Thursday, 1 February 2024 - Monthly Climate Summary for Northern Territory - Product code IDCKGC12R0
Northern Territory in January 2024
Rainfall
- The arrival of the monsoon at Darwin on 10 January led to heavy rainfall and flooding throughout the month.
- Across the NT, average rainfall was 232.78 mm, which was 90.2% above average (based on 1961–1990), making it the fourth-wettest January on record (since 1900).
- Rainfall was above to very much above average for the northern two-thirds of the NT and the highest on record for much of the Gregory district.
- Several sites had their highest January daily rainfall on record, including Port Keats Airport, which recorded 334.8mm on the 15th, the highest on record at the site for any month.
- Many sites had their highest total January rainfall on record or highest total January rainfall for at least 20 years.
Temperature
- The mean temperature across the NT was 0.81 °C above the long-term average (based on 1961–1990)
- The mean maximum temperature across the NT was 0.11 °C above the long-term (1961–1990) average.
- Maximum temperatures were above to very much above average across the southern NT, and much of the Arnhem district extending around the Gulf of Carpentaria coast.
- A few sites had their highest January temperature on record.
- Delamere Weapons Range had its coldest January day (lowest maximum temperature) on record on the 17th.
- The mean minimum temperature was 1.51 °C above the long-term average, the fourth-highest on record.
- Minimum temperatures were above to very much above average across almost all of the NT, with highest on record minimum temperatures in areas of the Tanami and Carpentaria districts.
- Several sites had their warmest January night (highest daily minimum temperature) on record.
- Some sites had their highest January mean daily minimum temperature on record.
Darwin Airport
- Total rainfall for Darwin Airport was 531.6 mm, which is 123% of the long-term average of 431.0 mm.
- The mean daily maximum temperature for Darwin Airport was 31.6 °C, which is 0.2 °C below the long-term average of 31.8 °C.
- The warmest day was 35.6 °C on the 2nd, and the coolest day was on the 25th when the temperature reached 28.2 °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 22.6 °C on the 30th, and the warmest morning was on the 1st when the minimum temperature was 29.9 °C.
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
| Extremes in January 2024 | |
|---|---|
| Hottest day | 46.3 °C at Jervois on the 3rd |
| Warmest days on average | 41.8 °C at Walungurru Airport |
| Coolest days on average | 30.9 °C at Central Arnhem Plateau |
| Coldest day | 24.8 °C at Delamere Weapons Range on the 17th |
| Coldest night | 16.6 °C at Alice Springs Airport on the 1st |
| Coolest nights on average | 23.4 °C at Central Arnhem Plateau |
| Warmest nights on average | 28.0 °C at Walungurru Airport |
| Warmest night | 32.9 °C at Walungurru Airport on the 31st |
| Warmest on average overall | 34.9 °C at Walungurru Airport |
| Coolest on average overall | 27.1 °C at Central Arnhem Plateau |
| Wettest overall | 1051.2 mm at Port Keats Airport |
| Wettest day | 334.8 mm at Port Keats Airport on the 15th |
| Strongest wind gust | 98 km/h at Cape Wessel on the 26th |
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
| Maps | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Observed | Anomaly | Decile rank | |
| Total rainfall |
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| Mean daily maximum temperatures |
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| Mean daily minimum temperatures |
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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 |
||||
| Gilnockie | 122.0 | on the 18th | =122.0 | on the 16th in 2015 | 36 | |
| Moolooloo | 151.0 | on the 17th | 96.4 | on the 2nd in 2017 | 35 | |
| Birrindudu | 137.0 | on the 22nd | 119.6 | on the 31st in 2006 | 31 | |
| Birrimba | 193.0 | on the 18th | 102.0 | on the 27th in 1984 | 30 | |
| Port Keats Airport | 334.8 | on the 15th | 230.6 | on the 4th in 2008 | 24 | |
| Record highest January total rainfall | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (mm) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for January |
||
| Adelaide River Post Office | 715.0 | 711.0 | in 2018 | 62 | 339.6 |
| Old Delamere | 571.0 | 419.9 | in 1946 | 61 | 175.3 |
| Tipperary | 1021.0 | 820.0 | in 2018 | 56 | 276.9 |
| Kidman Springs | 598.6 | 451.4 | in 2009 | 55 | 185.6 |
| Montejinni | 712.0 | 636.4 | in 1987 | 50 | 179.8 |
| Elizabeth Downs | 810.0 | 787.0 | in 1995 | 45 | 361.1 |
| Cattle Creek | 584.0 | 392.0 | in 1984 | 37 | 149.6 |
| Gilnockie | 699.4 | 495.2 | in 2009 | 34 | 204.5 |
| Mount Sanford | 583.0 | 351.5 | in 1987 | 34 | 186.7 |
| Moolooloo | 618.0 | 409.0 | in 2017 | 33 | 175.1 |
| Bullo River | 622.9 | 476.7 | in 1966 | 32 | 209.0 |
| Darwin Hospital | 788.0 | 717.8 | in 1998 | 29 | 445.1 |
| Moroak | 481.1 | 383.0 | in 2009 | 29 | 220.5 |
| Delamere Weapons Range | 750.0 | 404.0 | in 2017 | 27 | 215.5 |
| Bradshaw | 632.8 | 632.0 | in 2009 | 24 | 245.6 |
| Lakefield | 606.2 | 556.8 | in 2009 | 24 | 271.2 |
| Port Keats Airport | 1051.2 | 820.0 | in 2015 | 24 | 371.7 |
| Wildman Rangers | 792.6 | 765.3 | in 2018 | 23 | 374.4 |
| Middle Point | 555.0 | 499.6 | in 2021 | 22 | 309.2 |
| Upper Victoria River | 487.8 | 350.8 | in 2014 | 22 | 206.0 |
| Humbert River | 666.5 | 465.8 | in 2017 | 21 | 203.4 |
| Bulman | 448.6 | 367.0 | in 2021 | 20 | 236.9 |
| Central Arnhem Plateau | 733.8 | 503.8 | in 2010 | 20 | 282.1 |
| Pigeon Hole | 579.0 | 441.6 | in 2006 | 20 | 204.4 |
| Upper Wickham River | 547.8 | 300.6 | in 2018 | 20 | 176.4 |
| Highest January total rainfall for at least 20 years | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Observed (mm) |
Most recent higher |
Average for January |
|||
| Victoria River Downs | 654.4 | 781.4 | in 1937* | 160.5 | |
| Douglas River Research Farm | 750.2 | 786.6 | in 1998* | 296.0 | |
| Leanyer | 707.2 | 725.4 | in 1998* | 453.9 | |
| Bonalbo | 682.0 | 734.8 | in 1998* | 329.0 | |
| Nightcliff Pool | 646.4 | 951.1 | in 1981* | 336.6 | |
* 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 |
|||
| Pirlangimpi Airport | 36.4 | on the 2nd | = 36.4 | on the 19th in 2016 | 43 | 32.0 |
| Watarrka | 46.0 | on the 24th | 45.5 | on the 7th in 2019 | 32 | 38.2 |
| Channel Point | 35.0 | on the 1st | = 35.0 | on the 24th in 2023 | 30 | 31.7 |
| Ngayawili | 37.6 | on the 1st | 35.6 | on the 16th in 2016 | 25 | 31.7 |
| Record lowest January daily maximum temperature | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for January |
|||
| Delamere Weapons Range | 24.8 | on the 17th | 26.0 | on the 27th in 2006 | 27 | 34.7 |
| Record highest January daily minimum temperature | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for January |
|||
| Darwin Airport | 29.9 | on the 1st | 29.3 | on the 4th in 2021 | 83 | 24.9 |
| Curtin Springs | 31.6 | on the 22nd | 31.5 | on the 13th in 2013 | 60 | 22.4 |
| Pirlangimpi Airport | 28.9 | on the 20th | 28.8 | on the 29th in 2020 | 43 | 24.7 |
| Channel Point | 30.0 | on the 1st | 29.6 | on the 27th in 2002 | 30 | 25.1 |
| Point Fawcett | 30.1 | on the 7th | 30.0 | on the 12th in 2003 | 27 | 25.8 |
| McCluer Island | 29.9 | on the 6th | = 29.9 | on the 2nd in 2020 | 24 | 26.6 |
| Middle Point | 27.7 | on the 18th | 27.6 | on the 26th in 2013 | 23 | 24.3 |
| Record highest January mean daily minimum temperature | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for January |
||
| McArthur River Mine Airport | 26.4 | 26.2 | in 2020 | 45 | 25.0 |
| Douglas River Research Farm | 24.9 | 24.8 | in 2013 | 34 | 24.0 |
| Borroloola Airport | 26.5 | 26.1 | in 2020 | 30 | 25.0 |
| Groote Eylandt Airport | 26.7 | 26.5 | in 2020 | 24 | 25.3 |
| Middle Point | 25.1 | 24.7 | in 2016 | 22 | 24.3 |
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
| Summary statistics for January 2024 | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum temperatures (°C) |
Minimum temperatures (°C) |
Rainfall (millimetres) |
||||||||||
| Mean for January 2024 |
Diff from average |
Highest for January 2024 |
Mean for January 2024 |
Diff from average |
Lowest for January 2024 |
Total for January 2024 |
Average for January |
Rank of January 2024 |
Fraction of January average |
|||
| Darwin-Daly (district 14GA) | ||||||||||||
| Batchelor Airport | 31.4 | -1.3 | 37.9 | 1st | 24.6 | +0.6 | 22.8 | 2nd | 697.8 | 337.1 | v high | 207% |
| Central Arnhem Plateau | 30.9 | -0.9 | 36.8 | 1st | 23.4 | +0.1 | 21.1 | 4th | 733.8 | 282.1 | highest | 260% |
| Channel Point | 31.5 | -0.2 | 35.0 | 1st | 25.7 | +0.6 | 23.0 | 31st | 785.6 | 466.8 | high | 168% |
| Charles Point | 31.2 | 34.1 | 1st | 25.7 | 23.0 | 31st | 652.0 | 438.4 | high | 149% | ||
| Croker Island Airport | 32.1 | +0.3 | 35.7 | 5th | 26.2 | +0.2 | 24.0 | 30th | 366.6 | 364.1 | average | 101% |
| Darwin Airport | 31.6 | -0.2 | 35.6 | 2nd | 25.6 | +0.7 | 22.6 | 30th | 531.6 | 431.0 | high | 123% |
| Delamere Weapons Range | 32.7 | -2.0 | 40.8 | 1st | 24.4 | +0.2 | 22.1 | 11th | 750.0 | 215.5 | highest | 348% |
| Douglas River Research Farm | 32.9 | -0.8 | 38.8 | 1st | 24.9 | +0.9 | 23.2 | 30th | 750.2 | 296.0 | v high | 253% |
| Dum In Mirrie Airstrip | 31.7 | 0.0 | 34.9 | 1st | 25.7 | +0.1 | 23.5 | 31st | 631.0 | 433.5 | high | 146% |
| East Point | 31.5 | 35.2 | 1st | 25.8 | 22.7 | 30th | 646.4 | |||||
| Jabiru Airport | 33.2 | -0.5 | 37.8 | 1st | 25.5 | +0.8 | 23.1 | 5th | 533.6 | 359.1 | v high | 149% |
| Kangaroo Flats (Defence) | 32.1 | 38.2 | 1st | 25.0 | 23.0 | 2nd | 758.2 | |||||
| Knuckey Lagoon | 32.0 | 36.6 | 1st | 25.1 | 22.8 | 30th | 590.4 | |||||
| McCluer Island | 31.4 | 0.0 | 34.2 | 6th | 27.0 | +0.4 | 24.1 | 25th | 355.8 | 258.1 | high | 138% |
| Middle Point | 32.8 | -0.7 | 39.0 | 1st | 25.1 | +0.8 | 23.5 | 31st | 555.0 | 309.2 | highest | 179% |
| Mount Bundey North (Defence) | 32.9 | 38.9 | 1st | 24.6 | 23.5 | 6th | 98.2 | |||||
| Mount Bundey South (Defence) | 33.1 | 39.4 | 1st | 25.0 | 23.8 | 4th | 468.8 | |||||
| Murganella Airstrip | 32.9 | +0.1 | 36.7 | 5th | 24.9 | +0.3 | 23.3 | 24th | 480.8 | 369.3 | high | 130% |
| Noonamah Airstrip | 32.4 | -0.7 | 37.7 | 1st | 25.2 | +0.4 | 23.2 | 30th | 626.2 | 437.7 | high | 143% |
| Oenpelli Airport | 32.9 | -0.4 | 37.7 | 5th | 25.6 | +0.5 | 23.9 | 30th | 667.8 | 394.0 | high | 169% |
| Pirlangimpi Airport | 32.6 | +0.6 | 36.4 | 2nd | 25.5 | +0.8 | 23.0 | 30th | 361.2 | 417.9 | average | 86% |
| Point Fawcett | 31.8 | 0.0 | 34.8 | 6th | 26.6 | +0.8 | 23.9 | 31st | 412.4 | 338.5 | average | 122% |
| Point Stuart | 32.7 | +0.1 | 37.6 | 1st | 25.4 | +0.2 | 22.7 | 3rd | 394.4 | 297.8 | high | 132% |
| Port Keats Airport | 32.0 | -0.6 | 36.3 | 3rd | 25.6 | +0.6 | 23.0 | 26th | 1051.2 | 371.7 | highest | 283% |
| Tindal RAAF | 33.4 | -0.8 | 39.3 | 1st | 24.8 | +0.4 | 23.7 | 18th | 399.0 | 260.6 | high | 153% |
| Arnhem (district 14BC) | ||||||||||||
| Cape Wessel | 33.4 | +0.5 | 36.5 | 8th | 26.3 | +0.2 | 24.3 | 25th | 332.8 | 268.2 | average | 124% |
| Gove Airport | 32.7 | 35.8 | 1st | 25.8 | 23.3 | 24th | 292.8 | |||||
| Groote Eylandt Airport | 34.1 | +0.7 | 38.0 | 2nd | 26.7 | +1.4 | 24.1 | 7th | 186.0 | 247.9 | average | 75% |
| Maningrida Airport | 32.6 | +0.1 | 36.5 | 1st | 25.7 | +0.6 | 23.5 | 25th | 250.6 | 280.0 | average | 90% |
| Milingimbi Airport | 32.8 | -0.1 | 37.1 | 1st | 25.9 | +0.4 | 23.7 | 13th | 411.6 | 296.5 | high | 139% |
| Warruwi Airport | 32.5 | +0.4 | 35.9 | 6th | 26.1 | +0.5 | 23.7 | 25th | 472.0 | 265.0 | v high | 178% |
| Roper-Mcarthur (district 14DE) | ||||||||||||
| Borroloola Airport | 36.1 | +1.6 | 42.3 | 1st | 26.5 | +1.5 | 24.9 | 15th | 160.4 | 207.8 | average | 77% |
| Bulman | 35.0 | -0.1 | 40.3 | 1st | 25.2 | +0.7 | 22.4 | 3rd | 448.6 | 236.9 | highest | 189% |
| Centre Island | 34.2 | +0.5 | 37.5 | 2nd | 27.4 | +0.7 | 23.8 | 23rd | 322.4 | 234.5 | high | 137% |
| Daly Waters Airstrip | 34.7 | -1.1 | 42.7 | 1st | 24.7 | +0.6 | 23.5 | 10th | 467.8 | 167.3 | v high | 280% |
| McArthur River Mine Airport | 36.0 | 0.0 | 41.8 | 1st | 26.4 | +1.4 | 24.2 | 5th | 179.8 | 214.6 | average | 84% |
| Ngukurr Airport | 36.7 | +0.2 | 42.1 | 2nd | 26.6 | +0.8 | 24.9 | 8th | 118.0 | 176.5 | average | 67% |
| Victoria (district 14F) | ||||||||||||
| Bradshaw | 33.5 | -1.8 | 40.9 | 1st | 25.4 | +0.2 | 23.2 | 28th | 632.8 | 245.6 | highest | 258% |
| Bradshaw - Angallari Valley (Defence) | 33.5 | 40.5 | 2nd | 25.4 | 23.5 | 4th | 587.0 | |||||
| Bradshaw - Koolendong Valley (Defence) | 33.4 | 38.8 | 1st | 25.1 | 23.3 | 7th | 538.2 | |||||
| Lajamanu Airport | 38.2 | +0.9 | 43.0 | 2nd | 23.4 | 10th | 16.6 | 143.1 | low | 12% | ||
| Victoria River Downs | 34.6 | -1.9 | 41.1 | 1st | 25.2 | +0.2 | 21.6 | 4th | 654.4 | 160.5 | v high | 408% |
| Barkly (district 15A) | ||||||||||||
| Elliott | 35.3 | -2.1 | 44.0 | 1st | 25.3 | +1.0 | 23.5 | 10th | 432.7 | 142.9 | v high | 303% |
| Tennant Creek Airport | 36.0 | -0.7 | 42.4 | 2nd | 25.2 | +0.2 | 22.0 | 7th | 328.6 | 120.4 | v high | 273% |
| Alice Springs (district 15B) | ||||||||||||
| Alice Springs Airport | 39.3 | +2.9 | 42.9 | 24th | 24.2 | +2.6 | 16.6 | 1st | 40.2 | 42.8 | average | 94% |
| Curtin Springs | 41.2 | +3.3 | 43.9 | 23rd | 26.3 | +3.9 | 19.9 | 4th | 15.4 | 29.2 | average | 53% |
| Jervois | 40.1 | +1.6 | 46.3 | 3rd | 26.1 | +3.0 | 21.3 | 29th | 14.4 | 52.8 | average | 27% |
| Rabbit Flat | 38.8 | +0.3 | 43.5 | 2nd | 26.1 | +1.9 | 22.6 | 10th | 96.4 | 134.1 | average | 72% |
| Territory Grape Farm | 38.8 | +1.5 | 42.2 | 25th | 24.0 | +1.8 | 18.7 | 1st | 21.4 | 66.7 | low | 32% |
| Walungurru Airport | 41.8 | +2.6 | 44.4 | 20th | 28.0 | +1.8 | 20.7 | 4th | 8.0 | 54.0 | low | 15% |
| Watarrka | 41.2 | +3.0 | 46.0 | 24th | 19.5 | 4th | 15.7 | 45.5 | average | 35% | ||
| Yulara Airport | 41.1 | +2.7 | 44.1 | 24th | 26.6 | +3.7 | 20.0 | 4th | 13.8 | 29.8 | average | 46% |
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 10 am on Thursday 1 February 2024. 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
