Tuesday, 3 January 2023 - Monthly Climate Summary for Northern Territory - Product code IDCKGC12R0

Northern Territory in December 2022: Eighth-wettest December on record

December 2022 was the eighth-wettest December on record in terms of territory-averaged rainfall. Mean daily temperatures were generally close to average.

Eighth-wettest December on record

• For the territory as a whole, total December rainfall was 153.3 mm which was 109% above the 1961–1990 average.
• December 2022 was the eighth-wettest December on record since records began in 1900.
• The first half of the month was dry, but the last half saw significant rainfall as a result of an active monsoon period and Tropical Cyclone Ellie which made landfall, became a tropical low and produced heavy rainfall over northern and central parts of the Territory.
• Central parts of the Territory in addition to southern parts of the Daly district received more than two to three times their monthly average.
• Three sites had their highest December daily rainfall on record.
• Several sites had their highest total December rainfall on record or their highest total December rainfall for at least 20 years.

Temperatures generally close to average; cooler than average days around Alice Springs

• For the territory overall, the maximum temperature for December was 0.87 °C below the 1961–1990 average while the minimum temperature was 0.37 °C below the average.
• Mean daily minimum and maximum temperatures were generally within 1 °C of their monthly average though maximum temperatures were around 1 to 2 °C cooler than average around Alice Springs.
• Three sites had their lowest December temperature on record.
• A few sites had their lowest December mean daily minimum temperature on record or their lowest December mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years.

Darwin Airport

• Total rainfall for Darwin Airport was 514.2 mm, which is 201% of the long-term average of 255.2 mm.
• The mean daily maximum temperature for Darwin Airport was 33.1 °C, which is 0.4 °C above the long-term average of 32.7 °C.
• The warmest day was 36.1 °C on the 2nd, and the coolest day was on the 30th when the temperature reached 28.8 °C.
• The mean daily minimum temperature for Darwin Airport was 25.4 °C, which is 0.1 °C above the long-term average of 25.3 °C.
• The coldest morning was 23.1 °C on the 29th, and the warmest morning was on the 11th when the minimum temperature was 28.7 °C.

Tropical Cyclone Ellie

• Tropical Cyclone Ellie was a Category 1 cyclone that crossed the western Top End coast early in the morning of the 23rd and became a tropical low.
• As a tropical low, it continued to produce heavy rainfall over central and northern parts of the Territory for the remainder of December, with daily totals exceeding 100 mm in affected sites.
• The heavy rainfall resulted in the flooding of the Fitzroy River.

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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

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

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top