> Visitor Information
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> Visitor Information
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Top End Darwin, Kakadu National Park, Litchfield National Park and Arnhem Land (The Top End) traditionally has only two seasons, known to the locals as the 'Wet' and the 'Dry'. The 'Dry' falls between the months of May to October each year and is virtually guaranteed to be rain free. Day time temperatures of around 25°C and cooler nights to 20°C make for perfect living. Daytime rarely go as high as 33°C, but humidity is low and rainfall is minimal. It is a time of idyllic weather, sunshine, and fresh breezes and the Dry Season is so predictable that outdoor events can be arranged years ahead without fear of rain. October brings the start of the rains and possible heavy thunder storms in the park areas. The 'Wet' occurs between November and April. This is a time of high humidity, spectacular thunder and lightening storms, gushing waterfalls and lush green countryside. Day time temperatures rarely reach over 32°C but a late afternoon storm is guaranteed to cool the day. Night time temperatures hover around 25°C. During the Tropical Summer season from November to April, you can expect rainfall of 300mm to 400mm per month - mainly falling during the late afternoon and at night. During a monsoonal burst, flooding of some kind is very common particularly in outlying areas. Almost all of the Top Ends 1200-1800mm annual rainfall comes during this period. The rains bring spectacular lightning displays and the threat of cyclones, and is certainly a dramatic time of the year. The Aboriginal Perspective Top End Aborigines have six seasons, the pre-monsoon season which they call Gunumeleng goes from October to January when Gudjewg, a time of violent thunderstorms, begins and there is an explosion of plant and animal life. In March comes Bangerreng when plants, fruit and animals are carrying their young. Between April and May is Yegge, the time to start burning the bush, June and July are Wurrgeng or cold season. Creeks and billabongs are dry but the magpie geese are fat and abundant. August and September are Gurrung, the time to hunt file snakes and long necked turtles. It is a highly utilitarian view of the world and its climate which many non-Aboriginal Territorians have adopted. They like the Aboriginal nuisances of the seasons. You probably will as well. The Darwin Region During the Dry, Darwin rightly boasts of the best weather in the world. Fine conditions prevail and winds are typically dry, light to moderate south easterlies, ideal for those that love to sail. Most Australian visitors come during the Dry to escape the southern winter and bask in Darwin's mild climate and generally cool nights. The days simply sparkle and the city needs no promotion. Everybody loves the Dry. The Tropical Summer can be the most interesting season of the year. That is when Darwin experiences the tropical annual monsoon which sweeps from the Arafura Sea and bathes the Top End with torrential rain. It starts about the end of November, perhaps early December depending on the vagaries of the weather in South East Asia and is preceded by the buildup, a period of intense heat and humidity but little rain. The dark clouds build ominously over the harbour and spectacular lightening displays are a sight to behold. The average rainfall of Darwin is 1659mm a year. Mean temperature in January, the middle of the Tropical Summer is a maximum of 32°C and a minimum of 24°C. During the middle of the Dry in July mean temperatures are a maximum of 30°C and a minimum of 19°C. You should always carry plenty of water with you and make sure you keep yourself properly hydrated. Be aware of the "Slip - on a shirt, Slop - on the sunscreen, Slap - on a hat, Slurp - lots of water" slogan and heed it.
Tennant Creek lies within the tropics and as such, has two distinct seasons. However, its position deep within such a large land mass limits the amount of moisture available for the generation of "weather". Tennant Creek's wet season is limited, with the best averages in December, January and February. Generally speaking, rainfall at this time is the result of showers and storms which develop from moisture brought in by the large "heat lows" produced over northern Australia in Summer. Heavy falls can result, especially if the "monsoon trough" migrates into the central Northern Territory. Seasonal tropical cyclones in the Gulf of Carpentaria or Indian Ocean may assist to do this. The prevailing wind is from the south-east, which for much of the year is travelling over a dry land mass and so carries little moisture. During the dry season these winds, circulating around the high pressure areas along the south coast, can carry the cold southern air right through the interior, to the north coast, drying it as they go. Despite this low level southeasterly wind, winds at higher levels in the atmosphere are usually from the west or north-west and even in the dry season can carry moisture from the Indian Ocean right across the continent in the form of north-west cloud bands. These cloud bands can be quite substantial and provide falls of rain, though the dry lower levels often evaporate it again before it reaches the ground. These conditions prevail as far south as Barrow Creek, before Central Australian weather patterns become dominant. In summer there is quite marked change in the colour of the vegetation either side of Barrow Creek as you travel from the northern hot and wet influence of the tropics to hot dry weather style of the Centre. The transition from green to brown takes place over a distance of 100km or so.
Alice Springs, Ayers Rock, The Olgas and Kings Canyon (Central Australia) have four recognisable seasons. Summer (December to February) produces a dry heat and glorious sunshine, with temperatures reaching over 35°C during the day, and dropping to around 20°C at night. By Autumn (March to May) it is starting to cool down and day time temperatures of around 28°C, dropping to a pleasantly cooler 13°C during the evening. Winter in the desert (June to August) offers glorious 20°C days, but night time is chilly with temperatures dropping to 0°C or below. Spring (September to November) brings out a carpet of colourful desert wild flowers as temperatures begin to rise towards the 30°C mark during the day. Nights remain cool at around 14°C. Central Australia enjoys sunshine all year-round and is famous for its clear blue skies. Rainfall, when it does come, is unpredictable in The Centre and can occur at any time of the year depending on prevailing southern weather patterns, and caution should be taken during any rain in case of flash flooding. Dust Devils In central Australia, in Summer, you can often see whirlwinds carrying dust or sand, leaves and bits of rubbish into the air. These are dust devils and they are similar in appearance to tornadoes, but there are some important differences. Dust devils originate under mostly clear skies, and grow from the ground up. They begin when air at the surface is heated sufficiently to become unstable and begins to rise rapidly. This rising air is replaced by other hot air which is drawn in from the sides, at which time spin is imparted to the system. This spin may be anywhere from 20 to 100 kph, with the air rising at roughly 40 kph. The relative humidity of this air is so low that the water vapour in it doesn't condense as it rises, and so the system is denied the latent heat energy that drives tornadoes and cyclones. Thus, the power of the dust devil is limited, but anyone who has driven through one has felt the car move on its springs. The column of rising air is only visible because of the debris carried aloft. This visible evidence typically rises to 70 or 100 metres, but can reach up to 1000 metres and glider pilots have felt their invisible updrafts more than 5 km above the ground. When conditions are favourable for development, there is often more than one 'devil' in sight at any one time. More Information More information on Northern Territory weather conditions can be found on the Bureau Of Meteorology web site inlcuding: A series of rainfall and temperature distribution maps based on historical averages is also available. Select from:
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