Monday 3 November 2025 - Monthly Climate Summary for Northern Territory - Product code IDCKGC12R0

Northern Territory in October 2025

Rainfall

  • The Northern Territory's area-averaged rainfall total in October was 27.01 mm, 44.0 % above the 1961–1990 average.
  • Rainfall totals in October were above to very much above average for large parts of Northern Territory.
  • On the 12th, Old Delamere had its highest October daily rainfall on record at 95.2 mm. The average for October for the site is 16.8 mm.
  • Old Delamere and Wandie Creek had their highest total October rainfall on record.

Temperature

  • Mean maximum temperatures in October were very much above average (in the highest 10% of all Octobers on record) for the Territory and the highest on record for central areas.
  • Northern Territory's area-averaged mean maximum temperature was the highest on record at 37.40 °C, this was 2.87 °C above the 1961–1990 average.
  • Several sites had their highest or equal highest October mean maximum temperature on record.
  • Ngayawilli had its hottest October day (highest daily maximum temperature) on record on the 4th at 37.6 °C.
  • Mean minimum temperatures in October were above to very much above average (in the highest 10% of all Octobers on record) for the Territory and the highest on record for some isolated areas.
  • Northern Territory's area-averaged mean minimum temperature was 22.91 °C, 2.78 °C above the 1961–1990 average and the warmest on record.
  • Territory Grape Farm and Lajamanu Airport had their highest October mean minimum temperature on record.
  • Northern Territory's area-averaged mean temperature was 30.15 °C, 2.82 °C above the 1961–1990 average. This was the warmest October on record, the previous record was set in 1988.
  • Several sites had their highest October mean temperature on record.

Events

  • During October, several low pressure troughs triggered rainfall across the Northern Territory.
  • Low-intensity to severe heatwave conditions impacted large parts of the Territory during the month.
  • For more details, visit the October national climate summary.

Darwin Airport

  • Total rainfall for Darwin Airport was 48.6 mm, which is 69% of the long-term average of 70.0 mm.
  • The mean daily maximum temperature for Darwin Airport was 34.7 °C, which is 1.3 °C above the long-term average of 33.4 °C.
  • The warmest day was 38.4 °C on the 4th, and the coolest day was on the 29th when the temperature reached 32.5 °C.
  • The mean daily minimum temperature for Darwin Airport was 25.5 °C, which is 0.6 °C above the long-term average of 24.9 °C.
  • The coldest morning was 23.4 °C on the 31st, and the warmest morning was on the 28th when the minimum temperature was 28.4 °C.

Alice Springs Airport

  • Total rainfall for Alice Springs Airport was 25.8 mm, which is 132% of the long-term average of 19.5 mm.
  • The mean daily maximum temperature for Alice Springs Airport was 34.8 °C, which is 3.6 °C above the long-term average of 31.2 °C.
  • The warmest day was 40.8 °C on the 20th, and the coolest day was on the 27th when the temperature reached 24.1 °C.
  • The mean daily minimum temperature for Alice Springs Airport was 17.1 °C, which is 2.3 °C above the long-term average of 14.8 °C.
  • The coldest morning was 9.5 °C on the 5th, and the warmest morning was on the 21st when the minimum temperature was 24.9 °C.

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes in October 2025
Hottest day 44.0 °C at Rabbit Flat on the 31st
Warmest days on average 40.5 °C at Victoria River Downs
Coolest days on average 31.2 °C at McCluer Island
Coldest day 24.1 °C at Alice Springs Airport on the 27th
Coldest night 9.5 °C at Alice Springs Airport on the 5th
Coolest nights on average 17.1 °C at Alice Springs Airport
Warmest nights on average 27.1 °C at McCluer Island
Warmest night 29.1 °C at Dum In Mirrie Airstrip on the 28th
Warmest on average overall 33.0 °C at Bradshaw - Angallari Valley (Defence)
Coolest on average overall 26.0 °C at Alice Springs Airport
Wettest overall 152.0 mm at Upper Adelaide River
Wettest day 95.2 mm at Old Delamere on the 12th
Strongest wind gust 87.0 km/h at McArthur River Mine Airport on the 28th

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 October daily rainfall
New record
(mm)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
October
Old Delamere 95.2 on the 12th 35.4 on 31 Oct 2010 54 16.8


Record highest October total rainfall
New record
(mm)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
October
Old Delamere 116.0 104.1 in 1954 53 16.8
Wandie Creek 107.0 70.0 in 1983 27 29.4


Record highest October temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
October
Ngayawili 37.6 on the 4th 36.9 on 21 Oct 2019 27 32.9


Record highest October mean maximum temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
October
Victoria River Downs 40.5 40.4 in 1971 61 38.1
Tennant Creek Airport 38.0 37.7 in 1988 57 35.1
Territory Grape Farm 36.7 36.1 in 2015 34 33.6
Lajamanu Airport 40.1 39.5 in 2017 33 37.6
Dum In Mirrie Airstrip 34.0 =34.0 in 2024 27 33.0


Highest October mean maximum temperature for at least 20 years
Observed
(°C)		 Most recent
higher		 Average for
October
Elliott 40.0 40.1 in 2002 38.0

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



Record highest October mean minimum temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
October
Territory Grape Farm 18.6 18.2 in 2005 34 15.8
Lajamanu Airport 24.1 23.9 in 2018 33 20.8


Highest October mean minimum temperature for at least 20 years
Observed
(°C)		 Most recent
higher		 Average for
October
Tennant Creek Airport 24.5 24.6 in 1988 21.9
Jervois 18.9 19.2 in 2005 15.8

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



Record highest October mean temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
October
Alice Springs Airport 26.0 25.7 in 2024 84 23.0
Tennant Creek Airport 31.3 31.2 in 1988 57 28.5
Territory Grape Farm 27.6 27.0 in 2018 34 24.7
Lajamanu Airport 32.1 31.5 in 2018 33 29.2


Highest October mean temperature for at least 20 years
Observed
(°C)		 Most recent
higher		 Average for
October
Rabbit Flat 30.3 31.2 in 2005 27.9

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



Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Summary statistics for October 2025
Maximum temperatures
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
(°C)		 Rainfall
(millimetres)
Mean for
October
2025		 Diff
from
average		 Highest for
October
2025		 Mean for
October
2025		 Diff
from
average		 Lowest for
October
2025		 Total for
October
2025		 Average
for
October		 Rank of
October
2025		 Fraction of
October
average
Darwin-Daly (district 14GA)
Batchelor Airport 36.9 +0.1 40.1 4th 23.4 +0.2 21.0 5th 133.2 62.3 high 214%
Central Arnhem Plateau 36.0 +0.2 38.1 24th 22.5 +0.3 17.6 5th 74.0 32.3 high 229%
Channel Point 33.1 +0.8 36.0 15th 25.0 +0.7 22.1 14th 30.5 70.3 average 43%
Charles Point 32.7 +0.7 35.6 4th 26.3 +0.3 22.3 8th 37.6 61.2 low 61%
Croker Island Airport 34.1 +0.3 35.6 4th 24.4 -0.2 21.1 23rd 19.2 8.5 average 226%
Darwin Airport 34.7 +1.3 38.4 4th 25.5 +0.6 23.4 31st 48.6 70.0 average 69%
Delamere Weapons Range 38.9 +1.2 40.7 25th 24.8 +0.8 19.9 5th 49.0 27.9 high 176%
Douglas River Research Farm 37.6 -0.3 39.7 4th 23.1 +0.6 18.1 5th 108.6 40.6 high 268%
Dum In Mirrie Airstrip 34.0 +1.0 35.7 17th 25.2 -0.2 22.9 29th 68.2 61.4 average 111%
East Point 33.9 38.0 4th 25.9 23.0 8th 55.4
Jabiru Airport 37.9 +0.1 40.1 4th 24.6 +0.6 21.2 5th 68.6 39.1 high 175%
Kangaroo Flats (Defence) 37.7 40.7 4th 24.8 23.0 29th 113.4
Knuckey Lagoon 35.8 38.8 4th 23.6 20.7 27th 56.6
McCluer Island 31.2 +0.6 32.8 30th 27.1 +0.8 24.9 2nd 11.6 6.9 high 168%
Middle Point 37.8 +0.4 40.3 3rd 23.5 +1.2 20.2 5th 43.0 47.5 average 90%
Mount Bundey North (Defence) 38.0 40.2 4th 24.8 22.6 5th 51.2
Mount Bundey South (Defence) 38.4 40.7 4th 24.8 22.2 5th 22.6
Murganella Airstrip 34.9 +0.3 38.0 29th 22.0 -0.1 17.3 23rd 8.6 11.4 average 75%
Noonamah Airstrip 37.5 +0.9 40.8 4th 24.8 +0.9 22.2 5th 50.2 62.6 average 80%
Oenpelli Airport 37.7 -0.6 39.9 4th 23.7 +0.6 20.7 5th 83.0 17.0 highest 488%
Pirlangimpi Airport 35.3 +1.4 38.4 2nd 23.7 +0.6 22.2 27th 1.4 85.2 v low 2%
Point Stuart 35.2 +0.5 37.2 28th 24.3 0.0 21.6 23rd 30.0 52.5 average 57%
Port Keats Airport 34.6 +0.2 39.2 4th 25.0 +0.8 20.5 5th 92.0 42.6 high 216%
Tindal RAAF 38.9 +1.0 41.2 23rd 24.6 +0.6 17.4 5th 25.4 33.6 average 76%
Arnhem (district 14BC)
Gove Airport 33.1 35.2 27th 23.3 19.9 7th 8.8
Groote Eylandt Airport 35.2 +0.9 38.0 28th 22.1 +0.9 17.3 7th 17.2 26.4 average 65%
Maningrida Airport 33.8 +0.5 36.5 4th 23.7 +0.6 19.0 5th 8.6 11.1 average 78%
Milingimbi Airport 33.6 +0.4 36.6 4th 24.2 +0.4 20.4 5th 30.0 8.6 high 349%
Ngayawili 33.4 +0.5 37.6 4th 23.6 +0.9 19.7 7th 0.8 9.4 average 8%
Warruwi Airport 33.5 +0.9 35.7 31st 25.9 +0.5 22.6 23rd 18.8 12.1 high 155%
Roper-Mcarthur (district 14DE)
Borroloola Airport 37.8 +0.6 40.8 23rd 23.0 +1.5 15.6 5th 30.8 12.8 high 241%
Bulman 39.1 +0.6 41.3 28th 21.9 -0.1 13.2 5th 32.0 18.2 high 176%
Centre Island 34.0 +0.8 36.3 31st 26.2 +1.2 23.6 7th 2.8 7.5 average 37%
Daly Waters Airstrip 39.7 +2.1 41.7 31st 21.6 +0.6 12.1 5th 20.6 21.3 average 97%
McArthur River Mine Airport 39.2 +1.1 41.4 24th 23.2 +1.8 14.8 5th 78.6 19.8 high 397%
Ngukurr Airport 40.0 +1.0 42.3 23rd 24.1 +1.1 15.4 5th 10.2 18.2 average 56%
Victoria (district 14F)
Bradshaw 39.3 +0.2 41.7 23rd 25.2 +0.1 20.7 5th 63.6 27.2 high 234%
Bradshaw - Angallari Valley (Defence) 40.2 42.7 28th 25.8 22.4 6th 26.8
Bradshaw - Koolendong Valley (Defence) 38.5 40.5 5th 24.5 16.6 5th 36.0
Lajamanu Airport 40.1 +2.5 42.5 24th 24.1 +3.3 16.2 6th 11.2 21.5 average 52%
Victoria River Downs 40.5 +2.4 42.8 23rd 25.0 +2.5 17.0 6th 21.2 19.4 average 109%
Barkly (district 15A)
Elliott 40.0 +2.0 42.2 31st 23.3 +2.1 15.2 5th 15.8 20.4 average 78%
Tennant Creek Airport 38.0 +2.9 41.4 25th 24.5 +2.6 18.7 5th 6.0 19.3 average 31%
Alice Springs (district 15B)
Alice Springs Airport 34.8 +3.6 40.8 20th 17.1 +2.3 9.5 5th 25.8 19.5 high 132%
Curtin Springs 35.6 +3.7 42.0 19th 18.5 +3.9 13.5 29th 2.4 18.1 average 13%
Jervois 36.7 +3.2 43.2 20th 18.9 +3.1 9.9 5th 7.2 14.0 average 51%
Rabbit Flat 39.6 +2.1 44.0 31st 21.1 +2.7 10.1 6th 36.6 20.4 high 179%
Territory Grape Farm 36.7 +3.1 41.4 31st 18.6 +2.8 13.6 28th 7.6 14.2 average 54%
Walungurru Airport 38.2 +2.2 42.7 18th 22.5 +1.4 16.6 4th 37.2 13.7 high 272%
Watarrka 36.5 +3.3 41.2 20th 19.2 +1.7 13.5 29th 27.9 22.9 average 122%
Yulara Airport 35.6 +3.1 42.0 19th 18.4 +3.2 13.5 1st 34.0 21.7 high 157%

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 3 November 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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