Northern Territory in August 2023

Rainfall

  • Rainfall was confined to the northeast Arnhem district and the Carpentaria coast. with monthly totals mostly less than 10 mm.
  • For the Territory as a whole, August rainfall was 0.2 mm,94% below the 1961-1990 average.

Temperature

  • Mean maximum temperatures were above average across most of the Territory, and very much above average (the highest 10% of all observations) in the south, east and the far north.
  • For the Territory as whole, the mean maximum temperature was 2.29 °C above the 1961-1990 average, the sixth-highest mean maximum temperature for August on record.
  • Mean minimum temperatures were above average for much of the Territory,except in the western and northern parts.
  • For the Territory as whole, the mean minimum temperature was 0.89 °C above the 1961-1990 average.
  • Darwin Airport recorded a mean maximum temperature of 33.3 °C, which was 1.8 °C above average, the second-warmest August on record. The record is 33.4 °C in August 2021.
  • Alice Springs Airport recorded a mean maximum temperature of 26.7 °C, which was 3.9 °C above average, the second-warmest August on record. The record is 28.1 °C in August 2009.
  • Channel Point and Dum In Mirrie Airstrip had their warmest August on record in terms of maximum temperatures.
  • Walungurru Airport in the Lesseter district recorded its highest mean minimum temperature on record.

Darwin Airport

  • Total rainfall for Darwin Airport was 0 mm, which is 0% of the long-term average of 4.6 mm.
  • The mean daily maximum temperature for Darwin Airport was 33.3 °C, which is 1.8 °C above the long-term average of 31.5 °C.
  • The warmest day was 35.3 °C on the 25th, and the coolest day was on the 17th when the temperature reached 30.8 °C.
  • The mean daily minimum temperature for Darwin Airport was 20.8 °C, which is 0.5 °C above the long-term average of 20.3 °C.
  • The coldest morning was 19.1 °C on the 21st, and the warmest morning was on the 5th when the minimum temperature was 24.2 °C.

Extremes in August 2023
Hottest day 37.8 °C at Kangaroo Flats (Defence) on the 22nd
Warmest days on average 35.0 °C at Noonamah Airstrip
Coolest days on average 26.7 °C at Alice Springs Airport
Coldest day 20.9 °C at Arltunga on the 18th
Coldest night 0.0 °C at Arltunga on the 24th
Coolest nights on average 5.2 °C at Arltunga
Warmest nights on average 24.1 °C at McCluer Island
Warmest night 25.1 °C at McCluer Island on the 30th
Warmest on average overall 27.2 °C at Jabiru Airport
Coolest on average overall 16.7 °C at Alice Springs Airport
Wettest overall 17.8 mm at Cape Wessel
Wettest day 5.2 mm at Cape Wessel on the 9th
Strongest wind gust 69 km/h at Centre Island on the 20th

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 August mean daily maximum temperature
New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
August
Channel Point 31.9 31.1 in 2021 28 29.7
Dum In Mirrie Airstrip 33.5 32.4 in 2017 23 30.9



Record highest August mean daily minimum temperature
New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
August
Walungurru Airport 15.4 14.6 in 2020 20 12.4

Highest August mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years
Observed
(°C)
Most recent
higher
Average for
August
Centre Island 20.9 21.1 in 1981 19.6



Record highest August mean temperature
New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
August
Channel Point 25.3 25.2 in 2021 28 23.9
Dum In Mirrie Airstrip 26.6 26.1 in 2010 23 25.0
Walungurru Airport 21.9 21.8 in 2002 20 19.6



Summary statistics for August 2023
Maximum temperatures
(°C)
Minimum temperatures
(°C)
Rainfall
(millimetres)
Mean for
August
2023
Diff
from
average
Highest for
August
2023
Mean for
August
2023
Diff
from
average
Lowest for
August
2023
Total for
August
2023
Average
for
August
Rank of
August
2023
Fraction of
August
average
Darwin-Daly (district 14GA)
Batchelor Airport 34.0 +0.5 35.4 31st 17.1 -0.1 14.7 21st 0 2.0 lowest 0%
Central Arnhem Plateau 30.8 -0.1 33.0 18th 16.5 +0.4 12.8 21st 0 0.6 lowest 0%
Channel Point 31.9 +2.2 35.0 28th 18.8 +0.6 16.5 6th 0 3.2 lowest 0%
Charles Point 30.6   34.0 24th 21.8   20.0 21st 0 0.9 v low 0%
Croker Island Airport 31.0 -0.1 33.3 25th 21.3 -0.1 19.0 1st 0
Darwin Airport 33.3 +1.8 35.3 25th 20.8 +0.5 19.1 21st 0 4.6 lowest 0%
Delamere Weapons Range 32.4 +0.5 35.1 18th 17.6 +1.5 14.9 22nd 0 0.2 lowest 0%
Douglas River Research Farm 34.2 +0.5 35.9 18th 15.2 +1.1 10.8 8th 0 1.1 lowest 0%
Dum In Mirrie Airstrip 33.5 +2.6 35.6 26th 19.7 +0.6 17.7 21st 0 2.8 lowest 0%
Jabiru Airport 34.1 +0.2 36.0 18th 20.3 +1.1 16.8 30th 0 2.3 lowest 0%
Kangaroo Flats (Defence) 34.6   37.8 22nd 19.1   17.2 21st 0
Knuckey Lagoon 34.0   35.9 25th 17.4   15.3 20th 0
McCluer Island 27.9 +0.1 29.7 25th 24.1 +0.6 23.0 11th 0 0.4 lowest 0%
Middle Point 34.6 +0.3 36.0 31st 16.5 +1.5 13.6 7th 0 1.9 lowest 0%
Mount Bundey North (Defence) 34.6   36.4 25th 19.7   17.9 20th 0
Mount Bundey South (Defence) 34.2   35.9 18th 18.0   15.7 21st 0
Murganella Airstrip 31.1 -0.8 33.1 25th 17.7 +1.1 13.8 20th 0 0 v low
Noonamah Airstrip 35.0 +0.6 36.3 31st 17.6 +0.6 15.1 7th 0 0.7 v low 0%
Oenpelli Airport 34.4 -0.4 36.3 18th 19.9 +1.3 16.4 30th 0 0.2 v low 0%
Pirlangimpi Airport 33.6 +1.3 35.1 24th 20.0 +0.8 18.0 2nd 0 6.3 lowest 0%
Point Fawcett 31.5 +0.3 33.1 19th 18.5 +0.1 15.8 21st 0 1.4 lowest 0%
Point Stuart 32.6 +0.3 36.2 25th 19.5 +0.8 16.5 1st 0 6.1 lowest 0%
Port Keats Airport 33.0 +0.9 35.2 25th 18.6 +1.1 15.4 23rd 0 0.6 lowest 0%
Tindal RAAF 33.2 +0.7 35.5 18th 15.4 +0.4 12.7 22nd 0 1.0 lowest 0%
Arnhem (district 14BC)
Cape Wessel 30.7 +0.1 32.4 25th 23.4 -0.2 21.9 12th 17.8 9.9 high 180%
Gove Airport 28.9   30.2 30th 20.2   16.5 31st 9.0
Groote Eylandt Airport 30.5 +0.3 32.4 30th 16.4 +1.1 12.8 22nd 0 1.2 lowest 0%
Maningrida Airport 31.8 +0.4 34.5 25th 18.8 +0.7 16.1 30th 0.2 1.8 average 11%
Milingimbi Airport 31.1 0.0 33.1 24th 19.6 +0.3 17.5 16th 1.0 1.8 v high 56%
Ngayawili 31.1 +0.5 32.4 25th 20.0 +0.5 17.5 31st 2.2 0.9 high 244%
Warruwi Airport 30.2 +0.8 32.0 31st 22.8 +1.0 21.6 18th 0 0.5 lowest 0%
Roper-Mcarthur (district 14DE)
Borroloola Airport 33.4 +1.2 36.0 31st 14.2 +0.6 11.0 20th 0.6 0.6 high 100%
Bulman 33.0 +0.1 35.6 18th 15.0 +0.4 11.9 30th 0 0.7 lowest 0%
Centre Island 28.8 +0.9 32.2 31st 20.9 +1.3 19.1 21st 1.6 1.6 average 100%
Daly Waters Airstrip 32.6 +1.3 34.7 31st 12.2 -0.4 8.3 22nd 0 0.3 lowest 0%
McArthur River Mine Airport 33.6 +1.4 35.9 31st 14.6 +1.2 10.9 20th 0.2 0.3 high 67%
Ngukurr Airport 33.0 0.0 35.8 18th 16.7 +1.8 13.1 20th 0 0.1 v low 0%
Victoria (district 14F)
Bradshaw 34.2 +0.3 37.1 18th 18.3 +1.6 14.0 21st 0 0 lowest
Bradshaw - Angallari Valley (Defence) 34.1   36.5 18th 19.5   14.7 21st 0
Bradshaw - Koolendong Valley (Defence) 33.9   36.6 18th 14.8   10.2 21st 0
Lajamanu Airport 30.2 +0.2 34.2 17th 11.6 +0.3 7.9 21st 0 1.0 lowest 0%
Victoria River Downs 33.3 +1.2 36.0 18th 13.8 +0.7 9.3 21st 0 0.9 lowest 0%
Barkly (district 15A)
Elliott 31.1 -0.1 34.0 17th 14.8 +1.5 10.7 8th 0 0.9 lowest 0%
Tennant Creek Airport 28.6 +1.0 32.8 17th 15.7 +1.3 10.7 20th 0 2.4 lowest 0%
Alice Springs (district 15B)
Alice Springs Airport 26.7 +3.9 32.4 16th 6.6 +0.7 2.9 26th 0 8.2 lowest 0%
Arltunga     31.9 16th 5.2 +0.6 0.0 24th 0 6.4 lowest 0%
Jervois 28.1 +3.1 33.8 17th 9.1 +2.0 4.6 21st 0 6.7 lowest 0%
Rabbit Flat 30.4 +0.9 33.8 16th 8.4 0.0 3.3 21st 0 2.5 lowest 0%
Territory Grape Farm 26.9 +1.5 31.5 17th 8.8 +1.9 4.8 21st 0.2 3.7 average 5%
Walungurru Airport 28.5 +1.8 32.1 14th 15.4 +3.0 11.4 21st 0.2 4.7 average 4%
Yulara Airport 27.0 +3.3 31.1 29th 8.3 +2.4 4.2 25th 0 4.7 lowest 0%

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 11 am on Monday 4 September 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.


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