Thursday, 1 October 2020 - Seasonal Climate Summary for Northern Territory - Product code IDCKGCC2R0
Northern Territory in May to September 2020: warm days and nights during the dry season; below average rainfall across most areas
Dry season 2020 saw warmer than average days and nights across virtually all of the Northern Territory. Territory-wide, temperatures were above average for every month during the dry season, apart from May. All months of the dry season, apart from September, saw below average rainfall for the NT.
Warm days throughout, most parts had warmer than average nights
- Averaged across the Northern Territory, the mean maximum temperature for the 5 months of the dry season was the seventh-highest ever recorded at 1.39 °C above the long-term average.
- Several sites had their highest May to September temperature on record, while Dum In Mirrie in the northwestern Top End had its highest May to September mean daily maximum temperature on record.
- May, the first month of the dry season, saw a well below average mean monthly maximum, but all remaining months of the dry season were significantly warmer than the long-term average.
- The Territory-wide mean minimum temperature for the dry season was 0.85 °C above the long-term average, and the mean dry season temperature was 1.13 °C above the long-term average.
- A handful of sites across the NT had their warmest May to September night (highest daily minimum temperature) on record.
Average to below average rain everywhere apart from the northwest
- Territory-wide, rainfall was 49% below the long-term average; the May to August period had below average monthly rainfall, while September had rainfall 16% above the long-term average.
- September saw above average rainfall across much of the northern half of the Territory, particularly western parts.
- Dum In Mirrie in the northwestern Top End had its highest May to September mean daily maximum temperature on record with a 24-hour total of 77.6 mm in late September.
Darwin Airport
- Total rainfall for Darwin Airport was 89.2 mm, which is 200% of the long-term average of 44.7 mm.
- The mean daily maximum temperature for Darwin Airport was 32.6 °C, which is 1.1 °C above the long-term average of 31.5 °C
- The warmest day was 37.0 °C on 8 September, and the coolest day was on 22 May when the temperature reached 25.0 °C.
- The mean daily minimum temperature for Darwin Airport was 21.5 °C, which is 0.6 °C above the long-term average of 20.9 °C
- The coldest morning was 16.2 °C on 30 July, and the warmest morning was on 24 September when the minimum temperature was 25.5 °C.
- Darwin Airport had 46 nights with temperatures below 20 °C during the 2020 dry season, slightly below the long-term average of 51 for the 5-month period.
Alice Springs Airport
- Total rainfall for Alice Springs Airport was 6.0 mm, which is 10% of the long-term average of 62.4 mm.
- The mean daily maximum temperature for Alice Springs Airport was 24.2 °C, which is 1.6 °C above the long-term average of 22.6 °C. The warmest day was 35.9 °C on 20 September, and the coolest day was on 21 July when the temperature reached 14.7 °C.
- The mean daily minimum temperature for Alice Springs Airport was 6.7 °C, which is 0.2 °C below the long-term average of 6.7 °C. The coldest morning was -0.9 °C on 28 June, and the warmest morning was on 17 September when the minimum temperature was 24.3 °C.
- Alice Springs Airport had 16 nights when the temperature fell below 0 °C, all occurring in June and July; the long-term average for the 5-month period is 13 such cold nights.
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- Media
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Further information
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
Extremes in May to September 2020 | |
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Hottest day | 40.8 °C at Victoria River Downs on 20 Sep |
Warmest days on average | 34.9 °C at Oenpelli Airport |
Coolest days on average | 24.2 °C at Alice Springs Airport |
Coldest day |
14.6 °C at Tennant Creek Airport on 22 May 14.6 °C at Arltunga on 21 Jul |
Coldest night | -4.2 °C at Arltunga on 25 Jun |
Coolest nights on average | 6.0 °C at Arltunga |
Warmest nights on average | 24.6 °C at McCluer Island |
Warmest night | 28.4 °C at Wave Hill on 21 Sep |
Warmest on average overall | 27.9 °C at Jabiru Airport |
Coolest on average overall | 15.4 °C at Alice Springs Airport |
Wettest overall | 192.0 mm at Cape Wessel |
Wettest day | 77.6 mm at Dum In Mirrie Airstrip on 25 Sep |
Strongest wind gust | 83 km/h at Walungurru Airport on 17 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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Record highest May to September daily rainfall | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New record (mm) |
Old record |
Years of record |
||||
Dum In Mirrie Airstrip | 77.6 | on 25 Sep | 58.8 | on 4 May 2014 | 24 |
Record highest May to September temperature | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for May to September |
|||
Victoria River Downs | 40.8 | on 20 Sep | 40.7 | on 28 Sep 2016 | 56 | 31.7 |
Point Fawcett | 36.0 | on 8 Sep | 35.5 | on 16 Sep 2017 | 23 | 31.0 |
Dum In Mirrie Airstrip | 37.5 | on 8 Sep | 37.0 | on 26 Sep 2001 | 22 | 31.2 |
Record highest May to September mean daily maximum temperature | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for May to September |
||
Jabiru Airport | 34.6 | = 34.6 | in 1998 | 40 | 33.5 |
Dum In Mirrie Airstrip | 32.5 | 32.3 | in 2017 | 20 | 31.2 |
Record highest May to September daily minimum temperature | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for May to September |
|||
Brunette Downs | 25.9 | on 20 Sep | 25.8 | on 28 Sep 1997 | 57 | 13.3 |
Wave Hill | 28.4 | on 21 Sep | = 28.4 | on 29 Sep 1992 | 47 | 13.6 |
Elliott | 27.4 | on 21 Sep | 27.3 | on 20 Sep 1986 | 40 | 14.1 |
Delamere Weapons Range | 27.3 | on 20 Sep | 27.1 | on 22 Sep 2013 | 24 | 17.0 |
Rabbit Flat | 25.9 | on 29 Sep | 25.3 | on 28 Sep 2005 | 24 | 9.8 |
Middle Point | 25.9 | on 21 May | 25.4 | on 26 Jul 2010 | 20 | 16.5 |
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
Summary statistics for May to September 2020 | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Maximum temperatures (°C) |
Minimum temperatures (°C) |
Rainfall (millimetres) |
||||||||||
Mean for May to September 2020 |
Diff from average |
Highest for May to September 2020 |
Mean for May to September 2020 |
Diff from average |
Lowest for May to September 2020 |
Total for May to September 2020 |
Average for May to September |
Rank of May to September 2020 |
Fraction of May to September average |
|||
Darwin-Daly (district 14GA) | ||||||||||||
Batchelor Airport | 33.9 | +0.7 | 38.3 | 6 Sep | 18.5 | +0.5 | 11.5 | 30 Jul | 6.4 | 38.4 | low | 17% |
Central Arnhem Plateau | 31.4 | +0.9 | 37.4 | 21 Sep | 18.0 | +0.8 | 9.6 | 29 Jul | 5.0 | 18.0 | average | 28% |
Charles Point | 30.5 | 35.5 | 28 Aug | 22.2 | 16.8 | 31 Jul | 50.0 | |||||
Croker Island Airport | 31.2 | 34.0 | 26 Sep | 22.6 | 17.0 | 31 Jul | 1.6 | |||||
Darwin Airport | 32.6 | +1.1 | 37.0 | 8 Sep | 21.5 | +0.6 | 16.2 | 30 Jul | 89.2 | 44.7 | high | 200% |
Delamere Weapons Range | 32.4 | +0.8 | 38.9 | 22 Sep | 17.9 | +0.9 | 9.2 | 24 May | 1.6 | 10.2 | average | 16% |
Douglas River Research Farm | 34.6 | +1.2 | 39.9 | 28 Sep | 16.0 | +0.8 | 7.3 | 5 Jun | 19.0 | 20.9 | high | 91% |
Dum In Mirrie Airstrip | 32.5 | +1.3 | 37.5 | 8 Sep | 20.1 | -0.2 | 11.0 | 31 Jul | 111.8 | 48.3 | high | 231% |
Jabiru Airport | 34.6 | +1.1 | 39.4 | 22 Sep | 21.1 | +0.9 | 13.1 | 31 Jul | 14.4 | 34.9 | average | 41% |
Kangaroo Flats (Defence) | 34.4 | 39.0 | 6 Sep | 19.8 | 11.4 | 30 Jul | 19.2 | |||||
McCluer Island | 28.5 | +0.1 | 32.6 | 1 May | 24.6 | +0.6 | 20.5 | 30 Jul | 14.4 | 62.9 | low | 23% |
Middle Point | 34.4 | +0.5 | 38.5 | 6 Sep | 17.0 | +0.5 | 6.2 | 30 Jul | 50.0 | 39.3 | high | 127% |
Mount Bundey North (Defence) | 34.3 | 38.7 | 5 Sep | 20.5 | 13.9 | 29 Jul | 42.6 | |||||
Mount Bundey South (Defence) | 34.5 | 39.4 | 22 Sep | 18.8 | 10.2 | 31 Jul | 36.0 | |||||
Murganella Airstrip | 32.3 | 36.5 | 25 Sep | 18.7 | 9.3 | 29 Jul | 10.2 | |||||
Noonamah Airstrip | 34.3 | 38.4 | 5 Sep | 19.1 | 8.9 | 30 Jul | 63.2 | |||||
Oenpelli Airport | 34.9 | 39.2 | 27 Sep | 20.6 | 11.2 | 31 Jul | 7.4 | |||||
Pirlangimpi Airport | 32.5 | +0.4 | 36.2 | 23 Sep | 20.4 | +0.5 | 12.0 | 31 Jul | 59.6 | 62.7 | average | 95% |
Point Fawcett | 31.9 | +0.9 | 36.0 | 8 Sep | 19.5 | 0.0 | 11.3 | 31 Jul | 14.8 | 52.1 | average | 28% |
Port Keats Airport | 32.7 | +0.5 | 37.5 | 27 Aug | 19.5 | +1.3 | 10.3 | 5 Jun | 56.0 | 32.7 | high | 171% |
Tindal RAAF | 33.7 | +1.5 | 39.3 | 29 Sep | 16.8 | +0.8 | 7.3 | 30 Jul | 15.0 | 14.7 | high | 102% |
Arnhem (district 14BC) | ||||||||||||
Cape Wessel | 30.8 | 33.4 | 24 Sep | 24.5 | 22.1 | 18 Aug | 192.0 | 165.5 | average | 116% | ||
Gove Airport | 29.9 | +0.8 | 32.9 | 25 Sep | 14.6 | 18 Aug | 83.2 | 149.7 | average | 56% | ||
Groote Eylandt Airport | 30.7 | +0.4 | 36.0 | 28 Sep | 17.6 | +0.7 | 8.7 | 30 Jul | 23.4 | 48.4 | average | 48% |
Maningrida Airport | 32.0 | +0.6 | 35.2 | 27 Aug | 19.9 | +0.3 | 13.5 | 30 Jul | 37.0 | 38.0 | average | 97% |
Milingimbi Airport | 32.4 | +1.2 | 35.0 | 15 Jun | 20.7 | +0.3 | 14.4 | 31 Jul | 6.6 | 41.6 | low | 16% |
Warruwi Airport | 30.6 | +0.8 | 35.0 | 25 Sep | 23.2 | +0.6 | 19.2 | 19 Aug | 2.0 | 22.3 | low | 9% |
Roper-Mcarthur (district 14DE) | ||||||||||||
Borroloola Airport | 32.9 | +0.8 | 38.7 | 27 Sep | 14.4 | +0.1 | 5.1 | 14 Jul | 11.0 | 14.0 | average | 79% |
Centre Island | 28.5 | +0.3 | 34.1 | 23 Sep | 20.9 | +0.4 | 14.4 | 23 May | 9.8 | 20.9 | average | 47% |
Daly Waters Airstrip | 32.2 | +1.1 | 38.9 | 21 Sep | 14.4 | +0.3 | 6.0 | 24 May | 12.0 | 13.4 | high | 90% |
McArthur River Mine Airport | 32.8 | +0.8 | 39.8 | 27 Sep | 14.8 | +0.2 | 4.4 | 14 Jul | 7.6 | 15.6 | average | 49% |
Ngukurr Airport | 33.2 | 40.1 | 21 Sep | 16.7 | 7.1 | 30 Jul | 2.2 | |||||
Victoria (district 14F) | ||||||||||||
Bradshaw | 34.6 | +0.8 | 40.4 | 20 Sep | 18.8 | +1.1 | 9.9 | 15 Jul | 18.8 | 19.3 | high | 97% |
Bradshaw - Angallari Valley (Defence) | 33.8 | 40.6 | 28 Sep | 19.3 | 10.4 | 15 Jul | 5.0 | |||||
Bradshaw - Koolendong Valley (Defence) | 34.0 | 40.5 | 28 Sep | 13.7 | 4.0 | 29 Jul | 27.6 | |||||
Lajamanu Airport | 30.6 | +1.0 | 39.3 | 21 Sep | 13.9 | +1.8 | 4.9 | 14 Jul | 32.0 | 20.9 | high | 153% |
Victoria River Downs | 32.9 | +1.2 | 40.8 | 20 Sep | 14.7 | +0.7 | 5.7 | 14 Jul | 38.4 | 16.6 | high | 231% |
Wave Hill | 31.7 | +0.9 | 40.2 | 21 Sep | 15.7 | +2.1 | 3.2 | 14 Jul | 14.0 | 30.8 | average | 45% |
Barkly (district 15A) | ||||||||||||
Elliott | 30.9 | 0.0 | 39.7 | 21 Sep | 15.1 | +1.0 | 6.0 | 14 Jul | 16.8 | 21.0 | average | 80% |
Tennant Creek Airport | 28.5 | +1.2 | 38.2 | 21 Sep | 15.8 | +0.9 | 6.7 | 23 May | 16.2 | 28.6 | average | 57% |
Alice Springs (district 15B) | ||||||||||||
Alice Springs Airport | 24.2 | +1.6 | 35.9 | 20 Sep | 6.7 | 0.0 | -0.9 | 28 Jun | 6.0 | 62.4 | low | 10% |
Arltunga | 35.3 | 20 Sep | 6.0 | -0.1 | -4.2 | 25 Jun | 9.0 | 57.0 | low | 16% | ||
Jervois | 25.7 | +0.9 | 38.5 | 20 Sep | 8.2 | +0.1 | 0.2 | 14 Jul | 4.4 | 57.4 | low | 8% |
Rabbit Flat | 29.6 | +0.6 | 40.1 | 30 Sep | 1.3 | 15 Jul | 21.0 | 30.3 | average | 69% | ||
Territory Grape Farm | 26.0 | +0.6 | 36.8 | 20 Sep | 8.3 | +0.4 | 0.0 | 13 Jul | 1.4 | 49.1 | v low | 3% |
Walungurru Airport | 27.4 | +0.9 | 37.7 | 8 Sep | 14.3 | +1.2 | 8.1 | 22 Jun | 10.6 | 49.4 | average | 21% |
Yulara Airport | 24.8 | +1.2 | 36.8 | 8 Sep | 7.3 | +0.1 | -0.4 | 24 Jun | 15.6 | 58.4 | low | 27% |
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
Notes
The Seasonal climate summary, generally published on the first working day of each 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. More extensive discussion of significant weather events, along with later information and data that has had greater opportunity for quality control, will be presented in the Monthly Weather Review.
This statement has been prepared based on information available at 11 am on Thursday 1 October 2020. 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.