Wednesday, 1 September 2021 - Monthly Climate Summary for Northern Territory - Product code IDCKGC12R0
Northern Territory in August 2021: warm in the north
Rainfall was above average in spots of the Top End as shower activity brought some unseasonal rainfall totals at the end of the month.
Mean maximum and mean temperatures were record warm across the Top End, while mean minimum temperatures were above average in the north, and below or near-average in the south. Darwin had a record run of three days in a row above 35 °C, the first time to occur in August.
Showers in parts of the Top End, but dry elsewhere
- Rainfall for August was 87% below the long-term average for the NT as a whole; August 2021 was drier than 2020 but wetter than 2019.
- This August, the fourth month of the northern Australia dry season in 2021, typically recorded very little rainfall except in parts of the Top End.
- Shower activity on the 24th and 25th across parts of the Top End saw a few sites report their highest August daily rainfall on record.
- The unseasonal shower activity led to some site reporting their highest total August rainfall on record or their highest total August rainfall for at least 20 years.
Record warm in parts of the Top End
- For the NT as a whole, the mean temperature was 1.15 °C above the
long-term average.
- Overall, the mean maximum temperature was 1.65 °C above the long-term average.
- Daytime temperatures were well above average across the NT, and record high in parts of the Top End.
- There were warm days on the 29th and 30th across the Top End, with a number of sites reporting their highest August temperature on record.
- Darwin had 3 days in a row above 35 °C, the first time to occur in August.
- The persistent warm and dry days saw a few site report their highest August mean daily maximum temperature on record
- For August in the NT, the mean minimum temperature was 0.65 °C above the long-term average.
- Minimum temperatures were above average in northern and eastern parts of the NT. Pockets of the north-east and south-west districts reported average to below average mean minimum temperatures.
- There were some warm nights at the start and middle of the month, resulting in some sites having their warmest August night (highest daily minimum temperature) on record.
- Above average minimum temperatures throughout the month resulted in some sites, mainly across the Top End, reporting their highest August mean daily minimum temperature on record or their highest August mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years
- Some sites had their highest August mean temperature on record or their highest August mean temperature for at least 20 years.
- For the year-to-date, the mean maximum temperature across the NT is 0.87 °C above the long-term average, and the mean minimum temperature is 0.28 °C above the long-term average. The mean temperature for the year-to-date across the NT is 0.58 °C above the long-term average.
Darwin Airport
- Total rainfall for Darwin Airport was 19.2 mm, which compares to the long-term average of 4.7 mm.
- The mean daily maximum temperature for Darwin Airport was 33.4 °C, which is 2.0 °C above the long-term average of 31.4 °C.
- The warmest day was 35.5 °C on the 28th, and the coolest day was on the 6th when the temperature reached 31.2 °C.
- The mean daily minimum temperature for Darwin Airport was 21.5 °C, which is 1.2 °C above the long-term average of 20.3 °C.
- The coldest morning was 17.4 °C on the 7th, and the warmest morning was on the 24th when the minimum temperature was 24.9 °C.
Alice Springs
- Total rainfall for Alice Springs was 0 mm rainfall, which compares to the long-term average of 12.8 mm.
- The mean daily maximum temperature for Alice Springs was 23.9 °C, which is 1.1 °C above the long-term average of 22.8 °C.
- The warmest day was 31.3 °C on the 22nd, and the coolest day was on the 3rd when the temperature reached 17.5 °C.
- The mean daily minimum temperature for Alice Springs was 4.6 °C, which is 1.3 °C below the long-term average of 5.9 °C.
- The coldest morning was 0.0 °C on the 26th, and the warmest morning was on the 28th when the minimum temperature was 13.9 °C.
Further information
- Media
- media@bom.gov.au (03) 9669 4057
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
| Extremes in August 2021 | |
|---|---|
| Hottest day | 38.5 °C at Jabiru Airport on the 31st |
| Warmest days on average | 35.9 °C at Oenpelli Airport |
| Coolest days on average | 23.9 °C at Alice Springs Airport |
| Coldest day | 17.5 °C at Alice Springs Airport on the 3rd |
| Coldest night | 0.0 °C at Alice Springs Airport on the 26th |
| Coolest nights on average | 4.6 °C at Alice Springs Airport |
| Warmest nights on average | 25.0 °C at McCluer Island |
| Warmest night | 26.5 °C at McCluer Island on the 1st |
| Warmest on average overall | 28.4 °C at Oenpelli Airport |
| Coolest on average overall | 14.2 °C at Alice Springs Airport |
| Wettest overall | 64.0 mm at Cape Wessel |
| Wettest day | 55.0 mm at East Arm on the 25th |
| Strongest wind gust | 72 km/h at Cape Wessel on the 15th |
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
| Maps | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Observed | Anomaly | Decile rank | |
| Total rainfall |
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 |
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| Mean daily maximum temperatures |
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 |
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| Mean daily minimum temperatures |
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 |
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Click on a map to show it full size in a pop-up window
| Record highest August daily rainfall | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New record (mm) |
Old record |
Years of record |
||||
| Labelle Downs | 11.0 | on the 25th | 10.0 | on the 28th in 2010 | 34 | |
| Territory Wildlife Park | 9.0 | on the 25th | 6.0 | on the 19th in 1997 | 28 | |
| CSIRO Berrimah | 12.5 | on the 25th | 10.2 | on the 19th in 1997 | 26 | |
| Point Fawcett | 22.6 | on the 5th | 3.6 | on the 23rd in 2013 | 25 | |
| Thorak Cemetery | 10.6 | on the 25th | 7.4 | on the 6th in 2004 | 25 | |
| Lakefield | 8.6 | on the 25th | 1.0 | on the 1st in 2010 | 21 | |
| Middle Point | 28.4 | on the 25th | 6.2 | on the 31st in 2003 | 21 | |
| Point Stuart | 39.6 | on the 24th | 39.0 | on the 9th in 1996 | 21 | |
| Florina | 4.6 | on the 24th | 0.0 | on the 31st in 2020 | 20 | |
| Record highest August total rainfall | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New record (mm) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for August |
||
| Labelle Downs | 11.0 | 7.6 | in 1996 | 32 | 0.9 |
| Cape Wessel | 64.0 | 26.0 | in 2004 | 30 | 9.7 |
| Territory Wildlife Park | 9.1 | 6.0 | in 1997 | 27 | 0.9 |
| CSIRO Berrimah | 12.5 | 10.2 | in 1997 | 26 | 1.9 |
| Point Fawcett | 25.2 | 4.4 | in 2013 | 25 | 1.5 |
| Thorak Cemetery | 10.6 | 7.4 | in 2004 | 24 | 1.0 |
| Middle Point | 28.6 | 6.2 | in 2003 | 21 | 2.1 |
| Florina | 4.6 | 0.0 | in 2020 | 20 | 0.2 |
| Point Stuart | 63.2 | 39.0 | in 1996 | 20 | 6.7 |
| Highest August total rainfall for at least 20 years | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Observed (mm) |
Most recent higher |
Average for August |
|||
| Darwin Airport | 19.2 | 51.2 | in 1988 | 4.7 | |
| McMinns Lagoon | 16.5 | 49.0 | in 1988 | 3.6 | |
| Humpty Doo Collard Road | 13.6 | 95.6 | in 1988* | 4.3 | |
| Darwin Botanic Gardens | 14.2 | 41.0 | in 1988* | 3.7 | |
| Nightcliff Pool | 13.4 | 46.6 | in 1982* | 2.8 | |
* note: there are gaps in the historical record at this site, so it is possible a higher value has gone unreported
| Record highest August temperature | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for August |
|||
| Jabiru Airport | 38.5 | on the 31st | 38.1 | on the 20th in 2013 | 44 | 33.8 |
| McArthur River Mine Airport | 38.4 | on the 31st | 37.9 | on the 30th in 2009 | 44 | 32.1 |
| Gove Airport | 33.4 | on the 30th | 33.0 | on the 26th in 2010 | 42 | 28.7 |
| Pirlangimpi Airport | 36.5 | on the 29th | 36.1 | on the 19th in 2017 | 39 | 32.2 |
| Black Point | 34.3 | on the 30th | 33.6 | on the 30th in 2020 | 30 | 30.6 |
| Batchelor Airport | 37.3 | on the 30th | 37.2 | on the 19th in 2017 | 25 | 33.4 |
| Groote Eylandt Airport | 33.8 | on the 29th | 33.7 | on the 25th in 2010 | 23 | 30.1 |
| Ngayawili | 34.4 | on the 29th | 34.0 | on the 7th in 2002 | 21 | 30.5 |
| Record highest August mean daily maximum temperature | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for August |
||
| Darwin Airport | 33.4 | 33.1 | in 2017 | 80 | 31.4 |
| Warruwi Airport | 30.8 | 30.7 | in 2010 | 55 | 29.3 |
| Jabiru Airport | 35.6 | 35.4 | in 2020 | 43 | 33.8 |
| Gove Airport | 30.4 | 30.3 | in 2017 | 41 | 28.7 |
| Pirlangimpi Airport | 34.0 | 33.8 | in 2013 | 38 | 32.2 |
| Channel Point | 31.1 | 30.5 | in 2017 | 26 | 29.6 |
| Batchelor Airport | 35.0 | 34.8 | in 2020 | 24 | 33.4 |
| Port Keats Airport | 33.5 | 33.3 | in 2020 | 22 | 32.0 |
| McCluer Island | 28.6 | = 28.6 | in 2017 | 20 | 27.8 |
| Ngayawili | 32.1 | 31.8 | in 2017 | 20 | 30.5 |
| Record highest August daily minimum temperature | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for August |
|||
| Port Keats Airport | 25.1 | on the 16th | 25.0 | on the 30th in 2000 | 23 | 17.4 |
| McCluer Island | 26.5 | on the 1st | 25.9 | on the 30th in 2016 | 21 | 23.4 |
| Record highest August mean daily minimum temperature | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for August |
||
| Warruwi Airport | 23.6 | 23.5 | in 2010 | 55 | 21.8 |
| McCluer Island | 25.0 | 24.7 | in 2017 | 20 | 23.4 |
| Ngayawili | 21.6 | = 21.6 | in 2010 | 20 | 19.4 |
| Highest August mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Observed (°C) |
Most recent higher |
Average for August |
|||
| Centre Island | 20.8 | 21.1 | in 1981 | 19.5 | |
| Gove Airport | 21.9 | 22.1 | in 1988 | 19.1 | |
| Darwin Airport | 21.5 | 21.6 | in 1992 | 20.3 | |
| Record highest August mean temperature | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for August |
||
| Warruwi Airport | 27.2 | 27.1 | in 2010 | 55 | 25.5 |
| Jabiru Airport | 28.3 | 28.0 | in 1988 | 43 | 26.5 |
| Gove Airport | 26.1 | 25.7 | in 1988 | 41 | 23.9 |
| Pirlangimpi Airport | 27.4 | 27.2 | in 2010 | 38 | 25.7 |
| Channel Point | 25.2 | 25.1 | in 1998 | 26 | 23.8 |
| Batchelor Airport | 27.1 | 26.8 | in 2010 | 24 | 25.2 |
| Groote Eylandt Airport | 24.2 | 24.0 | in 2010 | 22 | 22.6 |
| McCluer Island | 26.8 | 26.7 | in 2017 | 20 | 25.6 |
| Middle Point | 26.1 | 26.0 | in 2010 | 20 | 24.5 |
| Ngayawili | 26.9 | 26.4 | in 2010 | 20 | 25.0 |
| Highest August mean temperature for at least 20 years | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Observed (°C) |
Most recent higher |
Average for August |
|||
| Darwin Airport | 27.5 | 27.6 | in 1988 | 25.9 | |
| Port Keats Airport | 26.3 | 27.0 | in 2000 | 24.7 | |
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
| Summary statistics for August 2021 | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum temperatures (°C) |
Minimum temperatures (°C) |
Rainfall (millimetres) |
||||||||||
| Mean for August 2021 |
Diff from average |
Highest for August 2021 |
Mean for August 2021 |
Diff from average |
Lowest for August 2021 |
Total for August 2021 |
Average for August |
Rank of August 2021 |
Fraction of August average |
|||
| Darwin-Daly (district 14GA) | ||||||||||||
| Batchelor Airport | 35.0 | +1.6 | 37.3 | 30th | 19.3 | +2.3 | 15.8 | 8th | 6.4 | 2.1 | high | 305% |
| Central Arnhem Plateau | 31.9 | +1.1 | 35.2 | 31st | 17.6 | +1.7 | 13.4 | 7th | 0 | 0.7 | v low | 0% |
| Channel Point | 31.1 | +1.5 | 34.5 | 15th | 19.2 | +1.0 | 14.5 | 8th | 0 | 3.4 | lowest | 0% |
| Charles Point | 31.1 | 35.1 | 16th | 22.2 | 19.1 | 8th | 1.2 | |||||
| Croker Island Airport | 32.0 | 34.8 | 30th | 22.9 | 20.6 | 7th | 0 | |||||
| Darwin Airport | 33.4 | +2.0 | 35.5 | 28th | 21.5 | +1.2 | 17.4 | 7th | 19.2 | 4.7 | v high | 409% |
| Delamere Weapons Range | 32.7 | +0.9 | 36.0 | 31st | 17.6 | +1.6 | 11.9 | 7th | 0 | 0.2 | lowest | 0% |
| Douglas River Research Farm | 34.9 | +1.2 | 38.1 | 31st | 15.5 | +1.5 | 8.4 | 8th | 0 | 1.2 | lowest | 0% |
| Jabiru Airport | 35.6 | +1.8 | 38.5 | 31st | 20.9 | +1.7 | 16.0 | 7th | 0 | 2.4 | lowest | 0% |
| Kangaroo Flats (Defence) | 35.6 | 37.5 | 31st | 19.8 | 15.2 | 9th | 3.6 | |||||
| Knuckey Lagoon | 34.1 | 36.1 | 16th | 19.6 | 14.9 | 8th | 28.4 | |||||
| McCluer Island | 28.6 | +0.8 | 30.2 | 22nd | 25.0 | +1.6 | 22.5 | 7th | 0 | 0.4 | lowest | 0% |
| Middle Point | 35.3 | +1.1 | 37.1 | 29th | 17.0 | +2.2 | 9.6 | 7th | 28.6 | 2.1 | highest | 1362% |
| Mount Bundey North (Defence) | 35.2 | 37.8 | 30th | 20.7 | 15.4 | 7th | 1.2 | |||||
| Mount Bundey South (Defence) | 35.3 | 38.0 | 30th | 18.6 | 11.9 | 7th | 0.4 | |||||
| Murganella Airstrip | 32.8 | 35.0 | 30th | 18.2 | 10.9 | 7th | 0 | |||||
| Noonamah Airstrip | 35.6 | 37.8 | 30th | 18.3 | 12.0 | 7th | 5.0 | |||||
| Oenpelli Airport | 35.9 | 38.3 | 31st | 20.9 | 16.0 | 28th | 0 | |||||
| Pirlangimpi Airport | 34.0 | +1.8 | 36.5 | 29th | 20.8 | +1.7 | 15.5 | 7th | 15.2 | 6.5 | high | 234% |
| Point Fawcett | 32.2 | +1.1 | 34.2 | 29th | 19.4 | +1.0 | 14.3 | 7th | 25.2 | 1.5 | highest | 1680% |
| Point Stuart | 33.8 | 36.8 | 16th | 19.8 | 15.0 | 7th | 63.2 | 6.7 | highest | 943% | ||
| Port Keats Airport | 33.5 | +1.5 | 36.0 | 23rd | 19.1 | +1.7 | 13.8 | 9th | 0.4 | 0.7 | average | 57% |
| Tindal RAAF | 33.7 | +1.3 | 37.2 | 31st | 16.1 | +1.2 | 9.2 | 7th | 0 | 1.0 | lowest | 0% |
| Arnhem (district 14BC) | ||||||||||||
| Cape Wessel | 31.1 | 32.7 | 21st | 24.4 | 22.7 | 8th | 64.0 | 9.7 | highest | 660% | ||
| Gove Airport | 30.4 | +1.7 | 33.4 | 30th | 21.9 | +2.8 | 19.5 | 8th | 5.6 | 5.1 | high | 110% |
| Groote Eylandt Airport | 31.0 | +0.9 | 33.8 | 29th | 17.5 | +2.3 | 10.4 | 8th | 1.2 | 1.3 | high | 92% |
| Maningrida Airport | 33.0 | +1.7 | 35.4 | 30th | 19.7 | +1.7 | 16.1 | 21st | 0.6 | 2.0 | high | 30% |
| Milingimbi Airport | 32.3 | +1.4 | 35.0 | 30th | 21.0 | +1.8 | 17.0 | 6th | 0.2 | 1.9 | average | 11% |
| Ngayawili | 32.1 | +1.6 | 34.4 | 29th | 21.6 | +2.2 | 18.6 | 6th | 1.6 | 0.9 | high | 178% |
| Warruwi Airport | 30.8 | +1.5 | 33.3 | 29th | 23.6 | +1.8 | 19.9 | 7th | 0 | 0.5 | lowest | 0% |
| Roper-Mcarthur (district 14DE) | ||||||||||||
| Borroloola Airport | 33.8 | +1.7 | 37.2 | 31st | 14.4 | +0.9 | 7.8 | 8th | 3.4 | 0.7 | v high | 486% |
| Bulman | 33.9 | +1.1 | 37.2 | 30th | 16.6 | +2.1 | 10.5 | 7th | 0 | 0.8 | v low | 0% |
| Centre Island | 29.0 | +1.1 | 32.8 | 30th | 20.8 | +1.3 | 18.0 | 7th | 0.4 | 1.6 | average | 25% |
| Daly Waters Airstrip | 32.9 | +1.7 | 37.1 | 31st | 13.1 | +0.5 | 7.1 | 8th | 0 | 0.3 | lowest | 0% |
| McArthur River Mine Airport | 33.8 | +1.7 | 38.4 | 31st | 14.8 | +1.4 | 7.2 | 8th | 0 | 0.3 | lowest | 0% |
| Ngukurr Airport | 33.9 | 37.6 | 30th | 15.8 | 8.9 | 7th | 0.2 | 0.1 | average | 200% | ||
| Victoria (district 14F) | ||||||||||||
| Bradshaw | 34.9 | +1.1 | 38.3 | 31st | 18.5 | +1.9 | 12.1 | 9th | 0 | 0 | lowest | |
| Bradshaw - Angallari Valley (Defence) | 34.7 | 38.3 | 30th | 19.5 | 13.0 | 8th | 0 | |||||
| Bradshaw - Koolendong Valley (Defence) | 34.6 | 38.3 | 30th | 14.3 | 7.3 | 8th | 0 | |||||
| Lajamanu Airport | 30.8 | +0.9 | 35.6 | 31st | 12.7 | +1.6 | 5.5 | 7th | 0 | 1.0 | lowest | 0% |
| Victoria River Downs | 33.5 | +1.5 | 37.1 | 23rd | 13.8 | +0.7 | 6.5 | 7th | 0 | 0.9 | lowest | 0% |
| Wave Hill | 32.5 | +1.3 | 36.7 | 31st | 14.1 | +1.4 | 6.9 | 7th | 0 | 1.4 | lowest | 0% |
| Barkly (district 15A) | ||||||||||||
| Elliott | 31.6 | +0.5 | 35.8 | 31st | 15.0 | +1.8 | 8.4 | 8th | 0 | 1.0 | lowest | 0% |
| Tennant Creek Airport | 28.9 | +1.3 | 34.5 | 23rd | 15.7 | +1.3 | 10.4 | 6th | 0 | 2.3 | lowest | 0% |
| Alice Springs (district 15B) | ||||||||||||
| Alice Springs Airport | 23.9 | +1.1 | 31.3 | 22nd | 4.6 | -1.3 | 0.0 | 26th | 0 | 8.4 | lowest | 0% |
| Curtin Springs | 24.2 | +1.0 | 32.2 | 22nd | 5.7 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 18th | 0 | 7.9 | lowest | 0% |
| Jervois | 25.8 | +0.8 | 33.0 | 22nd | 7.4 | +0.3 | 2.2 | 27th | 0 | 6.9 | lowest | 0% |
| Rabbit Flat | 30.2 | +0.8 | 35.6 | 31st | 8.5 | +0.2 | 2.3 | 9th | 0 | 2.7 | lowest | 0% |
| Territory Grape Farm | 26.0 | +0.6 | 31.4 | 31st | 5.6 | -1.3 | 0.8 | 5th | 0 | 3.8 | lowest | 0% |
| Walungurru Airport | 26.7 | 0.0 | 33.2 | 31st | 13.1 | +0.7 | 7.1 | 3rd | 0 | 4.2 | v low | 0% |
| Yulara Airport | 24.2 | +0.4 | 32.3 | 22nd | 5.9 | 0.0 | 1.1 | 3rd | 0 | 4.8 | lowest | 0% |
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 10 am on Wednesday 1 September 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
