Monday, 1 June 2015 - Monthly Climate Summary for Northern Territory - Product code IDCKGC12R0
Northern Territory in May 2015: Cool nights with a splash of rain
The month began with a high over the Great Australian Bight that pushed cool, dry air north and dropping temperatures across the Territory. This created the coolest start to the month of May on record for the Northern Territory at many locations, including Darwin Airport which recorded sub-20 °C temperatures on the first five nights of the month. Overnight minimum temperatures lingered below the long-term average for most of the month across most of the Territory, with above average temperatures only appearing within the last week of the month. Overall, the Northern Territory mean daily minimum temperature for May was 1.6 °C below average, although there were cooler Mays in 2011 and 2012.
May was seasonably dry until the very last days of the month. A cloudband moved across the far southern portions of the Territory beginning on the 25th and continuing until the 31st. Yulara Airport recorded 10.4 mm on the 31st and ended the month with a total of 15.6 mm. In the north, a southerly dip in an offshore trough brought showers and storms along the north coast from the 29th to the 31st. Rainfall totals include 14.0 mm at Darwin Airport, 19.6 mm at Tindal RAAF and 93.6 mm at Warruwi Airport. Apart from the late-month rain events in the far south and across the Top End, there were no other significant rain events
- Coolest start of May on record at many locations
- Overall below-average minimum temperatures
- Warmer-than-average maximum temperatures for the north, near-average for the south of the Territory
- Wet end to the month
- Overall wetter than average for the Top End and generally drier than normal elsewhere
Extremes Maps 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 2015 | |
|---|---|
| Hottest day | 37.7 °C at Wollogorang on the 5th |
| Warmest days on average | 34.5 °C at Oenpelli Airport |
| Coolest days on average | 21.9 °C at Kulgera |
| Coldest day | 14.7 °C at Arltunga on the 14th |
| Coldest night | -1.6 °C at Alice Springs Airport on the 23rd |
| Coolest nights on average | 6.7 °C at Alice Springs Airport |
| Warmest nights on average | 25.5 °C at Cape Wessel |
| Warmest night |
27.0 °C at Cape Wessel on the 8th 27.0 °C at McCluer Island on the 20th |
| Warmest on average overall | 28.2 °C at Cape Wessel |
| Coolest on average overall |
14.9 °C at Alice Springs Airport 14.9 °C at Arltunga |
| Wettest overall | 118.4 mm at Cape Wessel |
| Wettest day | 93.6 mm at Warruwi Airport on the 31st |
| Strongest wind gust | 83 km/h at Cape Wessel on the 29th |
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
| Maps | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 daily rainfall | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (mm) |
Old record |
Years of record |
||||
| Warruwi Airport | 93.6 | on the 31st | 76.0 | on the 1st in 1983 | 92 | |
| Tindal RAAF | 19.6 | on the 31st | 15.4 | on the 21st in 1980 | 31 | |
| Record highest May total rainfall | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (mm) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for May |
||
| Tindal RAAF | 19.6 | 15.4 | in 1980 | 31 | 1.9 |
| Highest May total rainfall for at least 20 years | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Observed (mm) |
Most recent higher | Years since higher |
Average for May |
||
| Warruwi Airport | 98.0 | 185.2 | in 1968 | 47 | 15.9 |
| Record highest May temperature | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for May |
|||
| Wollogorang | 37.7 | on the 5th | = 37.7 | on the 3rd in 2007 | 32 | 31.3 |
| Record lowest May daily maximum temperature | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for May |
|||
| Black Point | 26.2 | on the 30th | 27.2 | on the 9th in 2009 | 23 | 31.2 |
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
| Summary statistics for May 2015 | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum temperatures (°C) |
Minimum temperatures (°C) |
Rainfall (millimetres) |
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| Mean for May 2015 |
Diff from average |
Highest for May 2015 |
Mean for May 2015 |
Diff from average |
Lowest for May 2015 |
Total for May 2015 |
Average for May |
Rank of May 2015 |
Fraction of May average |
|||
| Darwin-Daly (district 14GA) | ||||||||||||
| Batchelor Airport | 33.8 | +1.1 | 36.2 | 26th | 17.2 | -1.8 | 11.1 | 16th | 0.2 | 22.6 | average | 1% |
| Black Point | 31.3 | +0.1 | 32.8 | 12th | 23.1 | -0.6 | 21.0 | 4th | 38.0 | 35.9 | high | 106% |
| Central Arnhem Plateau | 30.8 | +0.5 | 33.9 | 6th | 17.3 | -2.1 | 12.8 | 16th | 0.2 | 13.3 | low | 2% |
| Charles Point | 31.2 | 33.6 | 8th | 21.6 | 17.4 | 16th | 6.6 | |||||
| Croker Island Airport | 31.0 | 32.9 | 6th | 22.8 | 20.7 | 14th | 0 | |||||
| Darwin Airport | 32.6 | +0.6 | 34.9 | 26th | 21.0 | -1.1 | 17.1 | 16th | 14.2 | 21.1 | average | 67% |
| Delamere Weapons Range | 31.8 | +0.4 | 35.4 | 5th | 16.6 | -1.3 | 12.8 | 16th | 0.2 | 5.1 | average | 4% |
| Douglas River | 34.2 | +1.1 | 36.7 | 29th | 14.7 | -2.0 | 7.9 | 16th | 9.4 | 10.2 | high | 92% |
| Dum In Mirrie Airstrip | 32.4 | +0.3 | 34.4 | 7th | 20.3 | -1.7 | 15.0 | 17th | 0 | 20.5 | lowest | 0% |
| Jabiru Airport | 34.2 | +0.7 | 36.4 | 6th | 21.2 | -0.7 | 16.6 | 4th | 26.0 | 16.1 | high | 161% |
| Katherine Country Club | 32.9 | 36.4 | 5th | 14.7 | 9.2 | 16th | 8.2 | |||||
| Mango Farm | 34.0 | +1.0 | 36.5 | 19th | 16.2 | -2.4 | 9.9 | 16th | 2.0 | 8.9 | high | 22% |
| McCluer Island | 29.3 | 0.0 | 31.0 | 3rd | 25.3 | +0.3 | 23.1 | 15th | 84.8 | 52.0 | high | 163% |
| Middle Point | 33.9 | +0.6 | 36.2 | 26th | 16.5 | -2.8 | 9.2 | 16th | 4.0 | 18.6 | average | 22% |
| Murganella Airstrip | 32.5 | 34.9 | 5th | 18.7 | 13.1 | 15th | 39.4 | |||||
| Noonamah Airstrip | 33.9 | 36.1 | 26th | 18.5 | 12.6 | 16th | 2.2 | |||||
| Oenpelli Airport | 34.5 | 36.5 | 6th | 20.5 | 16.4 | 16th | 24.6 | |||||
| Pirlangimpi Airport | 33.6 | +1.1 | 35.1 | 26th | 20.8 | -0.6 | 17.3 | 14th | 7.6 | 21.3 | average | 36% |
| Point Fawcett | 32.3 | +0.9 | 34.3 | 19th | 19.1 | -2.2 | 14.6 | 16th | ||||
| Point Stuart | 32.2 | 34.3 | 26th | 19.9 | 14.7 | 16th | 10.0 | 14.5 | average | 69% | ||
| Port Keats Airport | 33.6 | +0.7 | 36.4 | 27th | 18.2 | -1.1 | 10.0 | 16th | 0 | 19.9 | v low | 0% |
| Tindal RAAF | 32.8 | +0.7 | 36.2 | 21st | 14.6 | -2.9 | 9.3 | 15th | 19.6 | 1.9 | highest | 1032% |
| Arnhem (district 14BC) | ||||||||||||
| Cape Wessel | 30.9 | 32.5 | 7th | 25.5 | 23.0 | 16th | 118.4 | 87.8 | high | 135% | ||
| Gove Airport | 30.7 | +0.8 | 32.5 | 6th | 21.5 | -1.1 | 18.0 | 4th | 20.6 | 86.5 | average | 24% |
| Groote Eylandt Airport | 31.0 | 0.0 | 33.5 | 19th | 18.0 | -1.0 | 13.1 | 24th | 0.8 | 25.5 | low | 3% |
| Maningrida Airport | 32.1 | +0.3 | 33.5 | 7th | 20.6 | -1.3 | 17.5 | 13th | 30.2 | 25.7 | average | 118% |
| Milingimbi Airport | 31.9 | +0.2 | 33.7 | 7th | 21.7 | -0.7 | 17.9 | 15th | 13.2 | 30.3 | average | 44% |
| Ngayawili | 31.8 | +0.8 | 33.2 | 10th | 21.4 | -0.9 | 18.2 | 14th | 0 | 27.7 | v low | 0% |
| Warruwi Airport | 30.5 | -0.2 | 31.6 | 7th | 23.5 | -0.5 | 20.7 | 15th | 98.0 | 15.9 | v high | 616% |
| Roper-Mcarthur (district 14DE) | ||||||||||||
| Borroloola Airport | 33.8 | +1.6 | 37.4 | 5th | 15.6 | -0.1 | 10.6 | 16th | 0 | 5.1 | lowest | 0% |
| Bulman | 33.4 | 36.2 | 21st | 16.3 | 10.7 | 16th | 14.4 | 20.4 | average | 71% | ||
| Centre Island | 29.7 | +0.2 | 33.3 | 6th | 21.4 | -1.1 | 17.0 | 15th | 0.6 | 11.7 | average | 5% |
| Daly Waters Airstrip | 32.8 | +1.7 | 36.9 | 5th | 12.4 | -3.6 | 6.7 | 17th | 0.2 | 6.9 | average | 3% |
| McArthur River Mine Airport | 33.8 | +1.5 | 37.3 | 5th | 15.3 | -1.2 | 9.5 | 16th | 0 | 7.3 | lowest | 0% |
| Ngukurr Airport | 33.4 | 37.0 | 6th | 15.7 | 8.9 | 16th | 0 | |||||
| Wollogorang | 33.1 | +1.8 | 37.7 | 5th | 14.5 | -1.4 | 8.5 | 12th | 0 | 7.8 | lowest | 0% |
| Victoria (district 14F) | ||||||||||||
| Lajamanu Airport | 30.3 | +1.0 | 35.7 | 5th | 11.7 | -1.7 | 6.6 | 2nd | 0 | 8.6 | lowest | 0% |
| Victoria River Downs | 33.0 | +1.1 | 37.2 | 5th | 13.1 | -2.8 | 6.0 | 16th | 0 | 5.9 | lowest | 0% |
| Wave Hill | 31.3 | +0.2 | 37.0 | 19th | 14.9 | -0.2 | 7.4 | 16th | 0 | 8.2 | lowest | 0% |
| Barkly (district 15A) | ||||||||||||
| Brunette Downs | 30.0 | +0.1 | 36.0 | 5th | 14.1 | -0.9 | 8.3 | 16th | 0 | 7.9 | lowest | 0% |
| Elliott | 30.2 | -1.1 | 36.1 | 5th | 14.6 | -1.3 | 9.7 | 17th | 0 | 7.0 | lowest | 0% |
| Tennant Creek Airport | 27.9 | +0.3 | 34.8 | 5th | 15.3 | -1.1 | 10.7 | 15th | 0 | 8.1 | lowest | 0% |
| Alice Springs (district 15B) | ||||||||||||
| Alice Springs Airport | 23.0 | -0.1 | 32.8 | 4th | 6.7 | -1.5 | -1.6 | 23rd | 0 | 18.4 | lowest | 0% |
| Arltunga | 22.5 | -0.7 | 31.3 | 4th | 7.7 | -0.5 | 0.4 | 23rd | 0 | 19.5 | lowest | 0% |
| Curtin Springs | 23.3 | -0.5 | 33.3 | 4th | 9.3 | +0.6 | 3.0 | 17th | 10.2 | 17.4 | average | 59% |
| Jervois | 25.0 | -0.4 | 31.9 | 4th | 10.3 | +0.3 | 4.9 | 22nd | 0 | 17.8 | lowest | 0% |
| Kulgera | 21.9 | -0.8 | 33.2 | 4th | 7.8 | -1.4 | -0.5 | 16th | 7.4 | 12.6 | average | 59% |
| Rabbit Flat | 29.7 | +1.3 | 35.8 | 5th | 8.5 | -3.3 | 2.5 | 15th | 0 | 13.1 | v low | 0% |
| Territory Grape Farm | 25.9 | +0.4 | 31.9 | 4th | 8.9 | -0.6 | 3.2 | 23rd | 0 | 22.5 | lowest | 0% |
| Walungurru Airport | 26.6 | -0.8 | 34.2 | 4th | 14.4 | -1.1 | 7.8 | 15th | 1.0 | 15.5 | average | 6% |
| Yulara Airport | 23.3 | -1.0 | 33.7 | 4th | 9.1 | -0.2 | 2.4 | 16th | 15.6 | 13.0 | high | 120% |
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
Notes
A Monthly 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 10 am on Monday 1 June 2015. 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
Unless otherwise noted, all maps, graphs and diagrams in this page are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence
