Monday 2 June 2025 - Monthly Climate Summary for Northern Territory - Product code IDCKGC12R0

Northern Territory in May 2025

Rainfall

Temperature

  • Mean maximum temperatures in May were average or below average for most of the Northern Territory, and above average for parts of the Daly district.
  • Northern Territory's area-averaged mean maximum temperature was 27.7 °C, 0.35 °C below the 1961–1990 average.
  • Some sites had their coolest May day (lowest daily maximum temperature) on record.
  • Mean minimum temperatures in May were above average for much of the Territory, and below average for parts of the Lasseter district.
  • Northern Territory's area-averaged mean minimum temperature was 16.0 °C, 0.42 °C above the 1961–1990 average.
  • Northern Territory's area-averaged mean temperature was close to average.

Events

  • Close to the end of the month, parts of the Northern Territory had unseasonable rainfall and low daily maximum temperatures. For more details, visit the May national climate summary.

Darwin Airport

  • Total rainfall for Darwin Airport was 46.4 mm, which is 233% of the long-term average of 19.9 mm.
  • The mean daily maximum temperature for Darwin Airport was 32.1 °C, which equalled the long-term average of 32.1 °C.
  • The warmest day was 34.1 °C on the 14th, and the coolest day was on the 18th when the temperature reached 29.0 °C.
  • The mean daily minimum temperature for Darwin Airport was 22.7 °C, which is 0.5 °C above the long-term average of 22.2 °C.
  • The coldest morning was 17.4 °C on the 19th, and the warmest morning was on the 26th when the minimum temperature was 25.5 °C.

Alice Springs Airport

  • Total rainfall for Alice Springs Airport was 43.0 mm, which is 239% of the long-term average of 18.0 mm.
  • The mean daily maximum temperature for Alice Springs Airport was 22.9 °C, which is 0.2 °C below the long-term average of 23.1 °C.
  • The warmest day was 31.2 °C on the 25th, and the coolest day was on the 28th when the temperature reached 11.3 °C.
  • The mean daily minimum temperature for Alice Springs Airport was 7.3 °C, which is 0.8 °C below the long-term average of 8.1 °C.
  • The coldest morning was -1.8 °C on the 20th, and the warmest morning was on the 26th when the minimum temperature was 19.1 °C.

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes in May 2025
Hottest day 36.8 °C at Bradshaw on the 26th
Warmest days on average 33.6 °C at Noonamah Airstrip
Coolest days on average 22.9 °C at Alice Springs Airport
Coldest day 11.2 °C at Watarrka on the 27th
Coldest night -1.8 °C at Alice Springs Airport on the 20th
Coolest nights on average 7.3 °C at Alice Springs Airport
Warmest nights on average 25.5 °C at McCluer Island
Warmest night 27.1 °C at Bradshaw - Angallari Valley (Defence) on the 27th
Warmest on average overall 28.2 °C at Oenpelli Airport
28.2 °C at Jabiru Airport
Coolest on average overall 15.2 °C at Alice Springs Airport
Wettest overall 197.8 mm at Katherine - Cragborn Rd
Wettest day 197.8 mm at Katherine - Cragborn Rd on the 28th
Strongest wind gust 70.0 km/h at Darwin Airport on the 15th

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Maps
ObservedAnomalyDecile rank
Total
rainfall		 Map of Rainfall totals Map of Percentage of normal rainfall Map of Rainfall deciles
Mean
daily
maximum
temperatures		 Map of Mean maximum temperature Map of Anomaly in mean maximum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean maximum temperature
Mean
daily
minimum
temperatures		 Map of Mean minimum temperature Map of Anomaly in mean minimum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean minimum temperature

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 daily rainfall
New record
(mm)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
May
Katherine Council 184.0 on the 28th 61.7 on 17 May 1915 148 5.3
Lajamanu Airport 50.8 on the 28th 45.6 on 17 May 2007 63 7.8
Tennant Creek Airport 45.6 on the 28th 22.6 on 07 May 1986 56 7.8
Suplejack 75.0 on the 28th 32.5 on 21 May 2010 43 6.7
Tindal RAAF 179.8 on the 28th 19.6 on 31 May 2015 41 2.0
Territory Grape Farm 69.8 on the 28th 60.0 on 21 May 1990 38 19.8
Gilnockie 48.8 on the 28th 42.0 on 28 May 2010 36 2.9
Birrindudu 70.0 on the 28th 41.0 on 17 May 2007 32 6.9
Delamere Weapons Range 54.4 on the 28th 36.6 on 29 May 2010 29 3.7
Rabbit Flat 77.6 on the 28th 38.6 on 16 May 2010 29 11.5
Upper Fergusson River 89.8 on the 28th 15.4 on 29 May 2010 24 1.9
Maningrida Airport 45.0 on the 5th 39.4 on 06 May 2013 22 21.8
Birrimba 47.6 on the 28th 13.4 on 20 May 2006 22 3.4
Milingimbi Airport 56.2 on the 5th 53.6 on 02 May 2009 22 22.4
Yeuralba Ridge 26.6 on the 28th 10.8 on 29 May 2010 21 2.2
Nitmiluk Ridge 36.4 on the 28th 20.0 on 29 May 2010 21 4.5
Central Arnhem Plateau 38.0 on the 28th 35.0 on 18 May 2010 21 8.0
Conways 48.6 on the 28th 41.4 on 31 May 2015 21 9.3
Upper Seventeen Mile Creek 98.0 on the 28th 19.6 on 11 May 2016 21 3.9


Record highest May total rainfall
New record
(mm)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
May
Katherine Council 184.0 85.6 in 1990 147 5.3
Suplejack 100.2 97.0 in 2010 41 6.3
Tindal RAAF 180.2 19.6 in 2015 40 2.0
Birrindudu 141.0 88.0 in 2010 31 6.9
Rabbit Flat 95.6 71.8 in 2013 28 11.5
Upper Fergusson River 90.2 19.6 in 2010 23 1.9
Birrimba 47.6 35.0 in 1995 21 3.4
Yeuralba Ridge 26.6 16.4 in 2010 20 2.2
Nitmiluk Ridge 36.6 29.2 in 2010 20 4.5
Upper Seventeen Mile Creek 98.0 33.4 in 2016 20 3.9


Highest May total rainfall for at least 20 years
Observed
(mm)		 Most recent
higher		 Average for
May
Jervois 63.0 99.0 in 1992 16.7
Cave Creek Station 22.5 35.3 in 2004 7.6
Gemtree Park 55.0 141.0 in 2004 20.2
Territory Grape Farm 77.6 136.3 in 2004 21.4
Pine Hill 70.0 123.0 in 2004 28.3
Indiana 54.0 104.4 in 2004 18.4
The Garden 77.0 100.6 in 2004 18.6

note: there may be gaps in the historical record at some sites, so it is possible more recent higher values have gone unreported



Record lowest May daily maximum temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
May
Jervois 11.7 on the 28th 12.2 on 21 May 1968 58 25.4
Tennant Creek Airport 13.6 on the 28th 14.6 on 22 May 2020 56 27.7
Territory Grape Farm 11.7 on the 28th 12.4 on 30 May 2009 33 25.6
Watarrka 11.2 on the 27th 12.0 on 30 May 2009 31 24.9
Rabbit Flat 16.0 on the 28th 17.1 on 13 May 1997 29 28.8
Walungurru Airport 13.4 on the 27th 14.1 on 15 May 2013 24 27.2


Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Summary statistics for May 2025
Maximum temperatures
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
(°C)		 Rainfall
(millimetres)
Mean for
May
2025		 Diff
from
average		 Highest for
May
2025		 Mean for
May
2025		 Diff
from
average		 Lowest for
May
2025		 Total for
May
2025		 Average
for
May		 Rank of
May
2025		 Fraction of
May
average
Darwin-Daly (district 14GA)
Batchelor Airport 32.1 -0.8 34.7 25th 20.4 +1.2 15.6 19th 10.4 22.8 average 46%
Central Arnhem Plateau 29.8 -0.8 32.7 25th 19.8 +0.5 14.9 19th 49.2 8.0 high 615%
Channel Point 32.3 +0.9 34.4 26th 21.7 +1.1 17.5 20th 8.7 11.8 average 74%
Charles Point 31.8 -0.2 34.2 14th 23.0 -0.1 17.3 19th 45.8 10.9 high 420%
Croker Island Airport 29.4 -1.9 29.4 31st
Darwin Airport 32.1 0.0 34.1 14th 22.7 +0.5 17.4 19th 46.4 19.9 high 233%
Delamere Weapons Range 31.1 -0.6 34.2 26th 18.8 +0.7 14.2 19th 54.4 3.7 high 1470%
Douglas River Research Farm 33.0 -0.4 36.6 25th 18.2 +1.5 10.9 19th 19.6 9.0 high 218%
Dum In Mirrie Airstrip 33.2 +0.7 35.4 14th 21.9 +0.1 16.6 17th 10.8 20.4 average 53%
East Point 32.4 34.4 14th 23.2 18.8 19th 61.2
Jabiru Airport 33.4 -0.2 35.5 24th 23.0 +1.0 16.9 19th 8.0 16.4 average 49%
Kangaroo Flats (Defence) 33.0 35.4 9th 21.9 17.0 19th 8.4
Knuckey Lagoon 32.5 34.1 14th 22.1 17.5 19th 68.2
McCluer Island 29.3 -0.2 31.0 10th 25.5 +0.2 23.2 19th 23.6 43.2 average 55%
Middle Point 32.6 -0.8 34.7 25th 20.5 +1.3 13.5 19th 11.0 16.9 average 65%
Mount Bundey North (Defence) 32.8 34.7 14th 21.6 16.4 19th 28.6
Mount Bundey South (Defence) 33.0 35.5 26th 20.2 13.1 19th 91.0
Murganella Airstrip 32.0 -0.6 33.5 9th 21.1 +0.1 13.5 19th 19.6 11.5 average 170%
Noonamah Airstrip 33.6 -0.4 35.4 24th 20.7 +0.5 12.9 19th 7.8 8.5 average 92%
Oenpelli Airport 33.5 -1.0 35.1 14th 22.9 +0.2 15.2 19th 0.6 13.6 average 4%
Pirlangimpi Airport 32.5 -0.2 34.6 25th 22.3 +0.8 18.2 19th 7.2 20.5 average 35%
Point Stuart 31.7 -0.5 33.6 14th 22.0 +0.5 16.7 19th 41.4 15.3 high 271%
Port Keats Airport 32.6 -0.4 35.4 5th 21.3 +1.8 15.6 19th 27.8 16.4 high 170%
Tindal RAAF 32.0 -0.3 35.8 25th 18.2 +0.8 12.5 17th 180.2 2.0 highest 9010%
Arnhem (district 14BC)
Gove Airport 29.4 31.0 25th 24.4 22.6 16th 85.2
Groote Eylandt Airport 29.9 -1.1 32.6 24th 21.8 +2.4 14.9 18th 35.6 29.3 high 122%
Maningrida Airport 31.3 -0.8 33.0 14th 22.3 +0.4 18.0 19th 58.8 21.8 high 270%
Milingimbi Airport 31.6 -0.5 33.0 14th 22.6 +0.1 16.3 19th 70.6 22.4 high 315%
Ngayawili 30.2 -1.0 31.9 28th 23.4 +0.9 17.8 19th 56.2 25.0 high 225%
Warruwi Airport 30.7 -0.2 31.9 14th 24.1 0.0 21.3 19th 15.4 15.5 high 99%
Roper-Mcarthur (district 14DE)
Borroloola Airport 31.6 -0.9 35.4 25th 16.6 +0.8 10.6 31st 0.0 6.8 lowest 0%
Bulman 30.7 -1.9 34.4 26th 19.1 +0.6 12.3 22nd 30.2 14.6 high 207%
Centre Island 28.2 -1.3 30.4 27th 22.8 +0.2 19.5 19th 0.2 10.5 low 2%
Daly Waters Airstrip 31.2 -0.1 35.3 25th 17.0 +1.1 11.5 24th 9.0 6.1 high 148%
McArthur River Mine Airport 32.3 -0.1 36.7 25th 18.5 +1.9 12.9 31st 0.0 6.6 lowest 0%
Ngukurr Airport 31.3 -1.9 34.9 26th 19.2 +0.8 12.6 22nd 0.0 9.2 lowest 0%
Victoria (district 14F)
Bradshaw 33.4 -0.4 36.8 26th 19.5 +0.8 13.4 20th 1.8 10.8 high 17%
Bradshaw - Angallari Valley (Defence) 33.1 36.2 26th 21.4 15.7 16th 1.6
Bradshaw - Koolendong Valley (Defence) 32.8 36.0 26th 17.3 10.3 17th 11.8
Lajamanu Airport 28.2 -1.5 35.6 25th 14.9 +1.2 9.2 20th 69.4 7.8 high 890%
Victoria River Downs 32.3 +0.3 36.1 25th 16.8 +1.0 9.2 18th 1.0 5.7 average 18%
Barkly (district 15A)
Elliott 29.1 -2.0 34.5 26th 16.9 +0.9 10.5 18th 26.6 6.2 high 429%
Tennant Creek Airport 26.9 -0.8 33.3 26th 16.8 +0.4 9.6 28th 51.6 7.8 high 662%
Alice Springs (district 15B)
Alice Springs Airport 22.9 -0.2 31.2 25th 7.3 -0.8 -1.8 20th 43.0 18.0 high 239%
Curtin Springs 23.7 -0.2 29.7 7th 9.0 +0.3 1.6 20th 18.8 17.0 high 111%
Jervois 24.2 -1.2 29.6 6th 11.2 +1.2 3.7 20th 63.0 15.9 high 396%
Rabbit Flat 28.1 -0.7 35.2 25th 12.6 +0.9 5.7 20th 95.6 11.5 highest 831%
Territory Grape Farm 24.9 -0.7 32.7 25th 10.6 +1.2 1.6 20th 77.6 19.8 high 392%
Walungurru Airport 25.5 -1.7 31.6 25th 14.8 -0.6 8.6 20th 17.8 15.4 high 116%
Watarrka 22.5 -2.4 29.9 25th 8.2 -2.4 1.4 21st 28.5 19.4 high 147%
Yulara Airport 23.8 -0.5 29.7 5th 9.3 0.0 3.3 20th 16.4 13.0 high 126%

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Notes

The Monthly climate summary, usually published in the first week of the following 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.

This statement has been prepared based on information available on Monday 2 June 2025. 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, excluding the current year. The length of record can vary widely from site to site. Averages are not shown for sites with fewer 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.

Information about Australian Indigenous seasonal calendars is available at the Indigenous Weather Knowledge website.

Creative Commons By Attribution logo Unless otherwise noted, all maps, graphs and diagrams in this page are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence

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