Wednesday, 2 October 2024 - Seasonal Climate Summary for Northern Territory - Product code IDCKGCC2R0
Northern Territory in May to September 2024
Rainfall
- Average rainfall across the Northern Territory during the northern dry season (May to September) was 47.4 mm, 27% above the 1961–1990 average.
- Rainfall was above average for of the western half of the Northern Territory and the east of the Simpson district.
- Rainfall was very much above average in parts of the Tanami, Gregory and Daly districts, including around Darwin, largely due to unseasonable rainfall during September.
- Rainfall was below average for much of the Arnhem district.
- Several sites had their highest May to September daily rainfall on record, between 17 and 24 September due to unseasonable rain in the Top End and the west of the Northern Territory.
Temperature
- The mean maximum temperature across the NT during the dry season (May to September) was 28.90 °C, 1.35 °C above the 1961–1990 average and the 10th warmest on record since 1910.
- Maximum temperatures were above average to very much above average across most of the Northern Territory, with pockets of coastal Van Diemen Gulf highest on record for September.
- A few sites had their highest May to September temperature on record.
- Pirlangimpi Airport recorded its highest May to September mean daily maximum temperature on record.
- The mean minimum temperature across the Northern Territory was 14.47 °C, 1.07 °C above the 1961–1990 average.
- Minimum temperatures were above average to very much above average across most of the Northern Territory, except for parts of the Lasseter district.
- Daly Waters Airstrip recorded its lowest May to September temperature on record.
- Yulara Airport recorded its highest May to September mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years and highest May to September mean temperature for at least 20 years.
- The mean temperature across the Northern Territory was 21.86 °C, 1.21 °C above the 1961–1990 average.
Darwin Airport
- Total rainfall for Darwin Airport was 63.4 mm, which is 143% of the long-term average of 44.2 mm.
- The mean daily maximum temperature for Darwin Airport was 32.8 °C, which is 1.2 °C above the long-term average of 31.6 °C.
- The warmest day was 36.7 °C on 10 September, and the coolest day was on 17 September when the temperature reached 26.8 °C.
- The mean daily minimum temperature for Darwin Airport was 21.9 °C, which is 0.9 °C above the long-term average of 21.0 °C.
- The coldest morning was 14.7 °C on 8 June, and the warmest morning was on 10 May when the minimum temperature was 26.5 °C.
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
| Extremes in May to September 2024 | |
|---|---|
| Hottest day | 41.0 °C at Oenpelli Airport on 29 Sep |
| Warmest days on average | 34.8 °C at Oenpelli Airport |
| Coolest days on average | 24.3 °C at Alice Springs Airport |
| Coldest day | 10.5 °C at Arltunga on 1 Jul |
| Coldest night | -3.7 °C at Arltunga on 23 Jun |
| Coolest nights on average | 7.2 °C at Alice Springs Airport |
| Warmest nights on average | 24.8 °C at McCluer Island |
| Warmest night | 27.9 °C at Charles Point on 30 Sep |
| Warmest on average overall | 27.9 °C at Cape Wessel |
| Coolest on average overall | 15.8 °C at Alice Springs Airport |
| Wettest overall | 121.4 mm at Walker Creek |
| Wettest day | 75.2 mm at Nightcliff Pool on 17 Sep |
| Strongest wind gust | 69 km/h at Walungurru Airport on 11 Sep |
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
| Maps | |||
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| 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 May to September daily rainfall | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (mm) |
Old record |
Years of record |
||||
| Old Delamere | 49.2 | on 22 Sep | 48.3 | on 14 Jul 1968 | 53 | |
| Nightcliff Pool | 75.2 | on 17 Sep | 74.2 | on 3 May 1968 | 41 | |
| Darwin Hospital | 46.2 | on 17 Sep | 41.0 | on 24 Sep 2015 | 29 | |
| Rabbit Flat | 41.6 | on 23 Sep | 38.8 | on 3 Sep 2008 | 28 | |
| Upper Seventeen Mile Creek | 50.0 | on 17 Sep | 47.2 | on 19 Sep 2016 | 20 | |
| Record highest May to September temperature | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for May to September |
|||
| Jabiru Airport | 40.4 | on 29 Sep | = 40.4 | on 21 Sep 2022 | 50 | 33.6 |
| Groote Eylandt Airport | 36.6 | on 30 Sep | 36.4 | on 25 Sep 2009 | 26 | 30.3 |
| Ngayawili | 35.7 | on 28 Sep | = 35.7 | on 26 Sep 2014 | 24 | 30.7 |
| Record highest May to September mean daily maximum temperature | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for May to September |
||
| Pirlangimpi Airport | 33.8 | 33.6 | in 2014 | 40 | 32.2 |
| Record lowest May to September temperature | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for May to September |
|||
| Daly Waters Airstrip | 0.8 | on 20 Jul | 1.3 | on 22 Jun 1946 | 56 | 14.1 |
| Highest May to September mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Observed (°C) |
Most recent higher |
Average for May to September |
|||
| Yulara Airport | 8.9 | 9.7 | in 1998 | 7.2 | |
| Highest May to September mean temperature for at least 20 years | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Observed (°C) |
Most recent higher |
Average for May to September |
|||
| Yulara Airport | 16.7 | 16.8 | in 1996 | 15.4 | |
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
| Summary statistics for May to September 2024 | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum temperatures (°C) |
Minimum temperatures (°C) |
Rainfall (millimetres) |
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| Mean for May to September 2024 |
Diff from average |
Highest for May to September 2024 |
Mean for May to September 2024 |
Diff from average |
Lowest for May to September 2024 |
Total for May to September 2024 |
Average for May to September |
Rank of May to September 2024 |
Fraction of May to September average |
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| Darwin-Daly (district 14GA) | ||||||||||||
| Batchelor Airport | 33.7 | +0.4 | 39.4 | 3 Sep | 18.9 | +0.8 | 10.2 | 20 Jul | 29.2 | 37.8 | average | 77% |
| Central Arnhem Plateau | 31.2 | +0.5 | 37.5 | 29 Sep | 17.7 | +0.4 | 8.7 | 19 Jul | 5.0 | 16.5 | average | 30% |
| Charles Point | 30.9 | 36.8 | 13 Sep | 22.5 | 15.5 | 19 Jul | 38.4 | 45.6 | average | 84% | ||
| Croker Island Airport | 31.5 | +0.5 | 36.8 | 22 Sep | 22.0 | -0.3 | 16.1 | 9 Jun | 17.2 | |||
| Darwin Airport | 32.8 | +1.2 | 36.7 | 10 Sep | 21.9 | +0.9 | 14.7 | 8 Jun | 63.4 | 44.2 | high | 143% |
| Delamere Weapons Range | 31.9 | +0.2 | 38.6 | 29 Sep | 17.5 | +0.4 | 5.5 | 19 Jul | 33.4 | 11.8 | high | 283% |
| Douglas River Research Farm | 34.3 | +0.8 | 40.6 | 29 Sep | 17.1 | +1.8 | 6.0 | 20 Jul | 31.0 | 20.7 | high | 150% |
| East Point | 32.5 | 37.7 | 10 Sep | 22.2 | 14.9 | 18 Jul | 71.2 | |||||
| Jabiru Airport | 34.4 | +0.8 | 40.4 | 29 Sep | 21.2 | +0.9 | 11.8 | 18 Jul | 35.2 | 34.9 | average | 101% |
| Kangaroo Flats (Defence) | 34.3 | 39.6 | 3 Sep | 20.4 | 12.0 | 8 Jun | 92.0 | |||||
| Knuckey Lagoon | 33.6 | 37.9 | 30 Sep | 19.9 | 10.6 | 19 Jul | 31.2 | |||||
| McCluer Island | 28.7 | +0.3 | 31.9 | 18 May | 24.8 | +0.6 | 19.0 | 19 Jul | 9.8 | 56.9 | low | 17% |
| Middle Point | 34.2 | +0.3 | 39.2 | 29 Sep | 18.7 | +2.0 | 6.8 | 18 Jul | 64.8 | 37.0 | high | 175% |
| Mount Bundey South (Defence) | 34.3 | 39.8 | 3 Sep | 19.5 | 9.2 | 18 Jul | 43.8 | |||||
| Murganella Airstrip | 31.8 | 37.1 | 22 Sep | 19.2 | 8.9 | 18 Jul | 3.8 | 21.0 | low | 18% | ||
| Noonamah Airstrip | 34.5 | +0.3 | 39.2 | 3 Sep | 19.5 | +1.1 | 8.3 | 18 Jul | 104.8 | 36.6 | high | 286% |
| Oenpelli Airport | 34.8 | 41.0 | 29 Sep | 20.6 | 9.2 | 18 Jul | 13.6 | 35.9 | average | 38% | ||
| Pirlangimpi Airport | 33.8 | +1.6 | 38.1 | 30 Sep | 21.0 | +1.0 | 12.5 | 9 Jun | 20.2 | 62.7 | low | 32% |
| Point Fawcett | 31.4 | +0.3 | 35.3 | 30 Sep | 19.7 | +0.2 | 9.7 | 19 Jul | 32.0 | 51.7 | average | 62% |
| Port Keats Airport | 32.7 | +0.4 | 37.4 | 29 Sep | 19.7 | +1.3 | 10.9 | 18 Jul | 29.6 | 31.1 | average | 95% |
| Tindal RAAF | 33.0 | +0.7 | 39.9 | 30 Sep | 16.8 | +0.8 | 6.1 | 19 Jul | 19.6 | 15.2 | high | 129% |
| Arnhem (district 14BC) | ||||||||||||
| Cape Wessel | 31.0 | +0.3 | 34.1 | 27 Sep | 24.7 | +0.3 | 21.6 | 19 Jul | 80.6 | 167.2 | low | 48% |
| Gove Airport | 29.8 | 34.2 | 28 Sep | 22.3 | 17.4 | 15 Jul | 58.8 | |||||
| Groote Eylandt Airport | 30.9 | +0.6 | 36.6 | 30 Sep | 18.2 | +1.1 | 8.1 | 20 Jul | 30.0 | 44.8 | average | 67% |
| Maningrida Airport | 31.9 | +0.4 | 36.8 | 28 Sep | 20.4 | +0.7 | 9.6 | 18 Jul | 5.4 | 34.7 | low | 16% |
| Milingimbi Airport | 31.6 | +0.3 | 35.4 | 28 Sep | 21.1 | +0.6 | 11.5 | 18 Jul | 7.0 | 40.8 | low | 17% |
| Ngayawili | 31.3 | +0.6 | 35.7 | 28 Sep | 21.5 | +0.9 | 12.6 | 19 Jul | 7.8 | 38.2 | low | 20% |
| Warruwi Airport | 30.4 | +0.5 | 34.8 | 28 Sep | 23.4 | +0.8 | 17.5 | 19 Jul | 7.0 | 22.9 | average | 31% |
| Roper-Mcarthur (district 14DE) | ||||||||||||
| Borroloola Airport | 33.0 | +0.8 | 39.8 | 30 Sep | 14.9 | +0.5 | 3.1 | 19 Jul | 11.6 | 13.5 | average | 86% |
| Bulman | 33.1 | +0.4 | 39.6 | 29 Sep | 16.9 | +0.7 | 5.7 | 19 Jul | 5.2 | 31.3 | average | 17% |
| Centre Island | 28.8 | +0.6 | 35.5 | 30 Sep | 21.6 | +1.1 | 15.3 | 18 Jul | 15.0 | 20.0 | average | 75% |
| Daly Waters Airstrip | 32.0 | +0.9 | 38.9 | 3 Sep | 13.6 | -0.5 | 0.8 | 20 Jul | 33.6 | 14.2 | high | 237% |
| Ngukurr Airport | 33.2 | +0.2 | 39.6 | 30 Sep | 17.8 | +1.3 | 5.9 | 18 Jul | 11.4 | 15.4 | high | 74% |
| Victoria (district 14F) | ||||||||||||
| Bradshaw | 33.7 | -0.2 | 40.5 | 30 Sep | 18.4 | +0.5 | 5.8 | 19 Jul | 22.8 | 17.8 | high | 128% |
| Bradshaw - Angallari Valley (Defence) | 33.7 | 40.2 | 30 Sep | 19.6 | 8.5 | 19 Jul | 46.6 | |||||
| Bradshaw - Koolendong Valley (Defence) | 33.9 | 40.9 | 3 Sep | 14.7 | 2.1 | 19 Jul | 52.8 | |||||
| Lajamanu Airport | 30.2 | +0.5 | 37.9 | 31 Aug | 13.4 | +1.1 | 2.2 | 19 Jul | 53.6 | 23.3 | high | 230% |
| Victoria River Downs | 32.4 | +0.6 | 39.3 | 3 Sep | 15.0 | +1.0 | 4.3 | 20 Jul | 83.4 | 17.0 | v high | 491% |
| Barkly (district 15A) | ||||||||||||
| Elliott | 30.0 | -0.9 | 38.0 | 29 Sep | 16.1 | +1.9 | 4.6 | 20 Jul | 13.7 | 21.4 | average | 64% |
| Tennant Creek Airport | 28.2 | +0.9 | 36.9 | 2 Sep | 15.3 | +0.4 | 5.9 | 20 Jul | 73.8 | 30.7 | high | 240% |
| Alice Springs (district 15B) | ||||||||||||
| Alice Springs Airport | 24.3 | +1.6 | 36.6 | 30 Aug | 7.2 | +0.5 | -3.1 | 30 Jul | 56.6 | 61.2 | average | 92% |
| Jervois | 26.4 | +1.5 | 38.8 | 30 Aug | 10.1 | +2.0 | 0.4 | 19 Jul | ||||
| Rabbit Flat | 29.2 | +0.1 | 38.5 | 31 Aug | 11.4 | +1.6 | 1.6 | 18 Jul | 86.2 | 32.5 | v high | 265% |
| Territory Grape Farm | 25.9 | +0.5 | 36.2 | 31 Aug | 8.8 | +0.8 | -2.3 | 4 Jul | 52.2 | 49.9 | average | 105% |
| Walungurru Airport | 27.0 | +0.5 | 37.5 | 30 Aug | 14.2 | +0.9 | 3.8 | 5 Jul | 75.4 | 52.2 | average | 144% |
| Watarrka | 25.7 | +1.2 | 37.1 | 30 Aug | 9.5 | +0.5 | -3.0 | 4 Jul | 64.6 | 63.5 | average | 102% |
| Yulara Airport | 24.6 | +1.0 | 37.5 | 30 Aug | 8.9 | +1.7 | -1.1 | 21 Jul | 89.6 | 59.3 | high | 151% |
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
Notes
The Seasonal 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 Wednesday 2 October 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
