Monday, 5 January 2009 - Annual Climate Summary for Northern Territory - Product code IDCKGC32R0

Northern Territory in 2008

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Summary

Whole of Territory averages …

• Maximum temperature: 32.8°C, 0.9°C above average, being 10th warmest on record. (Since 1910)

• Minimum temperature: 19.1°C, 0.6°C above average, being 14th warmest on record. (Since 1910)

• Rainfall: 527.2 mm (63 of 109), being 20.6 mm below average. (Since 1910)

• January saw the hottest average days and nights on record. (Since 1910)

In the north…

The year started with an active monsoon already established in the north. Darwin recorded its first instance of cyclone-related gale-force winds since TC Gretel in 1985, as Tropical Cyclone Helen made landfall on the Top End coast on 4 January. Late January saw a break in the monsoon when conditions more akin to the build-up returned, though did see a couple of days of intense rain. On the evening of the 13th, Darwin Airport recorded its fifth wettest day on record, of 242 mm, 212 mm of which fell in a two-hour burst.

The monsoon reinvigorated about a week into February, and lingered for much of the month. On the 19th and 20th, Dum In Mirrie Island, off the northwest Top End coast, experienced the two wettest days recorded in the Territory for the year, totalling 650 mm of rain in two days. March saw the monsoon trough linger just offshore for most of the month, though rain days were frequent. By early April dry conditions established over most of the Top End. Darwin then saw its longest spell of dry days ever recorded, being 167 days from 10 April to 23 September. The previous longest dry spell was 164 days in 1976. October saw a promising start to the build-up in the north with early thunderstorm activity, but October and November both ended up being particularly hot months. December saw an early start to the monsoon season, with Tropical Cyclone Billy forming in the Joseph Boneparte Gulf giving early monsoon rains to much of the Top End’s west coast, and another tropical low on the other side of the Top End bring substantial rain to the Roper region.

In the south…

Central Australia generally missed out on 2007/08 summer rains, and the dry sunny conditions resulted in sustained hot weather. Rainfall during autumn and winter was scanty also, and it wasn’t until November that widespread substantial falls were recorded. Rainfall came with a flourish that month, with a spate of severe thunderstorms in the Alice Springs district, which was followed up with above average rain through most of the region in December.

Rainfall

The wettest overall was 2647.2 mm at Dum In Mirrie AWS, followed by 2117.2 mm at Pirlangimpi AWS, followed by 2009.0 mm at Roper River Mataranka.

The driest overall was 92.2 mm at Tobermorey, followed by 98.4 mm at Walungurru AWS, followed by 138.0 mm at Anzac Oval.

Some sites had their highest total rainfall on record.

Some sites had their lowest total rainfall on record.

The wettest single day 345.6 mm at Dum In Mirrie AWS on 20 Feb, followed by 304.2 mm at Dum In Mirrie AWS on 19 Feb, followed by 303.6 mm at Geriatric Park on 20 Feb.

Maximum temperature

The hottest day was 45.2°C at Wave Hill on 13 Nov, followed by 45.0°C at Elliott on 22 and 23 Nov, followed by 44.8°C at Walungurru AWS on 20 Feb.

The warmest days on average were 35.0°C at McArthur River Mine and Timber Creek, followed by 34.8°C at Kidman Springs, followed by 34.6°C at Victoria River Downs.

The coolest days on average were 29.4°C at Alice Springs Airport, followed by 29.8°C at McCluer Island AWS, followed by 30.1°C at Curtin Springs and Yulara Aero AWS.

The coldest day was 11.2°C at Alice Springs Airport and Arltunga on 7 Jun, followed by 11.6°C at Territory Grape Farm AWS on 7 Jun, followed by 12.7°C at Jervois on 7 Jun.

Some sites had their highest temperature on record.

Some sites had their coldest day (lowest maximum temperature) on record.

Minimum temperature

The coldest night was −3.7°C at Arltunga on 25 Jul, followed by −2.8°C at Kulgera on 11 Aug, followed by −2.6°C at Yulara Aero AWS on 25 Jul.

The coolest nights on average were 13.7°C at Alice Springs Airport, followed by 14.2°C at Curtin Springs, followed by 14.3°C at Yulara Aero AWS.

The warmest nights on average were 24.2°C at Black Point, followed by 23.9°C at Centre Island, followed by 23.0°C at Milingimbi AWS.

The warmest night was 33.5°C at Walungurru AWS on 10 Jan, followed by 31.9°C at Walungurru AWS on 22 Jan, followed by 31.7°C at Walungurru AWS on 3 Jan.

Some sites had their lowest temperature on record.

Some sites had their lowest mean daily minimum temperature on record.

Further information

NT Climate Services Centre
Bureau of Meteorology
Phone (08) 8920 3813
Email climate.nt@bom.gov.au

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Extremes

Hottest day Highest temperature	45.2°C at Wave Hill on 13 Nov
Warmest days on average Highest mean daily maximum temperature	35.0°C at McArthur River Mine 35.0°C at Timber Creek
Coolest days on average Lowest mean daily maximum temperature	29.4°C at Alice Springs Airport
Coldest day Lowest daily maximum temperature	11.2°C at Alice Springs Airport on 7 Jun 11.2°C at Arltunga on 7 Jun
Coldest night Lowest temperature	−3.7°C at Arltunga on 25 Jul
Coolest nights on average Lowest mean daily minimum temperature	13.7°C at Alice Springs Airport
Warmest nights on average Highest mean daily minimum temperature	24.2°C at Black Point
Warmest night Highest daily minimum temperature	33.5°C at Walungurru AWS on 10 Jan
Wettest overall Highest total rainfall	2647.2 mm at Dum In Mirrie AWS
Driest overall Lowest total rainfall	92.2 mm at Tobermorey
Wettest day Highest daily rainfall	345.6 mm at Dum In Mirrie AWS on 20 Feb
Highest wind gust	111 km/h at McArthur River Mine on 20 Jan

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Records

Record highest total rainfall for 2008
	Total rainfall (mm)	Previous highest		Years of record
Douglas River	1850.2	1749.9	in 1974	23
Keep River Rangers	1331.6	1143.4	in 1987	18

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Record lowest total rainfall for 2008
	Total rainfall (mm)	Previous annual lowest		Years of record
Rabbit Flat	228.6	236.8	in 2005	11

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Record highest temperature for 2008
	Highest temperature (°C)		Previous highest		Years of record
Pirlangimpi AWS	37.7	on 22 Oct	= 37.7	on 18 Oct 1982	18
Black Point	36.1	on 22 Oct	35.5	on 19 Dec 2006	12

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Record lowest daily maximum temperature for 2008
	Lowest daily maximum temperature (°C)		Previous lowest		Years of record
Rabbit Flat	13.7	on 7 Jun	15.0	on 2 Jul 1998	8

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Record lowest mean daily minimum temperature for 2008
	Mean daily minimum temperature (°C)	Previous lowest		Years of record
Timber Creek	20.0	20.1	in 2006	26

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Summaries

This table is very wide and may not fit if printed.

Summary statistics for 2008
	Maximum temperatures (°C)				Minimum temperatures (°C)				Rainfall (millimetres)
	Mean	Diff from average	Highest		Mean	Diff from average	Lowest		Total	Rank of 2008	Fraction of average
Darwin-Daly (district 14GA)
Batchelor Aero AWS	33.6		39.5	14 Oct	20.8		9.2	26 Jul	1901.6
Black Point	31.7	+0.5	36.1	22 Oct	24.2	+0.2	16.0	26 Jul	998.1	low	78%
Darwin Airport	32.5	+0.6	37.5	22 Oct	22.9	−0.3	12.5	27 Jul	1970.1	high	116%
Dum In Mirrie AWS	31.9		37.7	23 Oct	22.8		10.7	26 Jul	2647.2
Jabiru Airport AWS	34.5	+0.3	40.1	13 Oct	22.8	+0.3	13.5	26 Jul	1646.6	average	110%
Katherine Aviation Museum	33.7	−0.4	40.3	21 Nov	19.3	−1.0	4.6	10 Jul	1348.7	high	121%
Mango Farm	33.9	−0.2	40.5	13 Oct	19.8	−0.7	4.4	26 Jul
McCluer Island AWS	29.8		34.9	9 Dec			20.4	10 Jul	1167.2
Middle Point AWS	34.3		40.5	11 Oct	20.0		5.3	26 Jul	1676.0
Pine Creek Council	33.5		39.9	30 Sep	21.2		11.2	10 Jul	1622.5
Tindal RAAF	34.0	+0.3	40.7	31 Oct	19.7	−0.9	4.9	10 Jul	1219.2	high	107%
Arnhem (district 14BC)
Gove Airport	30.7	0.0	36.4	28 Nov	22.7	+0.3	13.5	30 Jul	1341.0	average	93%
Groote Eylandt Airport AWS	32.2		39.3	21 Nov	20.6		8.0	30 Jul	1819.6
Maningrida Aero AWS	32.3		36.8	9 Sep	22.6		11.0	26 Jul	1275.2
Milingimbi AWS	32.2		36.3	10 Sep	23.0		12.3	26 Jul	1160.2
Ngayawili AWS	31.6		36.6	10 Nov	22.9		11.6	26 Jul	1619.2
Roper-Mcarthur (district 14DE)
Borroloola AWS	33.9	+0.2	42.6	22 Nov	19.3	−0.5	3.8	10 Jul	762.6	average	83%
Bulman AWS	34.4		41.6	24 Nov	19.5		5.5	26 Jul	1477.4
Centre Island AWS	31.4	+0.3	38.3	16 Dec	23.9	+0.1	16.2	12 Jul	927.0	average	91%
Daly Waters AWS	34.5	+0.7	42.5	21 Nov	18.3	−1.1	3.4	11 Jul	843.8	high	133%
Larrimah	34.1	+0.1	40.6	25 Nov	18.9	−0.8	2.6	10 Jul	1034.5	high	123%
McArthur River Mine	35.0	+0.5	42.2	22 Nov	20.2	+0.7	3.8	10 Jul	600.8	average	80%
Wollogorang	34.0	+0.2	41.5	7 Nov	18.9	0.0	2.7	11 Jul	708.4	low	71%
Victoria (district 14F)
Kidman Springs	34.8		43.2	9 Jan	19.7		4.4	12 Jul	1159.7	very high	159%
Timber Creek	35.0	+0.2	42.0	25 Nov	20.0	−1.2	4.8	11 Jul	1044.5	average	112%
Victoria River Downs	34.6	+0.2	43.1	21 Nov	18.8	−0.8	2.1	10 Jul	995.8	very high	156%
Wave Hill	34.4	+0.2	45.2	13 Nov	18.6	−0.3	2.0	25 Jul	568.5	low	82%
Barkly (district 15A)
Tennant Creek Airport	32.8	+1.0	43.0	15 Jan	20.4	+0.6	8.1	25 Jul	225.4	very low	49%
Alice Springs (district 15B)
Alice Springs Airport	29.4	+0.7	42.0	11 Jan	13.7	+0.5	−2.4	24 Jul	248.4	average	89%
Curtin Springs	30.1	+0.5	44.3	5 Jan	14.2	+0.9	−2.4	25 Jul	193.2	average	82%
Jervois	31.1	+0.2	43.4	4 Dec	15.8	+1.4	0.8	12 Jul	215.6	average	75%
Rabbit Flat	34.3	+0.6	44.1	21 Jan	16.2	−0.5	−1.3	12 Jul	228.6	lowest	45%
Territory Grape Farm AWS	31.0		42.7	5 Jan	15.3		0.3	25 Jul	185.2	very low	58%
Watarrka	30.4	−0.2	42.5	21 Feb	15.6	−0.2	−1.0	25 Jul	312.3	average	103%
Yulara Aero AWS	30.1	+0.1	43.7	10 Jan	14.3	+0.3	−2.6	25 Jul	169.2	low	57%

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Notes

Further information

NT Climate Services Centre
Bureau of Meteorology
Phone (08) 8920 3813
Email climate.nt@bom.gov.au

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