Geography of the Northern Territory
 | This article's lead section may be too short to adequately summarize the key points. (February 2020) |
| Highest point | Mount Zeil 1,531 m (5021 ft) |
|---|---|
| Longest river | Victoria River 560 km (348 mi) |
| Largest lake | Lake Amadeus 1032 km2 |
Climate
The Northern Territory has two distinctive climate zones - a tropical climate in the north and a desert climate in the rest of the territory.
The wet season (October to April) has
The highest temperature recorded in the Northern Territory was 48.3 °C (118.9 °F) at Aputula on 1 and 2 January 1960. The lowest temperature was −7.5 °C (18.5 °F) at Alice Springs on 17 July 1976.[2]
| Climate data for Northern Territory (Extremes) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 48.3 (118.9) |
46.4 (115.5) |
45.0 (113.0) |
41.5 (106.7) |
40.2 (104.4) |
37.9 (100.2) |
37.5 (99.5) |
39.7 (103.5) |
42.0 (107.6) |
45.0 (113.0) |
46.1 (115.0) |
47.2 (117.0) |
48.3 (118.9) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 6.7 (44.1) |
8.5 (47.3) |
4.7 (40.5) |
1.0 (33.8) |
−4.2 (24.4) |
−6.0 (21.2) |
−7.5 (18.5) |
−5.4 (22.3) |
−2.8 (27.0) |
0.0 (32.0) |
3.5 (38.3) |
7.5 (45.5) |
−7.5 (18.5) |
| Source: Australian Bureau of Meteorology[3] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Darwin (Köppen Aw) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 36.1 (97.0) |
36.0 (96.8) |
36.0 (96.8) |
36.7 (98.1) |
36.0 (96.8) |
35.0 (95.0) |
35.0 (95.0) |
37.0 (98.6) |
38.0 (100.4) |
38.9 (102.0) |
37.3 (99.1) |
37.1 (98.8) |
38.9 (102.0) |
| Mean maximum °C (°F) | 33.5 (92.3) |
33.4 (92.1) |
34.0 (93.2) |
34.4 (93.9) |
33.9 (93.0) |
32.9 (91.2) |
32.8 (91.0) |
33.6 (92.5) |
34.9 (94.8) |
35.2 (95.4) |
35.0 (95.0) |
34.7 (94.5) |
35.2 (95.4) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 32.0 (89.6) |
31.7 (89.1) |
32.3 (90.1) |
33.0 (91.4) |
32.3 (90.1) |
31.1 (88.0) |
31.1 (88.0) |
31.9 (89.4) |
33.1 (91.6) |
33.8 (92.8) |
33.7 (92.7) |
33.0 (91.4) |
32.4 (90.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 28.5 (83.3) |
28.4 (83.1) |
28.6 (83.5) |
28.6 (83.5) |
27.3 (81.1) |
25.5 (77.9) |
25.2 (77.4) |
25.8 (78.4) |
28.0 (82.4) |
29.3 (84.7) |
29.5 (85.1) |
29.2 (84.6) |
27.8 (82.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 25.1 (77.2) |
25.1 (77.2) |
24.9 (76.8) |
24.2 (75.6) |
22.3 (72.1) |
20.0 (68.0) |
19.3 (66.7) |
19.8 (67.6) |
22.9 (73.2) |
24.8 (76.6) |
25.4 (77.7) |
25.5 (77.9) |
23.3 (73.9) |
| Mean minimum °C (°F) | 23.1 (73.6) |
23.2 (73.8) |
23.3 (73.9) |
22.5 (72.5) |
19.1 (66.4) |
16.2 (61.2) |
16.3 (61.3) |
16.9 (62.4) |
20.6 (69.1) |
23.0 (73.4) |
23.3 (73.9) |
23.4 (74.1) |
16.2 (61.2) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 20.2 (68.4) |
17.2 (63.0) |
19.2 (66.6) |
16.0 (60.8) |
13.8 (56.8) |
12.1 (53.8) |
10.4 (50.7) |
13.0 (55.4) |
14.3 (57.7) |
19.0 (66.2) |
19.3 (66.7) |
19.8 (67.6) |
10.4 (50.7) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 470.7 (18.53) |
412.4 (16.24) |
313.7 (12.35) |
105.1 (4.14) |
20.7 (0.81) |
2.1 (0.08) |
0.9 (0.04) |
0.8 (0.03) |
14.3 (0.56) |
68.9 (2.71) |
143.5 (5.65) |
279.3 (11.00) |
1,832.4 (72.14) |
| Average rainy days (≥ 1 mm) | 19.6 | 18.2 | 16.8 | 7.6 | 1.7 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 1.5 | 5.5 | 10.1 | 15.0 | 96.5 |
| Average afternoon relative humidity (%)
|
71 | 74 | 67 | 52 | 41 | 36 | 36 | 38 | 47 | 51 | 58 | 66 | 53 |
| Average dew point °C (°F) | 24.2 (75.6) |
24.3 (75.7) |
23.4 (74.1) |
19.8 (67.6) |
15.8 (60.4) |
12.4 (54.3) |
11.8 (53.2) |
13.1 (55.6) |
18.1 (64.6) |
20.3 (68.5) |
22.3 (72.1) |
23.6 (74.5) |
19.1 (66.4) |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 176.7 | 162.4 | 213.9 | 264.0 | 300.7 | 303.0 | 319.3 | 325.5 | 297.0 | 294.5 | 255.0 | 198.4 | 3,110.4 |
| Mean daily sunshine hours | 5.7 | 5.8 | 6.9 | 8.8 | 9.7 | 10.1 | 10.3 | 10.5 | 9.9 | 9.5 | 8.5 | 6.5 | 8.5 |
| Source: [4] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Tennant Creek (Köppen BSh) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 45.6 (114.1) |
43.2 (109.8) |
42.5 (108.5) |
38.4 (101.1) |
36.8 (98.2) |
34.0 (93.2) |
34.7 (94.5) |
36.0 (96.8) |
39.4 (102.9) |
41.9 (107.4) |
43.4 (110.1) |
45.4 (113.7) |
45.6 (114.1) |
| Mean maximum °C (°F) | 40.7 (105.3) |
39.9 (103.8) |
37.9 (100.2) |
35.9 (96.6) |
31.8 (89.2) |
29.5 (85.1) |
29.2 (84.6) |
32.2 (90.0) |
36.6 (97.9) |
39.0 (102.2) |
40.2 (104.4) |
41.0 (105.8) |
41.0 (105.8) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 36.7 (98.1) |
35.8 (96.4) |
34.8 (94.6) |
32.4 (90.3) |
27.7 (81.9) |
24.8 (76.6) |
25.1 (77.2) |
27.6 (81.7) |
32.5 (90.5) |
35.2 (95.4) |
36.9 (98.4) |
37.0 (98.6) |
32.2 (90.0) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 30.9 (87.6) |
30.2 (86.4) |
29.2 (84.6) |
26.7 (80.1) |
22.1 (71.8) |
19.0 (66.2) |
18.9 (66.0) |
21.0 (69.8) |
25.8 (78.4) |
28.6 (83.5) |
30.6 (87.1) |
31.0 (87.8) |
26.2 (79.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 25.0 (77.0) |
24.5 (76.1) |
23.5 (74.3) |
20.9 (69.6) |
16.4 (61.5) |
13.2 (55.8) |
12.7 (54.9) |
14.4 (57.9) |
19.1 (66.4) |
22.0 (71.6) |
24.2 (75.6) |
25.0 (77.0) |
20.1 (68.1) |
| Mean minimum °C (°F) | 22.2 (72.0) |
22.1 (71.8) |
20.7 (69.3) |
17.0 (62.6) |
12.1 (53.8) |
8.8 (47.8) |
8.9 (48.0) |
10.3 (50.5) |
14.3 (57.7) |
17.9 (64.2) |
20.5 (68.9) |
21.8 (71.2) |
8.8 (47.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 17.2 (63.0) |
17.2 (63.0) |
14.7 (58.5) |
12.0 (53.6) |
6.7 (44.1) |
5.6 (42.1) |
6.0 (42.8) |
6.6 (43.9) |
8.3 (46.9) |
11.6 (52.9) |
15.9 (60.6) |
15.7 (60.3) |
5.6 (42.1) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 128.2 (5.05) |
132.9 (5.23) |
45.7 (1.80) |
15.0 (0.59) |
8.1 (0.32) |
4.1 (0.16) |
3.9 (0.15) |
2.4 (0.09) |
5.0 (0.20) |
16.9 (0.67) |
45.7 (1.80) |
86.8 (3.42) |
494.7 (19.48) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1 mm) | 8.2 | 8.0 | 3.3 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 2.5 | 3.9 | 6.7 | 37.2 |
| Average afternoon relative humidity (%)
|
33 | 37 | 28 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 22 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 22 | 29 | 25 |
| Average dew point °C (°F) | 13.4 (56.1) |
14.9 (58.8) |
10.4 (50.7) |
6.5 (43.7) |
3.9 (39.0) |
2.1 (35.8) |
−0.2 (31.6) |
−1.3 (29.7) |
1.5 (34.7) |
3.0 (37.4) |
7.5 (45.5) |
11.5 (52.7) |
6.1 (43.0) |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 285.2 | 257.1 | 291.4 | 297.0 | 303.8 | 294.0 | 313.1 | 331.7 | 309.0 | 313.1 | 294.0 | 275.9 | 3,565.3 |
| Mean daily sunshine hours | 9.2 | 9.1 | 9.4 | 9.9 | 9.8 | 9.8 | 10.1 | 10.7 | 10.3 | 10.1 | 9.8 | 8.9 | 9.8 |
| Source: Australian Bureau of Meteorology[5]
| |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Alice Springs (Köppen BWh) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 45.6 (114.1) |
44.7 (112.5) |
42.7 (108.9) |
39.9 (103.8) |
35.0 (95.0) |
31.6 (88.9) |
31.8 (89.2) |
35.2 (95.4) |
38.8 (101.8) |
42.6 (108.7) |
44.9 (112.8) |
45.7 (114.3) |
45.7 (114.3) |
| Mean maximum °C (°F) | 41.5 (106.7) |
40.1 (104.2) |
38.4 (101.1) |
34.6 (94.3) |
29.6 (85.3) |
26.2 (79.2) |
26.6 (79.9) |
30.0 (86.0) |
35.0 (95.0) |
38.0 (100.4) |
40.0 (104.0) |
40.5 (104.9) |
41.5 (106.7) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 37.1 (98.8) |
35.8 (96.4) |
33.5 (92.3) |
29.3 (84.7) |
23.6 (74.5) |
20.1 (68.2) |
20.7 (69.3) |
23.5 (74.3) |
28.8 (83.8) |
31.9 (89.4) |
34.4 (93.9) |
35.7 (96.3) |
29.5 (85.2) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 29.7 (85.5) |
28.5 (83.3) |
25.7 (78.3) |
21.1 (70.0) |
15.8 (60.4) |
12.4 (54.3) |
12.3 (54.1) |
14.7 (58.5) |
20.0 (68.0) |
23.4 (74.1) |
26.4 (79.5) |
28.2 (82.8) |
21.5 (70.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 22.3 (72.1) |
21.1 (70.0) |
17.9 (64.2) |
12.9 (55.2) |
8.0 (46.4) |
4.7 (40.5) |
3.9 (39.0) |
5.8 (42.4) |
11.2 (52.2) |
14.9 (58.8) |
18.3 (64.9) |
20.7 (69.3) |
13.5 (56.2) |
| Mean minimum °C (°F) | 17.2 (63.0) |
16.2 (61.2) |
12.1 (53.8) |
7.2 (45.0) |
2.4 (36.3) |
−0.7 (30.7) |
−1.4 (29.5) |
0.3 (32.5) |
4.5 (40.1) |
8.4 (47.1) |
12.4 (54.3) |
15.2 (59.4) |
−1.4 (29.5) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 10.0 (50.0) |
8.5 (47.3) |
6.1 (43.0) |
1.4 (34.5) |
−2.7 (27.1) |
−6.0 (21.2) |
−7.5 (18.5) |
−4.1 (24.6) |
−1.0 (30.2) |
1.3 (34.3) |
3.5 (38.3) |
9.3 (48.7) |
−7.5 (18.5) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 48.9 (1.93) |
40.7 (1.60) |
19.9 (0.78) |
19.9 (0.78) |
17.5 (0.69) |
10.3 (0.41) |
13.0 (0.51) |
3.8 (0.15) |
7.8 (0.31) |
18.7 (0.74) |
33.0 (1.30) |
41.3 (1.63) |
274.8 (10.83) |
| Average rainy days (≥ 1 mm) | 3.7 | 3.2 | 2.0 | 1.4 | 1.9 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 1.3 | 2.4 | 3.9 | 5.0 | 28.6 |
| Average relative humidity (%)
|
27.0 | 32.5 | 28.0 | 31.0 | 41.5 | 48.5 | 43.0 | 31.5 | 24.0 | 23.0 | 26.0 | 27.5 | 32.0 |
| Average dew point °C (°F) | 8.0 (46.4) |
9.6 (49.3) |
6.1 (43.0) |
4.3 (39.7) |
3.7 (38.7) |
2.9 (37.2) |
0.8 (33.4) |
−1.1 (30.0) |
−0.2 (31.6) |
0.5 (32.9) |
4.5 (40.1) |
6.6 (43.9) |
3.8 (38.8) |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 316.2 | 274.0 | 297.6 | 291.0 | 266.6 | 252.0 | 285.2 | 313.3 | 303.0 | 316.2 | 297.0 | 294.5 | 3,506.6 |
| Mean daily sunshine hours | 10.2 | 9.7 | 9.6 | 9.7 | 8.6 | 8.4 | 9.2 | 10.1 | 10.1 | 10.2 | 9.9 | 9.5 | 9.6 |
| Source: Australian Bureau of Meteorology[6] | |||||||||||||
Coastal boundaries
In the Top End of the Territory is a 5500 km coastline, extending from the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf Timor Sea in the west to the Gulf of Carpentaria in the east. The various islands make up another 5500 km of coastline, resulting in a total of almost 11,000 km.[7]
The southern part of the Territory (Central Australia) is extremely arid. Alice Springs and the surrounding communities make the total population of Central Australia around 60,000 people. There are also large Cattle Stations and significant areas protected around the area. Major transportation in Central Australia mainly comes from road and rail. There are many very small settlements scattered across the Territory but the larger population centres are located on the single sealed road that links Darwin to southern Australia, the Stuart Highway, known to locals simply as "the track".
Geographical features
The coastline in the
Much of the Territory is relatively flat, but has some disconnected ranges, including the sandstone plateau of western
The northern portion of the territory is principally
The Northern Territory has the two largest deserts in Australia, the Tanami Desert (184,500 km)2 in the northern part of the Territory, and the Simpson Desert (176,500 km)2 of Central Australia.[9]
There is a series of river systems in the Northern Territory that include Alligator Rivers, Daly River (with its major tributary the Katherine River), Finke River, McArthur River, Roper River, Todd River and Victoria River. The Victoria River is the longest river in the Northern Territory and flows for 560 kilometres (350 mi).[10] The Hay River is east of Alice Springs, with the Marshall River, Arthur Creek, Camel Creek and Bore Creek as tributaries.[11]
References
- ^ "Area of Australia - States and Territories". 27 June 2014.
- Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 17 November 2009.
- ^ "Daily Extremes". Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
- ^ "Darwin Airport". Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
- ^ "Climate statistics for Tennant Creek".
- ^ "Climate statistics for Australian locations- Alice Springs Airport".
- ^ Geoscience Australia: Border Lengths - States and Territories. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
- ^ "Highest Mountains". Geoscience Australia. Archived from the original on 6 April 2010. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
- ^ "Deserts". Geoscience Australia. Archived from the original on 5 December 2009. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
- ^ "Longest Rivers". Geoscience Australia. Archived from the original on 16 May 2010. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
- ^ "Hay River". Bonzle.com. Retrieved 10 June 2019.
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