Sunday, 2 June 2024 - Monthly Climate Summary for Northern Territory - Product code IDCKGC12R0

Northern Territory in May 2024

Rainfall

  • May is the beginning of the Northern Territory's dry season. May average rainfall was 9.72 mm, this was 29.4% below the 1961–1990 average.
  • Rainfall was below average across the Top End and above average for most of the southern half and west of the NT.
  • Humbert River recorded its highest May daily rainfall on record on the 31st and its highest total May rainfall on record.

Temperature

  • The mean maximum temperature across the NT was 28.31 °C, 0.22 °C above the 1961–1990 average.
  • Maximum temperatures were the highest on record for the Tiwi Islands and surrounding Darwin area, above to very much above average for the Top End and eastern NT and close to average elsewhere.
  • A few sites had their highest May mean daily maximum temperature on record.
  • The mean minimum temperature across the NT was 15.85 °C, 0.31 °C above the 1961–1990 average.
  • Minimum temperatures were above to very much above average for the northern two-thirds and western NT and close to average elsewhere.
  • The mean temperature across the NT was 22.08 °C, 0.65 °C above the 1961–1990 average.

Darwin Airport

  • Total rainfall for Darwin Airport was 0 mm, which is 0% of the long-term average of 19.9 mm.
  • The mean daily maximum temperature for Darwin Airport was 33.7 °C, which is 1.6 °C above the long-term average of 32.1 °C.
  • The warmest day was 35.1 °C on the 10th, and the coolest day was on the 21st when the temperature reached 30.5 °C.
  • The mean daily minimum temperature for Darwin Airport was 23.7 °C, which is 1.5 °C above the long-term average of 22.2 °C.
  • The coldest morning was 19.1 °C on the 21st, and the warmest morning was on the 10th when the minimum temperature was 26.5 °C.

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes in May 2024
Hottest day 36.8 °C at Noonamah Airstrip on the 10th
Warmest days on average 35.0 °C at Noonamah Airstrip
35.0 °C at Oenpelli Airport
Coolest days on average 22.5 °C at Arltunga
Coldest day 16.0 °C at Arltunga on the 31st
Coldest night -0.3 °C at Alice Springs Airport on the 20th
Coolest nights on average 6.6 °C at Alice Springs Airport
Warmest nights on average 26.3 °C at McCluer Island
Warmest night 27.5 °C at Oenpelli Airport on the 2nd
Warmest on average overall 29.6 °C at Oenpelli Airport
Coolest on average overall 14.9 °C at Alice Springs Airport
Wettest overall 51.0 mm at Humbert River
Wettest day 51.0 mm at Humbert River on the 31st
Strongest wind gust 63 km/h at Centre Island on the 19th

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 May daily rainfall
New record
(mm)		 Old
record		 Years of
record
Humbert River 51.0 on the 31st 23.8 on the 6th in 1973 20


Record highest May total rainfall
New record
(mm)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
May
Humbert River 51.0 41.9 in 1968 20 8.0


Record highest May mean daily maximum temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
May
Darwin Airport 33.7 33.6 in 2022 82 32.1
Channel Point 33.0 32.7 in 2013 29 31.3
Dum In Mirrie Airstrip 34.6 33.8 in 2022 25 32.4


Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Summary statistics for May 2024
Maximum temperatures
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
(°C)		 Rainfall
(millimetres)
Mean for
May
2024		 Diff
from
average		 Highest for
May
2024		 Mean for
May
2024		 Diff
from
average		 Lowest for
May
2024		 Total for
May
2024		 Average
for
May		 Rank of
May
2024		 Fraction of
May
average
Darwin-Daly (district 14GA)
Batchelor Airport 33.6 +0.8 35.1 10th 21.2 +2.1 17.3 21st 0 22.8 lowest 0%
Central Arnhem Plateau 31.3 +0.8 33.0 16th 20.6 +1.4 15.9 21st 0 8.0 lowest 0%
Channel Point 33.0 +1.7 34.5 27th 21.7 +1.1 16.5 22nd 0 11.8 lowest 0%
Charles Point 32.6   34.7 2nd 24.0   19.6 21st 0 10.9 v low 0%
Croker Island Airport 31.8 +0.5 33.3 15th 24.3 +0.6 21.7 7th 7.2 9.5 average 76%
Darwin Airport 33.7 +1.6 35.1 10th 23.7 +1.5 19.1 21st 0 19.9 lowest 0%
Delamere Weapons Range 31.9 +0.2 33.7 16th 19.4 +1.3 14.8 21st 0 3.7 lowest 0%
Douglas River Research Farm 34.1 +0.7 35.7 10th 19.3 +2.7 12.6 21st 0 9.0 lowest 0%
Dum In Mirrie Airstrip 34.6 +2.2 36.6 10th 22.4 +0.7 19.8 7th 0 20.4 lowest 0%
East Point 34.1   35.8 10th 24.0   20.3 22nd 0
Jabiru Airport 34.6 +1.0 36.3 3rd 23.9 +1.9 21.6 19th 0 16.4 lowest 0%
Kangaroo Flats (Defence) 34.4   36.0 16th 22.2   18.3 21st 0
Knuckey Lagoon 34.2   35.9 10th 22.5   19.2 21st 0
McCluer Island 30.0 +0.5 31.9 18th 26.3 +1.0 24.4 21st 2.0 43.2 low 5%
Middle Point 34.1 +0.7 35.2 16th 21.1 +2.0 15.1 21st 2.4 16.9 average 14%
Mount Bundey South (Defence) 34.5   35.9 4th 20.9   15.6 21st 0
Murganella Airstrip 32.8   34.3 6th 22.2   17.6 19th 0.2 11.5 low 2%
Noonamah Airstrip 35.0 +1.1 36.8 10th 21.8 +1.7 18.0 19th 0 8.5 v low 0%
Oenpelli Airport 35.0 +0.6 36.5 4th 24.2 +1.7 20.1 19th 0.8 13.6 average 6%
Pirlangimpi Airport 34.2 +1.6 35.7 10th 22.8 +1.3 18.7 22nd 0 20.5 lowest 0%
Point Fawcett 32.3 +0.7 33.4 10th 21.8 +0.7 17.7 22nd 0.2 30.1 low 1%
Port Keats Airport 33.8 +0.8 35.5 10th 22.4 +3.0 14.0 22nd 0 16.4 lowest 0%
Tindal RAAF 32.9 +0.6 34.5 29th 18.5 +1.2 10.8 21st 0 2.0 lowest 0%
Arnhem (district 14BC)
Cape Wessel 31.1 0.0 32.0 26th 25.8 +0.1 24.5 30th 47.8 90.1 average 53%
Gove Airport 30.4   31.7 18th 25.0   23.6 7th 32.4
Groote Eylandt Airport 31.7 +0.8 33.1 17th 21.9 +2.6 16.0 21st 24.0 29.3 average 82%
Maningrida Airport 32.8 +0.7 34.1 17th 23.3 +1.4 20.9 8th 1.8 21.8 low 8%
Milingimbi Airport 32.7 +0.6 34.0 10th 23.7 +1.2 20.9 22nd 5.2 22.4 low 23%
Ngayawili 31.6 +0.4 32.8 17th 24.2 +1.7 21.2 22nd 6.2 25.0 average 25%
Warruwi Airport 31.8 +1.0 33.4 18th 25.3 +1.2 23.0 22nd 0 15.5 lowest 0%
Roper-Mcarthur (district 14DE)
Borroloola Airport 33.4 +0.9 35.0 17th 17.1 +1.4 8.1 21st 0 6.8 lowest 0%
Bulman 33.1 +0.6 34.7 16th 20.5 +2.1 16.4 21st 1.0 14.6 average 7%
Centre Island 29.6 +0.1 31.6 4th 23.6 +1.1 18.6 21st 0.2 10.5 low 2%
Daly Waters Airstrip 31.3 0.0 33.4 16th 17.6 +1.7 13.6 28th 0 6.1 lowest 0%
McArthur River Mine Airport 33.1 +0.7 34.8 16th 18.1 +1.5 9.1 21st 0 6.6 lowest 0%
Ngukurr Airport 33.2 0.0 34.5 2nd 20.2 +1.9 13.3 20th 0 9.2 v low 0%
Victoria (district 14F)
Bradshaw 33.7 -0.1 35.5 10th 19.7 +1.1 12.4 21st 0 10.8 lowest 0%
Bradshaw - Angallari Valley (Defence) 33.7   36.0 17th 22.0   16.7 23rd 1.0
Bradshaw - Koolendong Valley (Defence) 33.7   36.0 29th 16.6   8.7 22nd 0
Lajamanu Airport 29.1 -0.6 32.0 17th 14.7 +1.1 7.3 21st 6.2 7.8 high 79%
Victoria River Downs 31.8 -0.2 34.4 16th 16.9 +1.1 8.7 21st 4.8 5.7 high 84%
Barkly (district 15A)
Elliott 29.4 -1.8 32.5 29th 18.2 +2.2 12.0 21st 1.0 6.2 average 16%
Tennant Creek Airport 27.9 +0.2 31.8 30th 16.8 +0.4 10.7 21st 9.6 7.8 high 123%
Alice Springs (district 15B)
Alice Springs Airport 23.2 +0.1 28.2 29th 6.6 -1.5 -0.3 20th 42.0 18.0 high 233%
Arltunga 22.5 -0.6 27.4 29th 8.5 +0.5 -0.2 23rd 22.8 18.9 high 121%
Curtin Springs 24.4 +0.5 28.0 25th 9.6 +0.9 4.9 4th 12.6 17.0 average 74%
Jervois 26.0 +0.6 30.7 16th 11.6 +1.6 4.9 23rd 29.4 15.9 high 185%
Rabbit Flat 28.1 -0.8 31.1 17th 13.6 +2.0 3.9 21st 16.6 11.5 average 144%
Territory Grape Farm 24.8 -0.8 28.6 16th 10.0 +0.6 3.9 20th 14.0 19.8 average 71%
Walungurru Airport 26.5 -0.8 29.6 16th 15.4 0.0 10.4 22nd 18.6 15.4 high 121%
Watarrka 24.7 -0.2 29.0 25th 10.4 -0.2 6.4 21st 12.0 19.4 average 62%
Yulara Airport 24.4 +0.1 28.0 29th 9.7 +0.4 4.2 20th 16.8 13.0 high 129%

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 am on Sunday 2 June 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.

Creative Commons By Attribution logo Unless otherwise noted, all maps, graphs and diagrams in this page are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence

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