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Wednesday, 1 February 2023 - Monthly Climate Summary for Northern Territory - Product code IDCKGC12R0

Northern Territory in January 2023: coolest January since 2015

It was the coolest January for the Northern Territory since 2015, with the mean temperature almost 1 °C below average. The cool conditions were associated with a protracted monsoon burst early in the month, including the remnants of ex-Tropical Cyclone Ellie. Rainfall was above average across the southern half of the Northern Territory and along the northern coast, but below average in and around Darwin and in the Daly district.

Above average rainfall overall, but dry around Darwin

  • The January area-average rainfall for the Northern Territory was 161.1 mm, or 32% above the 1961–1990 average.
  • Rainfall was above to very much above average (wettest 10% of all Januarys since 1900) in the southern half of the Northern Territory and along the northern coast.
  • January rainfall was below average in and around Darwin, in the Daly district, and in small pockets of the inland Top End.
  • A few sites had their highest total January rainfall on record or their highest for at least 20 years.
  • At the start of the month, a protracted monsoon burst brought widespread heavy rainfall to many areas, including from ex-Tropical Cyclone Ellie.
  • Monsoon break conditions persisted over the Northern Territory for the latter half of the month, although there were widespread showers and thunderstorms during this period.
  • The highest monthly total was 613.0 mm at Pirlangimpi Airport, on northern Melville Island, including 290.0 mm in the 12 hours to 4pm on the 20th as the monsoon trough stayed over the Arafura Sea.

Coolest January since 2015

  • It was the coolest January for the Northern Territory since 2015.
  • The area-average monthly mean maximum temperature was 2.03 °C below the 1961–1990 average, the monthly mean minimum temperature 0.06 °C above average and the mean temperature 0.98 °C below average.
  • January maximum temperatures were below to very much below average (coolest 10% of all Januarys since 1910) in the southern half of the Northern Territory, and close to average across the Top End.
  • A few sites had their lowest January mean daily maximum temperature on record or their lowest for at least 20 years.
  • Minimum temperatures were below average across much of the southern half of the Northern Territory, but above average in relatively drier areas of the Top End.
  • Walungurru Airport had its lowest January mean daily minimum temperature on record and its lowest January mean temperature on record in 20 years of observations.

Darwin Airport

  • Total rainfall for Darwin Airport was 293.6 mm, which is 68% of the long-term average of 429.7 mm.
  • It was the lowest January total rainfall at Darwin Airport since 2016, during the last El Niño season.
  • The mean daily maximum temperature for Darwin Airport was 31.8 °C, equal to the long-term average.
  • The warmest day was 34.9 °C on the 23rd, and the coolest day was on the 6th when the temperature reached 28.9 °C.
  • The mean daily minimum temperature for Darwin Airport was 25.6 °C, which is 0.7 °C above the long-term average of 24.9 °C.
  • The coldest morning was 23.4 °C on the 3rd, and the warmest morning was on the 18th when the minimum temperature was 28.2 °C.
  • The January mean minimum temperature at Darwin Airport was the equal seventh-warmest on record since 1941.

Alice Springs Airport

  • Total rainfall for Alice Springs Airport was 173.6 mm, which is 405% of the long-term average of 42.9 mm.
  • It was the wettest January at Alice Springs Airport since 2015, with 195.2 mm.
  • The mean daily maximum temperature for Alice Springs Airport was 34.0 °C, which is 2.5 °C below the long-term average of 36.5 °C.
  • The warmest day was 40.1 °C on the 26th, and the coolest day was on the 31st when the temperature reached 25.7 °C.
  • The January mean maximum temperature was the coolest at Alice Springs Airport since 2015, with 32.6 °C.
  • The mean daily minimum temperature for Alice Springs Airport was 25.6 °C, which is 0.7 °C above the long-term average of 24.9 °C.
  • The coldest morning was 15.4 °C on the 23rd, and the warmest morning was on the 27th when the minimum temperature was 26.6 °C.

Ex-Tropical Cyclone Ellie

  • Tropical Cyclone Ellie crossed the western Top End coast shortly before midnight local time on 22 December 2022 and soon weakened to a tropical low.
  • As a tropical low, ex-Tropical Cyclone Ellie tracked south-east across the central Northern Territory, producing heavy rainfall, before turning west into the south Kimberley region of Western Australia on the 29th.
  • The remnants of ex-Tropical Cyclone Ellie re-crossed into the Tanami District on 7 January, with widespread daily rainfall totals of 25 to 50 mm, before dissipating on the 9th.
  • Some sites had their highest January daily rainfall on record.
  • Territory Grape Farm and Walungurru Airport had their coldest January day on record while on the 8th Watarrka had its lowest January temperature on record.
  • Flood Watches were issued for many eastern and western inland areas, as flooding occurred in areas of heavy rain.
  • Across the southern half of the Northern Territory roads were closed, airstrips impacted and communities became isolated by the floods.

Further information

Media
(03) 9669 4057

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes in January 2023
Hottest day 41.2 °C at Curtin Springs on the 1st
41.2 °C at Kulgera on the 28th
Warmest days on average 36.3 °C at Jervois
Coolest days on average 30.8 °C at McCluer Island
Coldest day 19.7 °C at Walungurru Airport on the 7th
Coldest night 14.4 °C at Arltunga on the 23rd
Coolest nights on average 20.1 °C at Arltunga
Warmest nights on average 27.0 °C at Centre Island
Warmest night 30.1 °C at Curtin Springs on the 1st
30.1 °C at Yulara Airport on the 1st
Warmest on average overall 30.2 °C at McArthur River Mine Airport
Coolest on average overall 27.1 °C at Central Arnhem Plateau
Wettest overall 613.0 mm at Pirlangimpi Airport
Wettest day 185.8 mm at Pirlangimpi Airport on the 20th
Strongest wind gust 98 km/h at Point Fawcett on the 1st

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Maps
ObservedAnomalyDecile rank
Total
rainfall		 Map of Rainfall totals Map of Percentage of normal rainfall Map of Rainfall deciles
Mean
daily
maximum
temperatures		 Map of Mean maximum temperature Map of Anomaly in mean maximum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean maximum temperature
Mean
daily
minimum
temperatures		 Map of Mean minimum temperature Map of Anomaly in mean minimum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean minimum temperature

Click on a map to show it full size in a pop-up window

Record highest January daily rainfall
New record
(mm)		 Old
record		 Years of
record
Undoolya 84.0 on the 9th 83.2 on the 18th in 1995 77
Todd River 65.8 on the 9th 60.2 on the 17th in 1995 64
Maryvale 84.0 on the 30th 60.7 on the 19th in 1974 48
Bradshaw 117.4 on the 25th =117.4 on the 26th in 2012 24


Record highest January total rainfall
New record
(mm)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
January
Warramunga 322.0 316.4 in 1974 51 109.2
Rabbit Flat 426.0 381.8 in 2014 27 135.5

Highest January total rainfall for at least 20 years
Observed
(mm)		 Most recent
higher		 Average for
January
Undoolya 172.6 250.2 in 1995* 42.4
Maryvale 131.0 136.5 in 1976* 28.9

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



Record highest January temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
January
Channel Point 35.0 on the 24th = 35.0 on the 7th in 2013 29 31.7


Record lowest January daily maximum temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
January
Territory Grape Farm 23.7 on the 5th 24.0 on the 3rd in 2005 31 37.4
Walungurru Airport 19.7 on the 7th 21.3 on the 10th in 2015 21 39.5


Record lowest January mean daily maximum temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
January
Yulara Airport 35.3 36.2 in 2012 35 38.4
McCluer Island 30.8 = 30.8 in 2010 22 31.5
Walungurru Airport 33.6 36.3 in 2015 20 39.5

Lowest January mean daily maximum temperature for at least 20 years
Observed
(°C)		 Most recent
lower		 Average for
January
Curtin Springs 35.8 33.5 in 1984 37.9
Warruwi Airport 31.6 31.4 in 2003 32.1


Record lowest January temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
January
Watarrka 15.4 on the 8th = 15.4 on the 18th in 2021 31 23.4


Record lowest January mean daily minimum temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
January
Walungurru Airport 24.0 = 24.0 in 2002 20 26.3

Lowest January mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years
Observed
(°C)		 Most recent
lower		 Average for
January
Arltunga 20.1 19.9 in 2002* 22.2

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



Record lowest January mean temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
January
Walungurru Airport 28.8 30.3 in 2015 20 32.9

Lowest January mean temperature for at least 20 years
Observed
(°C)		 Most recent
lower		 Average for
January
Lajamanu Airport 29.0 27.5 in 1974* 30.8

* 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

Summary statistics for January 2023
Maximum temperatures
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
(°C)		 Rainfall
(millimetres)
Mean for
January
2023		 Diff
from
average		 Highest for
January
2023		 Mean for
January
2023		 Diff
from
average		 Lowest for
January
2023		 Total for
January
2023		 Average
for
January		 Rank of
January
2023		 Fraction of
January
average
Darwin-Daly (district 14GA)
Batchelor Airport 32.2 -0.5 34.8 22nd 24.2 +0.2 22.8 22nd 309.2 324.2 average 95%
Central Arnhem Plateau 31.0 -0.8 33.8 21st 23.3 0.0 21.5 3rd 318.2 258.3 high 123%
Channel Point 31.7 0.0 35.0 24th 26.0 +0.9 22.5 3rd 258.2 457.1 low 56%
Charles Point 31.0   33.0 22nd 25.8   23.2 20th 302.4
Croker Island Airport 31.3 -0.6 33.0 22nd 26.0 0.0 23.3 3rd 159.8
Darwin Airport 31.8 0.0 34.9 23rd 25.6 +0.7 23.4 3rd 293.6 429.7 low 68%
Delamere Weapons Range 33.8 -0.9 36.7 12th 24.3 +0.2 22.2 8th 183.0 194.9 average 94%
Douglas River Research Farm 33.6 -0.1 36.1 21st 24.6 +0.7 23.2 10th 217.2 286.7 average 76%
Jabiru Airport 33.0 -0.7 37.2 22nd 24.8 +0.1 22.6 19th 260.0 355.5 low 73%
Kangaroo Flats (Defence) 33.1   37.0 21st 24.7   22.3 22nd 202.4
Knuckey Lagoon 32.1   35.6 23rd 25.0   23.5 3rd 243.6
McCluer Island 30.8 -0.7 32.5 28th 26.3 -0.3 23.8 22nd 161.6 254.5 average 63%
Middle Point 33.5 +0.1 36.9 21st 24.2 -0.1 22.5 9th 108.8 297.5 low 37%
Mount Bundey North (Defence) 33.0   35.7 22nd 24.2   22.3 15th 335.6
Mount Bundey South (Defence) 33.3   36.1 22nd 24.4   22.8 15th 434.4
Murganella Airstrip 31.9 -1.0 34.3 21st 24.1 -0.5 22.8 1st 469.4 358.1 high 131%
Noonamah Airstrip 32.6   36.2 21st 24.8   23.3 3rd 165.4 418.8 low 39%
Oenpelli Airport 32.1   36.4 22nd 25.2   23.5 6th 327.0 366.6 average 89%
Pirlangimpi Airport 32.3 +0.3 34.3 14th 24.4 -0.3 22.0 21st 613.0 418.9 high 146%
Point Fawcett 31.5 -0.3 33.1 31st 26.0 +0.2 22.9 23rd 273.0 335.7 average 81%
Point Stuart 32.1 -0.5 34.3 21st 25.2 0.0 24.0 20th 142.6 293.8 low 49%
Port Keats Airport 32.0 -0.6 35.0 23rd 25.5 +0.6 23.9 3rd 498.2 342.2 high 146%
Tindal RAAF 33.9 -0.3 35.7 22nd 24.5 +0.1 23.0 29th 169.4 257.2 low 66%
Arnhem (district 14BC)
Cape Wessel 32.2 -0.7 34.6 14th 25.7 -0.5 23.7 7th 275.6 266.2 average 104%
Gove Airport 31.3 -0.8 33.7 17th 25.0 +0.2 23.2 2nd 375.2 276.9 high 136%
Groote Eylandt Airport 32.9 -0.5 35.4 10th 25.5 +0.2 23.4 26th 294.8 250.5 high 118%
Maningrida Airport 31.7 -0.8 35.1 21st 24.9 -0.2 23.2 3rd 333.6 281.7 high 118%
Milingimbi Airport 32.2 -0.7 35.9 21st 25.3 -0.2 23.1 2nd 413.0 290.8 high 142%
Ngayawili 30.9 -0.8 32.3 27th 25.8 0.0 23.1 25th 285.6 365.0 average 78%
Warruwi Airport 31.6 -0.5 34.2 21st 25.5 -0.2 22.5 21st 391.6 262.9 high 149%
Roper-Mcarthur (district 14DE)
Borroloola Airport 34.0 -0.5 36.5 10th 25.2 +0.3 22.5 15th 208.6 209.4 average 100%
Bulman 34.4 -0.7 36.6 31st 24.3 -0.2 22.9 26th 187.8 225.8 low 83%
Centre Island 33.1 -0.7 36.0 10th 27.0 +0.3 24.7 16th 151.6 232.8 average 65%
Daly Waters Airstrip 34.4 -1.5 37.2 12th 24.4 +0.4 23.4 9th 81.4 161.7 low 50%
McArthur River Mine Airport 35.3 -0.8 37.7 27th 25.1 +0.1 24.2 26th 99.8 215.3 low 46%
Victoria (district 14F)
Bradshaw 34.6 -0.7 37.2 22nd 25.5 +0.4 23.6 8th 297.4 228.7 high 130%
Bradshaw - Angallari Valley (Defence) 34.5   37.7 23rd 25.3   23.1 15th 301.6
Bradshaw - Koolendong Valley (Defence) 33.7   36.8 20th 25.0   23.2 20th 417.0
Lajamanu Airport 34.5 -2.9 37.6 23rd 23.6 -0.7 19.9 9th 148.4 145.0 average 102%
Victoria River Downs 34.7 -1.9 37.8 20th 25.3 +0.3 23.5 8th 116.2 156.8 average 74%
Barkly (district 15A)
Elliott 34.7 -2.7 37.0 10th 25.0 +0.7 23.1 25th 123.8 138.1 average 90%
Tennant Creek Airport 34.2 -2.6 37.4 12th 23.7 -1.3 20.9 18th 138.8 116.6 average 119%
Alice Springs (district 15B)
Alice Springs Airport 34.0 -2.5 40.1 26th 21.3 -0.3 15.4 23rd 173.6 42.9 v high 405%
Arltunga 32.9 -3.2 38.6 26th 20.1 -2.1 14.4 23rd 239.6 48.2 v high 497%
Curtin Springs 35.8 -2.1 41.2 1st 23.4 +1.0 17.0 8th 45.6 29.4 high 155%
Jervois 36.3 -2.2 41.1 25th 23.3 +0.2 17.3 23rd 104.8 53.5 high 196%
Territory Grape Farm 33.7 -3.7 38.3 24th 21.7 -0.5 16.9 23rd 138.2 67.9 high 204%
Walungurru Airport 33.6 -5.9 39.1 25th 24.0 -2.3 16.2 8th 172.6 56.2 v high 307%
Watarrka 35.5 -2.8 40.8 2nd     15.4 8th 48.7 46.4 average 105%
Yulara Airport 35.3 -3.1 41.0 2nd 23.0 +0.1 16.5 8th 62.2 30.3 high 205%

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Notes

The Monthly climate summary, usually published in the first week of the following 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 6 pm on Wednesday 1 February 2023. 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.

Information about Australian Indigenous seasonal calendars is available at the Indigenous Weather Knowledge website.

Further information

Media
(03) 9669 4057

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