Weather News

Darwin approaching wet season record

Ben Domensino, Tuesday April 11, 2017 - 11:56 AEST

Darwin's prosperous wet season is about to receive another burst of rain as the threat of a tropical cyclone looms for the Top End.

A low over the Arafura Sea is moving towards the southwest and may develop into a tropical cyclone on Wednesday.

Regardless of whether the low reaches cyclone intensity, it will bring heavy rain and potentially damaging to the Tiwi Islands, northwest Arnhem District and Daly District during the next 24 to 48 hours.

This system will cap off a wetter-than-usual wet season in Darwin and may bring the city's running total close to the current record.

Darwin's highest wet season rainfall total, which includes any rain recorded from the start of October to the end of April, was 2,918mm in 2010/11.

Darwin has received 2,392mm of rain during the current wet season, as of 9am today, which is already its third wettest on record and the wettest in six years.

The Airport only needs to receive another 108mm before the end of April to move into second place historically. Breaking the current record will be a harder task though. Another 527mm of rain would be required required during the next 19 days to take the top spot.

The low or tropical cyclone is expected to move through the Timor Sea on Thursday. This will allow conditions to ease for the Top End, although Western Australia's Kimberley is likely to be impacted during the second half of the week.

- Weatherzone

© Weatherzone 2017

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