Friday, 8 January 2021 - Monthly Climate Summary for Northern Territory - Product code IDCKGC12R0
Northern Territory in December 2020: wet throughout, with cool days
The Northern Territory had its highest December rainfall total since 2016, and fifth-highest on record. Daytime temperatures were well below average across virtually all of the NT, with the overall mean maximum temperature ranked as the lowest in December since 2000. The Territory-wide night-time temperature was marginally above average during the month.
Fifth-highest December rainfall on record
- Apart from one or 2 very small regions in the far southern NT, rainfall totals were above average across the entire Northern Territory in December, with some central regions recording more than 4 times their typical December rainfall in 2020.
- Territory-wide, rainfall was 145% of the long-term average during the month and the fifth-highest December total since records commenced in 1900.
- Many sites had either their highest December daily rainfall on record and/or highest total December rainfall on record; some sites had their highest total December rainfall for at least 20 years
Very cool days, warmer than average nghts
- The Territory-wide December mean maximum temperature of 1.70 °C below average was the lowest in December since 2000.
- Apart from a small, isolated area on the NT/Qld border, the entire NT observed below average daytime temperatures, with much of the western half of the NT experiencing temperatures more than 2 °C below the long-term average.
- Several sites had either their coldest December day (lowest maximum temperature) on record, their lowest December mean daily maximum temperature on record or lowest December mean daily maximum temperature for at least 20 years.
- While the Territory-wide mean minimum temperature was 0.76 °C above the long-term average, much of the NT had close to or slightly below average night-time temperatures during the month; the southeast was the warmest region with some locations observing tempoeratures close to 3 °C above the long-term average.
- As a result, most of the records associated with night-time temperatures related to low minima, including: lowest December mean daily minimum temperature on record and lowest December mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years.
- Arltunga, northeast of Alice Springs, had its warmest December night (highest daily minimum temperature) on record.
- Averaged across the Northern Territory, the mean temperature came in at 0.46 °C below the long-term average; a few sites had either lowest December mean temperature on record or lowest December mean temperature for at least 20 years.
Darwin Airport
- Total rainfall for Darwin Airport was 382.0 mm, which is 153% of the long-term average of 250.3 mm.
- The mean daily maximum temperature for Darwin Airport was 32.6 °C, which is 0.1 °C below the long-term average of 32.7 °C.
- The warmest day was 35.9 °C on the 10th, and the coolest day was on the 24th when the temperature reached 29.9 °C.
- The mean daily minimum temperature for Darwin Airport was 25.0 °C, which is 0.3 °C below the long-term average of 25.3 °C.
- The coldest morning was 22.5 °C on the 16th, and the warmest morning was on the 11th when the minimum temperature was 27.9 °C.
Alice Springs Airport
- Total rainfall for Alice Springs Airport was 86.6 mm, which is 224% of the long-term average of 38.7 mm.
- The mean daily maximum temperature for Alice Springs Airport was 32.9 °C, which is 2.6 °C below the long-term average of 35.5 °C; this was Alice Springs Airport's lowest December mean maximum temperature since 2001.
- The warmest day was 43.5 °C on the 5th, and the coolest day was on the 23rd when the temperature reached 17.8 °C.
- The mean daily minimum temperature for Alice Springs Airport was 21.1 °C, which is 0.8 °C above the long-term average of 20.3 °C.
- The coldest morning was 14.1 °C on the 24th, and the warmest morning was on the 16th, when the minimum temperature was 27.2 °C.
Severe weather
- 6 December: thunderstorms in the southern NT generated a 100 km/h wind gust at Territory Grape Farm.
- 17 December: thunderstorm activity produced heavy rainfall about the north-western Top End, including a 2-hour total of 101 mm at Gunn Point. This rainfall rate has an Annual Exceedance Period (AEP) of less than 10% (roughly equivalent to a 1-in-10 year event).
- 24 December: heavy rainfall, including 68.6 mm in 1 hour, fell at Warruwi on the north coast of the Top End. Rainfall of this intensity has an Annual Exceedance Period (AEP) of less than 10% (roughly equivalent to a 1-in-10 year event).
- 26 December: slow-moving thunderstorms generated heavy rainfall across parts of the Daly region, with sites including Noonamah (86.4 mm in 1 hour) and Batchelor (85.8 mm in 1 hour) experiencing rainfall rates with an Annual Exceedance Period (AEP) of less than 10% (roughly equivalent to a 1-in-10 year event).
- 28 December: slow-moving thunderstorms generated heavy rainfall across parts of the southern Gregory District, with Cattle Creek recording 70 mm in 1 hour. Rainfall of this intensity has an Annual Exceedance Period (AEP) of less than 10% (roughly equivalent to a 1-in-10 year event).
Further information
- Media
- media@bom.gov.au (03) 9669 4057
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
| Extremes in December 2020 | |
|---|---|
| Hottest day | 46.0 °C at Jervois on the 5th |
| Warmest days on average |
36.6 °C at Elliott 36.6 °C at Ngukurr Airport |
| Coolest days on average | 31.4 °C at Charles Point |
| Coldest day | 17.1 °C at Arltunga on the 23rd |
| Coldest night | 13.2 °C at Arltunga on the 24th |
| Coolest nights on average | 20.4 °C at Arltunga |
| Warmest nights on average | 26.9 °C at Centre Island |
| Warmest night | 31.1 °C at Walungurru Airport on the 17th |
| Warmest on average overall | 31.2 °C at Ngukurr Airport |
| Coolest on average overall | 26.0 °C at Arltunga |
| Wettest overall | 619.7 mm at Territory Wildlife Park |
| Wettest day | 188.4 mm at Elizabeth Valley on the 23rd |
| Strongest wind gust | 100 km/h at Territory Grape Farm on the 6th |
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
| Record highest December daily rainfall | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (mm) |
Old record |
Years of record |
||||
| Mount Denison | 151.0 | on the 22nd | 116.6 | on the 27th in 2016 | 55 | |
| Suplejack | 68.0 | on the 22nd | 58.0 | on the 8th in 2000 | 38 | |
| Territory Grape Farm | 104.2 | on the 21st | 68.2 | on the 31st in 2016 | 34 | |
| Cattle Creek | 96.6 | on the 29th | 63.2 | on the 23rd in 1988 | 27 | |
| Pine Hill | 82.0 | on the 21st | 81.0 | on the 21st in 2015 | 26 | |
| Rabbit Flat | 77.4 | on the 22nd | 70.0 | on the 5th in 2013 | 25 | |
| Record highest December total rainfall | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (mm) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for December |
||
| Lajamanu Airport | 320.2 | 228.6 | in 2003 | 60 | 80.7 |
| Mount Denison | 361.4 | 246.8 | in 2016 | 54 | 57.6 |
| Suplejack | 219.2 | 183.0 | in 2001 | 38 | 68.9 |
| Gorrie | 480.0 | 449.8 | in 2003 | 36 | 178.2 |
| Pine Hill | 322.4 | 310.0 | in 2016 | 35 | 62.8 |
| Territory Grape Farm | 320.8 | 219.2 | in 2016 | 34 | 62.4 |
| Gilnockie | 430.2 | 379.4 | in 2015 | 32 | 176.0 |
| Gemtree Park | 219.5 | 166.8 | in 2016 | 31 | 53.3 |
| Rabbit Flat | 281.4 | 145.8 | in 2000 | 25 | 78.2 |
| Highest December total rainfall for at least 20 years | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Observed (mm) |
Most recent higher |
Average for December |
|||
| Birrindudu | 232.0 | 285.4 | in 1998* | 104.8 | |
| Elizabeth Valley | 573.4 | 722.0 | in 1998* | 299.9 | |
* note: there are gaps in the historical record at this site, so it is possible a higher value has gone unreported
| Record lowest December daily maximum temperature | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for December |
|||
| Jervois | 19.1 | on the 23rd | 19.3 | on the 26th in 2014 | 53 | 37.8 |
| Territory Grape Farm | 18.7 | on the 23rd | 19.1 | on the 11th in 2009 | 29 | 36.6 |
| Rabbit Flat | 21.3 | on the 22nd | 25.1 | on the 13th in 2000 | 25 | 38.9 |
| Record lowest December mean daily maximum temperature | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for December |
||
| Territory Grape Farm | 33.0 | 33.1 | in 2000 | 28 | 36.6 |
| Lowest December mean daily maximum temperature for at least 20 years | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Observed (°C) |
Most recent lower |
Average for December |
|||
| Jabiru Airport | 33.8 | 33.3 | in 2000 | 35.2 | |
| Ngayawili | 31.8 | 31.1 | in 2000 | 32.9 | |
| Rabbit Flat | 35.9 | 35.4 | in 2000 | 38.9 | |
| Warruwi Airport | 32.1 | 31.3 | in 2000 | 33.2 | |
| Record highest December daily minimum temperature | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for December |
|||
| Arltunga | 29.9 | on the 5th | = 29.9 | on the 26th in 2019 | 21 | 20.4 |
| Record lowest December mean daily minimum temperature | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for December |
||
| Dum In Mirrie Airstrip | 25.2 | 25.3 | in 2010 | 22 | 26.2 |
| Port Keats Airport | 24.4 | = 24.4 | in 2010 | 20 | 25.5 |
| Lowest December mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Observed (°C) |
Most recent lower |
Average for December |
|||
| Warruwi Airport | 25.4 | 25.3 | in 2000 | 26.3 | |
| Record lowest December mean temperature | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for December |
||
| Port Keats Airport | 28.6 | = 28.6 | in 2008 | 20 | 29.6 |
| Lowest December mean temperature for at least 20 years | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Observed (°C) |
Most recent lower |
Average for December |
|||
| Jabiru Airport | 29.4 | 29.1 | in 2000 | 30.1 | |
| Warruwi Airport | 28.7 | 28.3 | in 2000 | 29.8 | |
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
| Summary statistics for December 2020 | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum temperatures (°C) |
Minimum temperatures (°C) |
Rainfall (millimetres) |
||||||||||
| Mean for December 2020 |
Diff from average |
Highest for December 2020 |
Mean for December 2020 |
Diff from average |
Lowest for December 2020 |
Total for December 2020 |
Average for December |
Rank of December 2020 |
Fraction of December average |
|||
| Darwin-Daly (district 14GA) | ||||||||||||
| Batchelor Airport | 32.8 | -1.2 | 35.8 | 3rd | 23.9 | -0.3 | 22.5 | 4th | 339.0 | 265.4 | high | 128% |
| Central Arnhem Plateau | 32.0 | -1.5 | 36.3 | 3rd | 23.0 | -0.6 | 21.3 | 12th | 425.4 | 244.1 | high | 174% |
| Channel Point | 32.1 | -0.2 | 35.0 | 4th | 24.6 | -0.5 | 22.7 | 4th | 397.5 | 320.0 | average | 124% |
| Charles Point | 31.4 | 33.6 | 10th | 25.5 | 23.5 | 17th | 401.4 | |||||
| Croker Island Airport | 31.8 | 33.7 | 10th | 25.4 | 23.8 | 23rd | 474.6 | |||||
| Darwin Airport | 32.6 | -0.1 | 35.9 | 10th | 25.0 | -0.3 | 22.5 | 16th | 382.0 | 250.3 | high | 153% |
| Delamere Weapons Range | 34.6 | -1.5 | 40.3 | 8th | 24.3 | -0.4 | 22.3 | 31st | 297.8 | 173.4 | v high | 172% |
| Douglas River Research Farm | 34.0 | -1.1 | 37.0 | 9th | 24.0 | +0.2 | 21.4 | 2nd | 255.6 | 213.0 | high | 120% |
| Dum In Mirrie Airstrip | 32.5 | -0.2 | 35.0 | 3rd | 25.2 | -1.0 | 23.7 | 17th | 450.4 | 289.9 | high | 155% |
| Jabiru Airport | 33.8 | -1.4 | 37.7 | 10th | 24.9 | -0.1 | 23.5 | 30th | 300.8 | 222.9 | high | 135% |
| Kangaroo Flats (Defence) | 33.6 | 37.1 | 10th | 24.4 | 22.4 | 1st | 518.6 | |||||
| McCluer Island | 31.5 | -0.7 | 33.3 | 11th | 26.8 | -0.4 | 24.4 | 22nd | 286.4 | 191.9 | high | 149% |
| Middle Point | 33.4 | -1.7 | 36.2 | 3rd | 24.1 | -0.1 | 21.9 | 4th | 403.8 | 235.1 | high | 172% |
| Mount Bundey North (Defence) | 33.2 | 36.5 | 10th | 24.3 | 22.5 | 13th | 405.0 | |||||
| Mount Bundey South (Defence) | 33.9 | 37.0 | 10th | 24.4 | 22.1 | 23rd | 332.8 | |||||
| Murganella Airstrip | 32.5 | 35.3 | 11th | 24.2 | 22.4 | 27th | 482.4 | |||||
| Noonamah Airstrip | 33.0 | 36.0 | 3rd | 24.6 | 22.6 | 16th | 576.0 | |||||
| Oenpelli Airport | 34.0 | 38.3 | 11th | 25.1 | 23.8 | 17th | 281.4 | |||||
| Pirlangimpi Airport | 32.1 | -0.8 | 34.5 | 3rd | 24.6 | -0.2 | 22.8 | 17th | 301.8 | 341.7 | average | 88% |
| Point Fawcett | 32.2 | -0.5 | 34.9 | 11th | 25.2 | -0.5 | 23.3 | 1st | 388.2 | 290.4 | high | 134% |
| Point Stuart | 32.7 | -1.3 | 35.9 | 11th | 24.7 | -0.5 | 23.1 | 13th | 391.4 | 219.5 | high | 178% |
| Port Keats Airport | 32.8 | -0.9 | 35.8 | 16th | 24.4 | -1.1 | 23.1 | 4th | 266.2 | 200.2 | average | 133% |
| Tindal RAAF | 34.8 | -1.0 | 39.0 | 8th | 24.7 | -0.2 | 23.1 | 13th | 316.0 | 210.0 | high | 150% |
| Arnhem (district 14BC) | ||||||||||||
| Cape Wessel | 33.3 | 35.0 | 12th | 25.6 | 23.4 | 27th | 160.6 | 128.6 | average | 125% | ||
| Gove Airport | 32.3 | -0.8 | 35.0 | 8th | 25.2 | +0.5 | 23.6 | 31st | 282.6 | 176.3 | high | 160% |
| Groote Eylandt Airport | 33.6 | -0.9 | 36.9 | 7th | 25.1 | +0.1 | 24.1 | 12th | 294.6 | 182.2 | high | 162% |
| Maningrida Airport | 32.2 | -1.3 | 34.0 | 11th | 24.8 | -0.6 | 23.4 | 23rd | 379.8 | 161.6 | v high | 235% |
| Milingimbi Airport | 32.6 | -1.4 | 34.5 | 10th | 25.3 | -0.7 | 23.5 | 20th | 443.0 | 158.0 | v high | 280% |
| Ngayawili | 31.8 | -1.1 | 33.5 | 1st | 25.7 | -0.1 | 23.9 | 17th | 346.2 | 221.6 | high | 156% |
| Warruwi Airport | 32.1 | -1.1 | 36.0 | 11th | 25.4 | -0.9 | 21.9 | 14th | 504.6 | 194.9 | v high | 259% |
| Roper-Mcarthur (district 14DE) | ||||||||||||
| Borroloola Airport | 35.8 | -0.9 | 41.5 | 7th | 25.2 | 0.0 | 22.8 | 30th | 199.0 | 131.4 | high | 151% |
| Bulman | 35.9 | -1.5 | 40.2 | 9th | 23.9 | 5th | 122.8 | 189.6 | low | 65% | ||
| Centre Island | 34.0 | -0.8 | 37.9 | 7th | 26.9 | -0.5 | 23.7 | 29th | 432.6 | 136.6 | v high | 317% |
| Daly Waters Airstrip | 35.6 | -1.8 | 41.2 | 8th | 24.3 | 0.0 | 21.0 | 15th | 386.6 | 119.1 | v high | 325% |
| McArthur River Mine Airport | 36.2 | -1.6 | 41.3 | 9th | 25.1 | 0.0 | 22.8 | 31st | 245.4 | 123.5 | v high | 199% |
| Ngukurr Airport | 36.6 | 41.1 | 7th | 25.8 | 23.0 | 31st | 236.0 | |||||
| Victoria (district 14F) | ||||||||||||
| Bradshaw | 35.4 | -1.4 | 40.6 | 16th | 25.6 | 0.0 | 22.9 | 2nd | 247.0 | 195.6 | high | 126% |
| Bradshaw - Angallari Valley (Defence) | 35.6 | 39.6 | 16th | 25.7 | 21.9 | 2nd | 188.0 | |||||
| Bradshaw - Koolendong Valley (Defence) | 35.1 | 39.6 | 16th | 24.3 | 21.2 | 2nd | 261.4 | |||||
| Lajamanu Airport | 35.9 | -2.6 | 41.1 | 6th | 24.1 | -0.3 | 20.4 | 23rd | 320.2 | 80.7 | highest | 397% |
| Victoria River Downs | 36.0 | -1.9 | 40.8 | 7th | 25.3 | +0.1 | 23.3 | 15th | 162.0 | 118.9 | high | 136% |
| Wave Hill | 36.1 | -2.0 | 41.0 | 1st | 24.7 | +0.1 | 19.0 | 14th | 231.5 | 115.1 | v high | 201% |
| Barkly (district 15A) | ||||||||||||
| Elliott | 36.6 | -2.0 | 41.6 | 7th | 25.1 | +0.6 | 22.0 | 25th | 168.2 | 103.4 | high | 163% |
| Tennant Creek Airport | 35.8 | -1.5 | 41.7 | 1st | 24.5 | -0.4 | 18.3 | 24th | 188.6 | 75.8 | high | 249% |
| Alice Springs (district 15B) | ||||||||||||
| Alice Springs Airport | 32.9 | -2.6 | 43.5 | 5th | 21.1 | +0.8 | 14.1 | 24th | 86.6 | 38.7 | high | 224% |
| Arltunga | 32.1 | -2.8 | 42.7 | 5th | 20.4 | 0.0 | 13.2 | 24th | 140.8 | 42.6 | v high | 331% |
| Curtin Springs | 35.0 | -1.5 | 42.0 | 4th | 17.2 | 30th | 4.0 | 31.5 | low | 13% | ||
| Jervois | 35.7 | -2.1 | 46.0 | 5th | 23.2 | +1.6 | 13.7 | 24th | 117.8 | 40.3 | v high | 292% |
| Rabbit Flat | 35.9 | -3.0 | 43.5 | 4th | 18.9 | 23rd | 281.4 | 78.2 | highest | 360% | ||
| Territory Grape Farm | 33.0 | -3.6 | 42.3 | 5th | 21.6 | +0.3 | 15.4 | 24th | 320.8 | 62.4 | highest | 514% |
| Walungurru Airport | 35.5 | -3.2 | 44.1 | 17th | 24.5 | -0.5 | 18.3 | 10th | 76.0 | 59.9 | high | 127% |
| Yulara Airport | 34.7 | -2.0 | 42.6 | 4th | 21.0 | 0.0 | 16.1 | 23rd | 17.4 | 43.2 | average | 40% |
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 on Friday 8 January 2021. 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
Unless otherwise noted, all maps, graphs and diagrams in this page are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence
