Tuesday, 4 May 2021 - Seasonal Climate Summary for Northern Territory - Product code IDCKGCC2R0

Northern Territory in October to April 2020-21: highest rainfall since 2016-17

Most parts of the Northern Territory recorded above average rainfall during the wet-season months of October to April. Temperatures were generally warmer than average in the north and near or below average in the southern Territory, with cool days observed in the south-west. For the first wet season since 2015–16, no tropical cyclones passed over Northern Territory waters.

Rainfall generally above average

• Apart from areas across the central Territory and eastern border region, rainfall totals during the wet season were generally above average; Territory-wide, rainfall was 21% above the long-term average, and the highest since the wet season of 2016-17.
• Four of the 7 months of the wet season saw above average rainfall across the Territory, starting with an unusually wet October as La Niña became established in the Pacific Ocean.
• December saw an early monsoon onset at Darwin on the 19th, and the associated rain saw the Territory have its fifth-wettest December on record.
• A relatively dry start to January 2021 was followed by a monsoon burst late in the month, although rainfall was 20% below average overall for the month.
• Monsoonal conditions continued into early February, leading to above average rainfall.
• While rainfall in the northern half of the Territory was below average during March, tropical low activity affected southern and western areas, leading to slightly above average rainfall for the month.
• The final month of the wet season saw mostly dry conditions during April, with no monsoonal activity affecting the Territory.
• Two sites had their highest total October to April rainfall on record; several other sites had their highest October to April daily rainfall on record.

Warm days and nights in the north

• Overall, both daytime and night-time temperatures across the Territory were marginally above the long-term average; the mean maximum temperature was 0.34 °C above average while the mean minimum temperature was 0.78 °C above average.
• Daytime temperatures were somewhat above average across the Top End and over the eastern half, south of the Top End; elsewhere it was close to average, although parts of the south-west had cooler than average days.
• Much of the northern and eastern Territory had above average night-time temperatures, with the south-west region seeing close to average night-time temperatures.
• Several sites in the south-western Territory had their coldest October to April day on record, associated with widespread rainfall in early October.
• Temperatures for the individual months of the wet season were generally close to average, apart from November and December.
• The influence of La Niña was weaker during November 2020, contributing to the warmest November on record for the Territory for maximum, minimum and mean temperature.
• December was much cooler than average, related to the widespread rainfall, with the mean maximum temperature 1.70 °C below average, the lowest for December since 2000.
• Some sites had their lowest October to April temperature on record.

Darwin Airport

• Total rainfall for Darwin Airport was 1857.8 mm, which is 111% of the long-term average of 1676.4 mm.
• Darwin's wet-season rainfall total was the highest since 2017–18 when 2038.6 mm was recorded.
• The highest daily rainfall total was 119.4 mm on 8 October; this was the first time a daily rainfall total above 100 mm was observed at Darwin Airport since 30 January 2018, when 155.2 mm was recorded.
• The mean daily maximum temperature for Darwin Airport was 32.8 °C, which is 0.3 °C above the long-term average of 32.5 °C.
• The warmest day was 37.0 °C on 20 November, and the coolest day was on 28 January when the temperature reached 27.1 °C.
• The mean daily minimum temperature for Darwin Airport was 25.1 °C, which is 0.3 °C above the long-term average of 24.8 °C.
• The coldest morning was 18.9 °C on 25 April, the earliest sub-20 °C April temperature since 2017, and the warmest morning was on 4 January when the minimum temperature was 29.3 °C.

Alice Springs Airport

• Total rainfall for Alice Springs Airport was 275.6 mm, which is 127% of the long-term average of 217.6 mm.
• Alice Spring's wet-season rainfall total was the highest since 2010–11 when 491.4 mm was recorded.
• The highest daily rainfall total was 49.8 mm on 22 March.
• The mean daily maximum temperature for Alice Springs Airport was 33.1 °C, which is 0.2 °C below the long-term average of 33.3 °C.
• The warmest day was 43.7 °C on 28 November, and the coolest day was on the 5 October when the temperature reached 13.0 °C.
• The mean daily minimum temperature for Alice Springs Airport was 18.2 °C, which is 0.3 °C above the long-term average of 17.9 °C.
• The coldest morning was 3.9 °C on 19 April, and the warmest morning was on 11 November when the minimum temperature was 30.7 °C.

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top