Monday, 29 September 2014 - Seasonal Climate Summary for Northern Territory - Product code IDCKGCC2R0
Northern Territory in May to September 2014: Hot end to average season
On Average, maximum temperatures across the NT (including the Top End) were near normal for the dry season. It was not until the last few weeks of the season that daytime temperatures became unseasonably warm. The hot days began on 19 September when Middle Point reached 39.5 °C, Pirlangimpi set a new dry season temperature record with 38.3 °C, and Darwin Airport measured it's hottest day of the season with 37.4 C (only 0.3 degrees below the September record). The following days were also especially warm, Daly Waters Airstrip had 39.3 °C on 20 September and then Douglas River warmed to 39.7 °C on 21 September, which was the highest temperature recorded in the NT this season. The coolest day in the NT this season was 7.5 °C at Alice Springs Airport on 13 July.
Minimum temperatures were cooler than average across the NT this season. While there were no new minimum temperature records set, almost all of the Top End ended the season with below normal minimums. Darwin Airport also saw cooler than normal nights this season with a mean daily minimum temperature of 20.2 °C, 0.7 °C below normal. Darwin airport dropped below 20 °C 75 times over the season, this is 24 nights more than average, but not a new record. The coolest night at Darwin Airport was 13.0 C on the 23rd of August. This set a new August minimum temperature record at the Airport, the old record was 13.1 C set on 13 August 2012 (the lowest dry season temperature at Darwin Airport was 10.4 °C on 29 July 1942). The warmest night in the NT this season was 28.2 °C at McCluer Island on 1 May while the coldest night was -6.0 °C at Arltunga on 7 July.
As is normal for this time of year, very little rain fell across the NT this season. The last rainfall measured at Darwin Airport was 2.2 mm on 30 May giving a dry spell of 123 days to the end of the season. On average Darwin Airport experiences 124 consecutive days without rain every dry season.
Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top
Further information
- Media
- media@bom.gov.au (03) 9669 4057
- Enquiries
- helpdesk.climate@bom.gov.au
| Extremes in May to September 2014 | |
|---|---|
| Hottest day | 39.7 °C at Douglas River on 21 Sep |
| Warmest days on average | 33.8 °C at Middle Point |
| Coolest days on average | 22.2 °C at Kulgera |
| Coldest day | 7.5 °C at Alice Springs Airport on 13 Jul |
| Coldest night | -6.0 °C at Arltunga on 7 Jul |
| Coolest nights on average | 5.8 °C at Alice Springs Airport |
| Warmest nights on average | 24.1 °C at Cape Wessel |
| Warmest night | 28.2 °C at McCluer Island on 1 May |
| Warmest on average overall | 27.2 °C at Cape Wessel |
| Coolest on average overall | 14.3 °C at Arltunga |
| Wettest overall | 155.2 mm at Cape Wessel |
| Wettest day | 92.4 mm at Acacia (Mocatto Road) on 4 May |
| Strongest wind gust | 78 km/h at Cape Wessel on 7 Jun |
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
| Month by month | ||
|---|---|---|
| Rainfall rank | Maximum temperature rank | Minimum temperature rank |
| May | ||
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| June | ||
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| July | ||
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| August | ||
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| September | ||
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| Rainfall rank | Maximum temperature rank | Minimum temperature rank |
Click on a map to show it full size in a pop-up window
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
| Record highest May to September daily rainfall | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (mm) |
Old record |
Years of record |
||||
| Jabiru Airport | 76.2 | on 16 May | 62.0 | on 14 Sep 1984 | 40 | |
| Territory Wildlife Park | 79.0 | on 4 May | 61.0 | on 24 May 2013 | 22 | |
| Acacia (Mocatto Road) | 92.4 | on 4 May | 49.6 | on 24 Sep 1998 | 21 | |
| Record highest May to September total rainfall | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (mm) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for May to September |
||
| Jabiru Airport | 140.2 | 94.2 | in 1984 | 36 | 28.7 |
| Record highest May to September temperature | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for May to September |
|||
| Pirlangimpi Airport | 38.3 | on 19 Sep | 38.0 | on 23 Sep 2013 | 32 | 32.0 |
| Record lowest May to September daily maximum temperature | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for May to September |
|||
| Yuendumu | 8.1 | on 13 Jul | 8.2 | on 5 Aug 1966 | 48 | 24.8 |
| Territory Grape Farm | 9.2 | on 13 Jul | 9.3 | on 20 Jun 2007 | 23 | 25.3 |
| Record highest May to September mean daily maximum temperature | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for May to September |
||
| Pirlangimpi Airport | 33.6 | 33.5 | in 2013 | 30 | 32.0 |
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
| Summary statistics for May to September 2014 | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum temperatures (°C) |
Minimum temperatures (°C) |
Rainfall (millimetres) |
||||||||||
| Mean for May to September 2014 |
Diff from average |
Highest for May to September 2014 |
Mean for May to September 2014 |
Diff from average |
Lowest for May to September 2014 |
Total for May to September 2014 |
Average for May to September |
Rank of May to September 2014 |
Fraction of May to September average |
|||
| Darwin-Daly (district 14GA) | ||||||||||||
| Batchelor Airport | 33.2 | +0.2 | 38.1 | 26 Sep | 10.6 | 22 Aug | 8.4 | 35.9 | low | 23% | ||
| Black Point | 30.6 | 0.0 | 33.5 | 19 Sep | 21.9 | -0.1 | 16.2 | 24 Aug | 7.0 | 45.0 | average | 16% |
| Central Arnhem Plateau | 30.8 | 36.4 | 21 Sep | 17.1 | 10.2 | 24 Jun | 0.6 | 26.4 | low | 2% | ||
| Croker Island Airport | 30.5 | 35.3 | 27 Sep | 21.5 | 16.4 | 24 Aug | ||||||
| Darwin Airport | 32.0 | +0.6 | 37.4 | 19 Sep | 20.2 | -0.7 | 13.0 | 23 Aug | 8.6 | 44.3 | low | 19% |
| Douglas River | 33.6 | +0.4 | 39.7 | 21 Sep | 15.0 | -0.1 | 5.8 | 23 Aug | 3.2 | 20.9 | average | 15% |
| Dum In Mirrie Airstrip | 31.5 | +0.5 | 34.3 | 29 Jul | 19.6 | -0.7 | 12.3 | 18 Aug | 127.4 | 40.3 | v high | 316% |
| Jabiru Airport | 33.6 | +0.2 | 38.8 | 28 Sep | 20.0 | -0.1 | 13.2 | 22 Aug | 140.2 | 28.7 | highest | 489% |
| Katherine Country Club | 33.0 | 39.1 | 21 Sep | 15.1 | 6.4 | 17 Aug | 0 | |||||
| Mango Farm | 33.6 | +0.5 | 39.0 | 21 Sep | 15.9 | -1.0 | 7.5 | 24 Aug | 1.0 | 21.6 | low | 5% |
| McCluer Island | 28.3 | 0.0 | 31.4 | 8 May | 24.0 | +0.2 | 20.3 | 23 Aug | 72.2 | 68.2 | average | 106% |
| Middle Point | 33.8 | +0.1 | 39.5 | 19 Sep | 15.7 | -0.8 | 6.8 | 23 Aug | 18.8 | 39.9 | low | 47% |
| Murganella Airstrip | 31.4 | 35.8 | 27 Sep | 17.6 | 8.5 | 23 Aug | 5.2 | |||||
| Noonamah Airstrip | 33.6 | 38.8 | 19 Sep | 17.0 | 8.0 | 23 Aug | 17.2 | |||||
| Pirlangimpi Airport | 33.6 | +1.6 | 38.3 | 19 Sep | 19.6 | -0.2 | 13.2 | 18 Aug | 8.4 | 62.3 | v low | 13% |
| Point Fawcett | 31.1 | +0.4 | 35.1 | 19 Sep | 18.4 | -1.3 | 11.8 | 18 Aug | ||||
| Point Stuart | 31.7 | 35.8 | 19 Sep | 19.0 | 12.3 | 23 Aug | ||||||
| Port Keats Airport | 32.3 | +0.3 | 36.0 | 4 Sep | 18.2 | +0.1 | 11.8 | 30 Aug | 10.0 | 32.2 | average | 31% |
| Tindal RAAF | 32.9 | +0.9 | 39.2 | 21 Sep | 14.9 | -1.2 | 6.4 | 24 Jun | 0.2 | 13.8 | low | 1% |
| Arnhem (district 14BC) | ||||||||||||
| Cape Wessel | 30.2 | 32.5 | 28 Sep | 24.2 | 20.9 | 3 Sep | 155.2 | 155.2 | average | 100% | ||
| Gove Airport | 29.3 | +0.3 | 33.5 | 27 Sep | 19.7 | -0.9 | 12.3 | 22 Aug | ||||
| Groote Eylandt Airport | 30.0 | -0.2 | 35.1 | 27 Sep | 16.5 | -0.2 | 8.4 | 5 Sep | 6.4 | 39.1 | low | 16% |
| Maningrida Airport | 31.2 | 0.0 | 34.6 | 26 Sep | 19.2 | -0.3 | 11.8 | 23 Aug | 14.0 | 33.8 | average | 41% |
| Milingimbi Airport | 31.2 | +0.2 | 34.1 | 27 Sep | 20.1 | -0.1 | 12.9 | 23 Aug | ||||
| Ngayawili | 30.7 | +0.3 | 35.7 | 26 Sep | 20.3 | -0.1 | 12.6 | 23 Aug | 0 | 44.3 | v low | 0% |
| Warruwi Airport | 29.9 | +0.1 | 33.0 | 26 Sep | 22.4 | -0.1 | 18.1 | 3 Sep | 15.2 | 20.9 | average | 73% |
| Roper-Mcarthur (district 14DE) | ||||||||||||
| Borroloola Airport | 32.4 | +0.5 | 38.6 | 10 Sep | 13.3 | -1.0 | 4.4 | 1 Jul | 3.2 | 10.9 | average | 29% |
| Bulman | 32.5 | 38.2 | 21 Sep | 15.5 | 7.5 | 23 Aug | 1.2 | 27.7 | low | 4% | ||
| Centre Island | 28.2 | +0.1 | 34.6 | 28 Sep | 20.1 | -0.3 | 15.2 | 23 Jul | 18.2 | 21.6 | average | 84% |
| Daly Waters Airstrip | 31.8 | +0.9 | 39.3 | 20 Sep | 11.8 | -2.4 | 2.3 | 22 Aug | 0 | 14.2 | lowest | 0% |
| McArthur River Mine Airport | 32.4 | +0.5 | 38.6 | 20 Sep | 14.1 | -0.3 | 5.3 | 2 Jul | 3.8 | 16.1 | average | 24% |
| Wollogorang | 31.0 | 0.0 | 38.5 | 10 Sep | 12.2 | -1.3 | 3.5 | 11 Jul | 4.3 | 12.9 | average | 33% |
| Victoria (district 14F) | ||||||||||||
| Lajamanu Airport | 29.8 | +0.5 | 38.1 | 30 Sep | 11.1 | -0.8 | 1.1 | 3 Jul | 0.6 | 20.5 | low | 3% |
| Victoria River Downs | 32.3 | +0.8 | 38.6 | 29 Sep | 12.4 | -1.6 | 2.6 | 30 Jun | 0 | 16.7 | lowest | 0% |
| Barkly (district 15A) | ||||||||||||
| Brunette Downs | 29.4 | +0.1 | 38.1 | 20 Sep | 13.6 | +0.4 | 4.4 | 16 Aug | 0 | 26.1 | lowest | 0% |
| Elliott | 29.9 | -1.0 | 38.2 | 20 Sep | 13.8 | -0.2 | 4.9 | 17 Aug | 0 | 22.2 | lowest | 0% |
| Tennant Creek Airport | 27.8 | +0.6 | 36.8 | 30 Sep | 14.7 | -0.2 | 6.6 | 7 Jul | 0 | 27.4 | lowest | 0% |
| Alice Springs (district 15B) | ||||||||||||
| Alice Springs Airport | 23.4 | +0.9 | 38.1 | 30 Sep | 5.9 | -0.8 | -3.0 | 3 Jul | 31.8 | 64.8 | average | 49% |
| Arltunga | 22.7 | +0.1 | 37.2 | 30 Sep | 6.0 | -0.3 | -6.0 | 7 Jul | 32.6 | 57.5 | low | 57% |
| Curtin Springs | 24.3 | +1.3 | 37.5 | 30 Sep | 7.4 | +0.8 | -2.4 | 10 Jul | 14.2 | 61.6 | low | 23% |
| Jervois | 25.2 | +0.4 | 39.3 | 30 Sep | 8.9 | +0.9 | -1.5 | 11 Jul | 2.4 | 58.4 | v low | 4% |
| Kulgera | 22.3 | +0.4 | 36.3 | 28 Sep | 7.8 | +0.3 | -1.8 | 5 Aug | 38.6 | 63.1 | average | 61% |
| Rabbit Flat | 28.8 | 0.0 | 38.7 | 30 Sep | 8.3 | -1.5 | -1.7 | 3 Jul | 18.8 | 33.5 | average | 56% |
| Territory Grape Farm | 25.6 | +0.3 | 38.0 | 30 Sep | 8.1 | 0.0 | -1.9 | 7 Jul | 14.2 | 52.9 | low | 27% |
| Walungurru Airport | 26.5 | +0.2 | 38.2 | 30 Sep | 13.0 | -0.1 | 3.7 | 27 Jun | 13.2 | 58.6 | low | 23% |
| Yulara Airport | 24.3 | +0.8 | 37.1 | 30 Sep | -1.9 | 10 Jul | 13.6 | 59.3 | low | 23% | ||
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
Notes
A Seasonal Climate Summary is prepared to list 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. Later information, including data that has had greater opportunity for quality control, will be presented in the Monthly Weather Review, usually published in the fourth week of the month.
A Climate Summary is generally published on the first working day of each month.
This statement has been prepared based on information available at 11 am on Wednesday 1 October 2014. Some checks have been made on the data, but it is possible that results will change as new information becomes available.
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.
The ACORN-SAT dataset is used for temperature area averages.
Further information
- Media
- media@bom.gov.au (03) 9669 4057
- Enquiries
- helpdesk.climate@bom.gov.au
