Climate of Nhulunbuy (Gove) Area

Despite the drier winds, morning rain showers are quite common through to July. These result from "Gulf Lines", which originate from converging sea breezes over the Cape York peninsula and then propagate across the Gulf on the prevailing south-easterly winds. These semi regular showers and relatively cool winds off the Gulf of Carpentaria give Nhulunbuy a relatively mild climate, compared to other Top End locations further west.

The driest months in Nhulunbuy are typically August to October.

The cyclone season in northern Australia is November to April (inclusive), and tropical cyclones are a possibility at any time during this period. Since the first recorded instance of a cyclone affecting the Gove Peninsula in February 1948, several cyclones have made their presence felt in the area:

• 1948 Feb 20-23 - 358 mm rainfall at Yirrkala

• 1952 Apr 3-6 Yirrkala mission badly damaged by 160km/hr winds

• 1958 Apr 12-16 Strong winds and 399 mm rain in 24 hrs at Yirrkala

• 1964 Jan 29-31 Cyclone Dora - Gales and 289 mm rainfall at Yirrkala

• 1970 Nov 28-30 - Cyclone Beverley - gales

• 1975 Dec 3-9 - Cyclone Kim - gales and 215 mm in Gove

• 1978 Dec 29-31 - Cyclone Peter - gales and rough seas. Fishing vessel on rocks in Gove harbour

• 1981 Dec 20-22 - unnamed system. Tree damage around Nhulunbuy by 148 km/hr winds, minor damage to ships at Nabalco Wharf

• 1996 Dec 23-26 - Cyclone Phil passes 115km to south of Gove

• 2003 Mar 12 - Cyclone Craig passed within 25 km of Gove Airport - Qantas aircraft forced to return to Darwin, tree damage in town