Climate Darwin, Northern Territory

a wet season storm @ night in january

darwin has tropical savanna climate (köppen aw) distinct wet , dry seasons , average maximum temperature remarkably similar year round. dry season runs may september, during every day sunny, , afternoon humidity averages around 30%.

the driest period of year, seeing approximately 5 mm (0.20 in) of monthly rainfall on average, between may , september. in coolest months of june , july, daily minimum temperature may dip low 14 °c (57 °f), lower, , temperature lower 10 °c (50 °f) has never been recorded in city centre. outer suburbs away coast, however, can record temperatures low 5 °c (41 °f) in dry season. exceedingly lengthy 147‑day period during 2012 dry season, 5 may 29 september, darwin recorded no precipitation whatsoever. prolonged periods of no precipitation common in dry season in northern australia (particularly in northern territory , northern regions of western australia) although no-rainfall event of extent rare. 3pm dewpoint average in wet season @ around 24.0 °c (75.2 °f).

extreme temperatures @ darwin post office station have ranged 40.4 °c (104.7 °f) on 17 october 1892 13.4 °c (56.1 °f) on 25 june 1891; while extreme temperatures @ darwin airport station (which further coast , routinely records cooler temperatures post office station located in darwin s cbd) have ranged 38.9 °c (102.0 °f) on 18 october 1982 10.4 °c (50.7 °f) on 29 july 1942. highest minimum temperature on record 30.7 °c (87.3 °f) on 18 january 1928 post office station , 29.7 °c (85.5 °f) on both 25 november 1987 , 17 december 2014 airport station; while lowest maximum temperature on record 18.4 °c (65.1 °f) on 3 june 1904 post office station , 21.1 °c (70.0 °f) on 14 july 1968 airport station.

the wet season associated tropical cyclones , monsoon rains. majority of rainfall occurs between december , march (the southern hemisphere summer), when thunderstorms common , afternoon relative humidity averages on 70 percent during wettest months. not rain every day during wet season, days have plentiful cloud cover; january averages under 6 hours of bright sunshine daily. darwin s highest bureau of meteorology verified daily rainfall total 367.6 millimetres (14.47 in), fell when cyclone carlos bore down on darwin area on 16 february 2011. february 2011 darwin s wettest month ever recorded, 1,110.2 millimetres (43.71 in) recorded month @ airport.

the hottest month november, before onset of main rain season. heat index rises above 45 °c (113 °f), while actual temperature below 35 °c (95 °f), because of humidity levels find uncomfortable. because of long dry season, darwin has second daily average sunshine hours (8.4) of australian capital sunshine april november; perth, western australia averages more (8.8). sun passes directly overhead in mid october , mid february.

the average temperature of sea ranges 25.8 °c (78.4 °f) in july 31.5 °c (88.7 °f) in december.

darwin occupies 1 of lightning-prone areas in australia. on 31 january 2002 early-morning squall line produced on 5,000 cloud-to-ground lightning strikes within 60-kilometre (37 mi) radius of darwin alone – 3 times amount of lightning perth, western australia, experiences on average in entire year.