Friday 1 May 2026 - Monthly Climate Summary for Northern Territory - Product code IDCKGC12R0

Northern Territory in April 2026

Rainfall

  • Rainfall totals in April were above to very much above average for parts of the Top End and north-east of the Northern Territory, and below to very much below average for the south and west.
  • The Northern Territory's area-averaged rainfall total in April was 29.0 mm, 4.5% above the 1961–1990 average,
  • Daly Waters Airstrip and Groote Eylandt Airport had their highest April daily rainfall on record.
  • Several sites had their highest total April rainfall for at least 20 years.

Temperature

  • Mean maximum temperatures in April were above to very much above average for the southern Northern Territory, and below average for central regions of the Northern Territory.
  • The Northern Territory's area-averaged mean maximum temperature was 32.3 °C, 0.47 °C above the 1961–1990 average.
  • Channel Point recorded its hottest April day (highest daily maximum temperature) on record on the 3rd.
  • Mean minimum temperatures in April were below average for parts of the central and southern Northern Territory, and above to very much above average for parts of the northern and southern Northern Territory.
  • The Northern Territory's area-averaged mean minimum temperature was 18.7 °C, 0.39 °C below the 1961–1990 average.
  • The Northern Territory had its lowest mean minimum temperature for April since 2024.
  • The Northern Territory's area-averaged mean temperature was 25.5 °C, 0.04 °C above the 1961–1990 average.

Events

  • The remnants of Ex-Tropical Cyclone Maila tracked across the of the Northern Territory during mid-April, bringing heavy rainfall, including a record highest daily rainfall for April at Groote Eylandt Airport (Northern Territory) of 171.6 mm in the 24 hours to 9 am on 17 April.
  • For more details, visit the April national climate summary.

Darwin Airport

  • Total rainfall for Darwin Airport is estimated to be at least 220 mm, around 215% of the long-term average of 102.4 mm.
  • Due to an equipment fault, daily rainfall at Darwin Airport was not recorded for 9, 18, 19 and 20 April. The missing total cannot be reliably estimated due to localised storm activity, however nearby gauges recorded at least 40 mm across the affected days.
  • The mean daily maximum temperature for Darwin Airport was 33.0 °C, which is 0.2 °C above the long-term average of 32.8 °C.
  • The warmest day was 34.6 °C on the 16th, and the coolest day was on the 19th when the temperature reached 31.6 °C.
  • The mean daily minimum temperature for Darwin Airport was 24.0 °C, which is 0.1 °C below the long-term average of 24.1 °C.
  • The coldest morning was 21.1 °C on the 29th, and the warmest morning was on the 17th when the minimum temperature was 26.3 °C.

Alice Springs Airport

  • Total rainfall for Alice Springs Airport was 0.0 mm; the long-term average is 16.7 mm.
  • The mean daily maximum temperature for Alice Springs Airport was 29.7 °C, which is 1.3 °C above the long-term average of 28.4 °C.
  • The warmest day was 33.9 °C on the 10th, and the coolest day was on the 12th when the temperature reached 24.4 °C.
  • The mean daily minimum temperature for Alice Springs Airport was 10.8 °C, which is 1.8 °C below the long-term average of 12.6 °C.
  • The coldest morning was 5.7 °C on the 14th, and the warmest morning was on the 9th when the minimum temperature was 19.3 °C.

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes in April 2026
Hottest day 37.8 °C at Bradshaw - Angallari Valley (Defence) on the 4th
Warmest days on average 35.5 °C at Bradshaw - Angallari Valley (Defence)
Coolest days on average 29.7 °C at Alice Springs Airport
Coldest day 24.4 °C at Alice Springs Airport on the 12th
Coldest night 5.7 °C at Alice Springs Airport on the 14th
Coolest nights on average 10.8 °C at Alice Springs Airport
Warmest nights on average 25.5 °C at Centre Island
Warmest night 27.8 °C at Centre Island on the 5th
Warmest on average overall 29.2 °C at Bradshaw - Angallari Valley (Defence)
Coolest on average overall 20.3 °C at Alice Springs Airport
Wettest overall 473.2 mm at Groote Eylandt Airport
Wettest day 171.6 mm at Groote Eylandt Airport on the 17th
Strongest wind gust 72.0 km/h at Jabiru Airport 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

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Record highest April daily rainfall
New record
(mm)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
April
Daly Waters Airstrip 83.2 on the 18th 56.8 on 07 Apr 2006 57 20.9
Groote Eylandt Airport 171.6 on the 17th 111.6 on 13 Apr 2010 27 161.1


Highest April total rainfall for at least 20 years
Observed
(mm)		 Most recent
higher		 Average for
April
East Arm 258.0 334.8 in 2000 91.4
Marrara 223.5 329.4 in 2006 102.4
Cooinda Airstrip 215.4 288.4 in 2006 85.8
Darwin Hospital 242.8 340.8 in 2006 112.4
Berry Springs Rangers 143.8 675.3 in 2006 96.3
CSIRO Berrimah 328.0 367.0 in 2006 121.1
Leanyer 230.4 338.3 in 2006 103.5

note: there may be gaps in the historical record at some sites, so it is possible more recent higher values have gone unreported



Record highest April temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
April
Channel Point 35.5 on the 3rd =35.5 on 16 Apr 2024 32 32.5


Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Summary statistics for April 2026
Maximum temperatures
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
(°C)		 Rainfall
(millimetres)
Mean for
April
2026		 Diff
from
average		 Highest for
April
2026		 Mean for
April
2026		 Diff
from
average		 Lowest for
April
2026		 Total for
April
2026		 Average
for
April		 Rank of
April
2026		 Fraction of
April
average
Darwin-Daly (district 14GA)
Batchelor Airport 33.3 -0.4 35.4 2nd 22.2 +0.3 17.9 15th 98.8 87.2 average 113%
Central Arnhem Plateau 31.9 -0.6 34.3 2nd 21.4 -0.3 17.9 15th 41.0 67.7 average 61%
Channel Point 33.0 +0.5 35.5 3rd 24.3 +0.7 20.8 15th 108.7 98.0 high 111%
Charles Point 32.3 -0.5 34.9 16th 24.2 -0.5 20.8 29th 204.0 87.9 highest 232%
Croker Island Airport 31.9 -0.4 35.0 16th 24.3 -0.7 22.0 29th 4.0 153.6 lowest 3%
Darwin Airport 33.0 +0.2 34.6 16th 24.0 -0.1 21.1 29th 179.2* 102.4 high 175%
Delamere Weapons Range 32.9 -1.5 34.6 11th 20.8 -0.5 14.3 28th 2.6 19.0 average 14%
Douglas River Research Farm 33.9 -0.8 35.7 2nd 21.3 +0.6 16.4 28th 54.8 50.7 average 108%
Dum In Mirrie Airstrip 33.6 +0.4 35.6 3rd 23.6 -0.7 18.6 29th 145.2 98.1 high 148%
East Point 32.3 34.4 12th 24.1 20.8 29th 211.4
Jabiru Airport 34.4 -0.2 36.0 1st 23.8 +0.1 20.9 15th 40.0 86.4 average 46%
Kangaroo Flats (Defence) 34.5 36.3 1st 23.1 19.3 29th 125.0
Knuckey Lagoon 33.4 35.2 1st 23.7 19.4 29th 236.6
Middle Point 33.7 -0.5 36.1 16th 22.7 +0.1 18.4 29th 118.0 96.7 high 122%
Mount Bundey North (Defence) 33.8 36.0 2nd 22.8 19.9 28th 165.2
Mount Bundey South (Defence) 34.4 36.3 5th 22.1 17.3 29th
Murganella Airstrip 32.3 -0.7 34.9 15th 23.0 -0.1 19.8 12th 130.4 116.6 average 112%
Noonamah Airstrip 34.2 -0.4 36.2 16th 23.1 -0.3 18.8 29th 157.0 87.9 high 179%
Oenpelli Airport 34.4 -0.4 36.2 15th 23.7 -0.5 20.3 15th 91.2 85.2 average 107%
Pirlangimpi Airport 32.2 -0.7 34.3 16th 23.6 +0.3 18.8 29th 150.4 160.2 average 94%
Point Stuart 32.3 -0.3 33.9 1st 24.5 0.0 22.3 29th 155.0 116.9 high 133%
Port Keats Airport 33.8 -0.5 35.7 1st 22.6 -0.1 18.1 16th 117.8 81.6 high 144%
Tindal RAAF 33.6 -0.6 35.8 6th 20.9 +0.2 15.0 28th 0.8 34.9 average 2%
Arnhem (district 14BC)
Gove Airport 30.7 32.6 13th 23.7 20.8 28th 196.2
Groote Eylandt Airport 32.0 -0.4 34.6 1st 22.0 -0.1 18.3 28th 473.2 161.1 high 294%
Maningrida Airport 32.4 -0.1 34.4 15th 23.2 -0.3 19.7 11th 146.2 137.7 average 106%
Milingimbi Airport 32.6 +0.2 34.9 15th 23.5 -0.5 20.9 14th 187.4 135.0 high 139%
Ngayawili 31.6 -0.2 33.8 1st 23.6 -0.3 20.8 28th 186.4 159.5 high 117%
Warruwi Airport 31.4 -0.2 33.4 16th 24.7 -0.4 22.1 11th 46.2 115.5 average 40%
Roper-Mcarthur (district 14DE)
Borroloola Airport 33.9 -0.4 35.8 11th 19.7 -0.7 13.2 14th 64.8 54.3 high 119%
Bulman 33.2 -1.0 35.7 5th 21.1 0.0 15.5 28th 144.4 65.5 high 220%
Centre Island 31.7 -0.5 34.4 1st 25.5 +0.1 23.0 28th 12.2 88.3 average 14%
Daly Waters Airstrip 33.3 -0.7 35.6 11th 18.9 -0.7 11.8 28th 106.2 20.9 high 508%
McArthur River Mine Airport 34.3 -0.6 37.2 2nd 20.9 0.0 15.0 14th 160.6 30.6 high 525%
Ngukurr Airport 33.3 -1.8 35.9 4th 21.5 -0.7 16.2 28th 118.6 41.2 highest 288%
Victoria (district 14F)
Bradshaw 35.4 -0.8 37.7 7th 21.5 -1.0 16.1 15th 46.8 29.2 average 160%
Bradshaw - Angallari Valley (Defence) 35.5 37.8 4th 22.7 17.3 15th 20.6
Bradshaw - Koolendong Valley (Defence) 34.8 36.5 2nd 20.6 15.1 29th 23.2
Lajamanu Airport 33.1 -0.9 36.1 2nd 17.5 -0.9 11.8 15th 0.0 15.3 lowest 0%
Victoria River Downs 34.4 -0.4 37.0 2nd 19.5 -0.4 13.5 14th 7.8 23.0 average 34%
Barkly (district 15A)
Elliott 33.1 -1.3 35.4 8th 19.4 -0.4 15.2 28th 8.8 19.9 average 44%
Tennant Creek Airport 31.5 -0.4 34.4 2nd 19.4 -1.1 14.0 14th 1.4 15.0 average 9%
Alice Springs (district 15B)
Alice Springs Airport 29.7 +1.3 33.9 10th 10.8 -1.8 5.7 14th 0.0 16.7 lowest 0%
Curtin Springs 31.5 +2.2 36.0 9th 13.3 -0.4 8.2 27th 0.0 14.0 lowest 0%
Jervois 31.1 +0.5 35.5 1st 13.3 -1.2 9.8 21st 0.0 15.3 lowest 0%
Rabbit Flat 33.6 -0.5 36.3 9th 14.7 -2.4 8.7 15th 0.0 19.3 lowest 0%
Territory Grape Farm 30.7 -0.1 34.5 10th 13.8 -0.7 9.1 21st 0.0 15.1 lowest 0%
Walungurru Airport 33.3 +0.4 35.8 10th 20.4 -0.2 16.1 16th 0.0 14.7 lowest 0%
Watarrka 35.1 +4.5 35.1 5th 0.0 15.3 lowest 0%
Yulara Airport 31.4 +1.4 35.4 9th 13.9 -0.7 9.8 22nd 0.0 14.1 lowest 0%

*note: there are gaps in the April rainfall record at Darwin Airport, with four days of missing observations.

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 on Friday 1 May 2026. 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, excluding the current year. The length of record can vary widely from site to site. Averages are not shown for sites with fewer 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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