Saturday, 1 April 2023 - Monthly Climate Summary for Northern Territory - Product code IDCKGC12R0
Northern Territory in March 2023
Rainfall
- March was drier than average for parts of the Top End and for parts of the Gregory and Lasseter districts; the month was wetter than average for most of the Barkly district extending into surrounding areas, including across the border into western Queensland.
- State-wide, rainfall was 21% below the 1961–1990 March average of 102 mm.
- Several sites had their highest March daily rainfall on record or their highest total March rainfall for at least 20 years.
Temperature
- Mean maximum temperatures were above average for parts of north-western Northern Territory and above average to much above average for much of the territory's south; they were below average for large parts of the Barkly and Tanami districts.
- Mean minimum temperatures were above average for the far north of the Northern Territory and above average to much above average for large parts of the territory's south; they were below average for parts of the Barkly, Tanami, Arnhem and Carpentaria districts.
- For the territory as a whole, the mean maximum temperature was 0.71 °C above average, while the mean minimum temperature was 0.11 °C below average, which was the lowest mean minimum in March since 2014.
- On the 25th, Dum In Mirrie Airstrip had its highest March temperature on record.
- On the 11th, Delamere Weapons Range had its lowest March temperature on record.
- Tennant Creek Airport had its lowest March mean daily minimum temperature since 2001.
Darwin Airport
- Total rainfall for Darwin Airport was 152.6 mm, which is 49% of the long-term average of 308.8 mm.
- The mean daily maximum temperature for Darwin Airport was 32.5 °C, which is 0.5 °C above the long-term average of 32.0 °C.
- The warmest day was 34.5 °C on the 24th, and the coolest day was on the 3rd when the temperature reached 29.5 °C.
- The mean daily minimum temperature for Darwin Airport was 24.9 °C, which is 0.3 °C above the long-term average of 24.6 °C.
- The coldest morning was 22.8 °C on the 7th, and the warmest morning was on the 6th when the minimum temperature was 27.9 °C.
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
| Extremes in March 2023 | |
|---|---|
| Hottest day | 42.9 °C at Yulara Airport on the 17th |
| Warmest days on average | 38.7 °C at Walungurru Airport |
| Coolest days on average | 31.1 °C at McCluer Island |
| Coldest day | 17.9 °C at Curtin Springs on the 31st |
| Coldest night | 11.3 °C at Alice Springs Airport on the 9th |
| Coolest nights on average | 17.7 °C at Arltunga |
| Warmest nights on average | 26.5 °C at Centre Island |
| Warmest night |
28.4 °C at Centre Island on the 2nd 28.4 °C at Centre Island on the 18th 28.4 °C at McCluer Island on the 28th |
| Warmest on average overall | 31.5 °C at Walungurru Airport |
| Coolest on average overall |
27.3 °C at Alice Springs Airport 27.3 °C at Central Arnhem Plateau 27.3 °C at Territory Grape Farm |
| Wettest overall | 414.2 mm at Alexandria |
| Wettest day | 262.0 mm at Alexandria on the 3rd |
| Strongest wind gust | 94 km/h at Cape Wessel on the 3rd |
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
| Record highest March daily rainfall | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (mm) |
Old record |
Years of record |
||||
| Alexandria | 262.0 | on the 3rd | 180.3 | on the 19th in 1901 | 122 | |
| Lajamanu Airport | 114.2 | on the 1st | 112.8 | on the 21st in 1971 | 62 | |
| Walker Creek | 215.4 | on the 7th | 197.4 | on the 4th in 2013 | 29 | |
| Ngayawili | 160.8 | on the 6th | 149.0 | on the 9th in 2006 | 24 | |
| Upper Victoria River | 120.4 | on the 1st | 106.8 | on the 16th in 2012 | 20 | |
| Highest March total rainfall for at least 20 years | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Observed (mm) |
Most recent higher |
Average for March |
|||
| Alexandria | 414.2 | 471.4 | in 1903* | 59.8 | |
* note: there are gaps in the historical record at this site, so it is possible a higher value has gone unreported
| Record highest March temperature | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for March |
|||
| Dum In Mirrie Airstrip | 35.6 | on the 25th | 35.5 | on the 28th in 2021 | 25 | 32.0 |
| Record lowest March temperature | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for March |
|||
| Delamere Weapons Range | 17.0 | on the 11th | = 17.0 | on the 19th in 2009 | 25 | 23.4 |
| Lowest March mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Observed (°C) |
Most recent lower |
Average for March |
|||
| Tennant Creek Airport | 21.6 | =21.6 | in 2001 | 23.4 | |
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
| Summary statistics for March 2023 | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum temperatures (°C) |
Minimum temperatures (°C) |
Rainfall (millimetres) |
||||||||||
| Mean for March 2023 |
Diff from average |
Highest for March 2023 |
Mean for March 2023 |
Diff from average |
Lowest for March 2023 |
Total for March 2023 |
Average for March |
Rank of March 2023 |
Fraction of March average |
|||
| Darwin-Daly (district 14GA) | ||||||||||||
| Batchelor Airport | 33.2 | 0.0 | 35.1 | 13th | 23.5 | 0.0 | 20.5 | 12th | 214.8 | 224.1 | average | 96% |
| Central Arnhem Plateau | 32.1 | -0.3 | 34.9 | 17th | 22.5 | -0.6 | 20.3 | 11th | 195.2 | 195.2 | average | 100% |
| Channel Point | 32.4 | +0.3 | 34.5 | 26th | 24.9 | +0.1 | 22.0 | 7th | 225.6 | 317.4 | average | 71% |
| Charles Point | 31.6 | 33.5 | 24th | 25.1 | 22.5 | 7th | 135.4 | |||||
| Croker Island Airport | 31.8 | 33.8 | 19th | 25.4 | 23.1 | 1st | 255.6 | |||||
| Darwin Airport | 32.5 | +0.5 | 34.5 | 24th | 24.9 | +0.3 | 22.8 | 7th | 152.6 | 308.8 | low | 49% |
| Delamere Weapons Range | 34.4 | -0.4 | 36.7 | 17th | 22.7 | -0.7 | 17.0 | 11th | 68.2 | 136.9 | average | 50% |
| Douglas River Research Farm | 34.5 | +0.4 | 36.1 | 18th | 23.1 | -0.1 | 19.0 | 12th | 171.4 | 222.0 | average | 77% |
| Dum In Mirrie Airstrip | 32.9 | +0.9 | 35.6 | 25th | 25.1 | -0.2 | 22.1 | 7th | 173.6 | 291.7 | low | 60% |
| Jabiru Airport | 34.5 | +0.7 | 37.0 | 29th | 24.7 | +0.2 | 22.7 | 6th | 164.0 | 297.3 | low | 55% |
| Kangaroo Flats (Defence) | 34.7 | 37.1 | 31st | 24.2 | 22.3 | 7th | 51.6 | |||||
| Knuckey Lagoon | 33.1 | 35.1 | 11th | 24.3 | 22.5 | 15th | 228.6 | |||||
| McCluer Island | 31.1 | 0.0 | 32.2 | 18th | 26.4 | +0.2 | 24.2 | 1st | 138.0 | 211.8 | average | 65% |
| Middle Point | 33.6 | -0.3 | 36.0 | 18th | 24.2 | +0.2 | 21.6 | 19th | 229.8 | 240.0 | average | 96% |
| Mount Bundey North (Defence) | 34.2 | 36.1 | 30th | 23.9 | 21.3 | 9th | 179.8 | |||||
| Mount Bundey South (Defence) | 34.7 | 36.4 | 30th | 23.7 | 21.5 | 9th | 252.8 | |||||
| Murganella Airstrip | 32.9 | 35.2 | 18th | 23.9 | 21.4 | 9th | ||||||
| Noonamah Airstrip | 34.1 | 36.4 | 31st | 24.3 | 22.0 | 15th | 157.4 | 205.0 | average | 77% | ||
| Oenpelli Airport | 33.4 | -0.6 | 35.9 | 31st | 25.0 | 0.0 | 22.9 | 9th | 170.0 | 218.6 | average | 78% |
| Pirlangimpi Airport | 33.1 | +0.9 | 35.3 | 25th | 24.4 | +0.2 | 22.8 | 11th | 156.0 | 346.9 | v low | 45% |
| Point Fawcett | 32.1 | +0.2 | 33.4 | 28th | 24.5 | -0.5 | 22.3 | 25th | 218.8 | 240.9 | average | 91% |
| Point Stuart | 32.1 | -0.3 | 33.9 | 18th | 25.2 | +0.1 | 22.8 | 9th | 40.6 | 208.3 | low | 19% |
| Port Keats Airport | 33.6 | 0.0 | 36.4 | 31st | 24.5 | +0.2 | 21.5 | 12th | 236.2 | 200.6 | average | 118% |
| Tindal RAAF | 34.5 | 0.0 | 36.7 | 30th | 22.7 | -0.5 | 17.7 | 11th | 73.4 | 156.0 | average | 47% |
| Arnhem (district 14BC) | ||||||||||||
| Cape Wessel | 32.5 | +0.1 | 33.9 | 16th | 25.1 | -0.9 | 22.4 | 9th | 213.2 | 216.0 | average | 99% |
| Gove Airport | 31.6 | +0.2 | 34.0 | 17th | 24.4 | +0.3 | 23.1 | 8th | 229.8 | 276.0 | average | 83% |
| Groote Eylandt Airport | 32.9 | +0.1 | 34.9 | 12th | 23.6 | -0.3 | 20.6 | 10th | 111.2 | 265.3 | low | 42% |
| Maningrida Airport | 32.4 | +0.1 | 34.0 | 29th | 24.4 | -0.2 | 22.9 | 10th | 161.8 | 280.5 | low | 58% |
| Milingimbi Airport | 32.6 | 0.0 | 34.5 | 18th | 24.9 | -0.1 | 23.2 | 9th | 154.6 | 250.0 | average | 62% |
| Ngayawili | 31.5 | -0.2 | 33.3 | 31st | 23.2 | 10th | 343.0 | 260.4 | high | 132% | ||
| Warruwi Airport | 32.1 | +0.5 | 33.9 | 18th | 25.5 | +0.2 | 24.0 | 4th | 140.4 | 232.2 | average | 60% |
| Roper-Mcarthur (district 14DE) | ||||||||||||
| Borroloola Airport | 33.0 | -1.3 | 35.4 | 12th | 23.2 | -0.3 | 19.0 | 10th | 176.8 | 149.7 | high | 118% |
| Bulman | 34.3 | -0.5 | 37.3 | 17th | 22.9 | -0.5 | 18.9 | 11th | 74.6 | 208.2 | low | 36% |
| Centre Island | 32.6 | -0.5 | 34.3 | 11th | 26.5 | 0.0 | 23.5 | 10th | 72.4 | 236.9 | average | 31% |
| Daly Waters Airstrip | 33.9 | -1.0 | 36.4 | 17th | 21.7 | -0.8 | 15.8 | 10th | 82.4 | 105.5 | average | 78% |
| McArthur River Mine Airport | 34.3 | -1.0 | 37.2 | 17th | 23.6 | 0.0 | 18.5 | 10th | 173.2 | 144.4 | average | 120% |
| Ngukurr Airport | 34.4 | -2.0 | 37.0 | 17th | 23.3 | -1.3 | 19.0 | 10th | 71.0 | 135.3 | low | 52% |
| Victoria (district 14F) | ||||||||||||
| Bradshaw | 36.7 | +0.6 | 38.8 | 31st | 24.2 | -0.3 | 18.9 | 11th | 76.4 | 132.4 | average | 58% |
| Bradshaw - Angallari Valley (Defence) | 36.3 | 39.1 | 17th | 24.3 | 20.1 | 11th | 72.8 | |||||
| Bradshaw - Koolendong Valley (Defence) | 35.9 | 38.1 | 31st | 23.1 | 18.2 | 11th | 63.6 | |||||
| Lajamanu Airport | 34.4 | -1.1 | 37.4 | 17th | 21.0 | -1.3 | 17.8 | 10th | 218.8 | 81.2 | high | 269% |
| Victoria River Downs | 36.2 | +0.8 | 38.5 | 17th | 22.6 | -0.7 | 17.3 | 11th | 57.6 | 107.5 | average | 54% |
| Barkly (district 15A) | ||||||||||||
| Elliott | 33.7 | -2.2 | 36.5 | 18th | 22.4 | -0.1 | 16.3 | 10th | 99.0 | 78.8 | high | 126% |
| Tennant Creek Airport | 33.2 | -1.5 | 36.7 | 17th | 21.6 | -1.8 | 16.5 | 10th | 185.6 | 55.5 | v high | 334% |
| Alice Springs (district 15B) | ||||||||||||
| Alice Springs Airport | 35.9 | +3.1 | 40.9 | 16th | 18.8 | +1.2 | 11.3 | 9th | 12.0 | 30.9 | average | 39% |
| Arltunga | 34.2 | +1.7 | 39.6 | 16th | 17.7 | -0.8 | 11.7 | 11th | 5.6 | 37.9 | average | 15% |
| Curtin Springs | 37.2 | +3.2 | 42.4 | 16th | 21.5 | +2.8 | 15.8 | 10th | 2.4 | 27.1 | average | 9% |
| Jervois | 36.4 | +1.6 | 40.9 | 18th | 20.4 | +0.9 | 16.0 | 9th | 2.2 | 35.1 | average | 6% |
| Rabbit Flat | 37.1 | +0.3 | 40.3 | 17th | 19.9 | -1.9 | 13.7 | 10th | 14.2 | 65.1 | average | 22% |
| Territory Grape Farm | 35.4 | +0.7 | 39.2 | 16th | 19.1 | -0.5 | 13.6 | 9th | 26.8 | 22.6 | high | 119% |
| Walungurru Airport | 38.7 | +1.9 | 42.5 | 17th | 24.3 | -0.3 | 19.6 | 5th | 0 | 38.1 | lowest | 0% |
| Yulara Airport | 37.3 | +2.6 | 42.9 | 17th | 21.0 | +1.5 | 14.4 | 9th | 2.8 | 29.9 | average | 9% |
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.
This statement has been prepared based on information available at 9 pm on Saturday 1 April 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.
Unless otherwise noted, all maps, graphs and diagrams in this page are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence
