 21.4 | 13th | 40.6 | 146.1 | low | 28% |
Victoria River Downs | 38.8 | +2.3 | 43.5 | 11th | 26.1 | +1.2 | 21.2 | 7th | 108.4 | 156.7 | average | 69% |
Barkly (district 15A) | ||||||||||||
Elliott | 41.2 | +3.9 | 45.4 | 11th | 26.2 | +2.0 | 23.0 | 14th | 30.8 | 138.2 | low | 22% |
Tennant Creek Airport | 41.6 | +5.0 | 45.0 | 11th | 28.3 | +3.4 | 25.8 | 26th | 1.2 | 116.9 | lowest | 1% |
Alice Springs (district 15B) | ||||||||||||
Alice Springs Airport | 41.5 | +5.1 | 45.6 | 3rd | 25.0 | +3.5 | 17.8 | 8th | 15.6 | 40.6 | average | 38% |
Curtin Springs | 42.3 | +4.5 | 46.5 | 4th | 24.8 | +2.5 | 19.0 | 27th | 0 | 29.5 | lowest | 0% |
Jervois | 42.6 | +4.2 | 45.6 | 18th | 26.4 | +3.5 | 23.5 | 28th | 6.2 | 49.8 | low | 12% |
Kulgera | 42.0 | +5.2 | 47.0 | 3rd | 25.5 | +3.5 | 14.0 | 28th | 3.0 | 29.4 | low | 10% |
Rabbit Flat | 42.7 | +4.3 | 46.1 | 3rd | 26.6 | +2.6 | 21.0 | 4th | 88.8 | 128.1 | average | 69% |
Territory Grape Farm | 42.1 | +4.8 | 44.4 | 3rd | 25.1 | +3.1 | 21.1 | 9th | 3.8 | 63.7 | v low | 6% |
Walungurru Airport | 43.0 | +3.6 | 47.4 | 3rd | 28.4 | +2.4 | 20.8 | 5th | 19.8 | 49.5 | low | 40% |
Yulara Airport | 42.4 | +4.0 | 46.8 | 3rd | 25.4 | +2.6 | 19.1 | 8th | 10.4 | 28.2 | average | 37% |
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 1 pm on Friday 1 February 2019. 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