Northern Territory Weather, climate and geography

Covers 1,349,129 square kilometres (520,902 square miles), the Northern Territory has two distinct climates – tropical and rainforest in the northern half and semi-arid desert in the southern half.

Darwin, the capital, sits by the Timor Sea and experiences a tropical climate with average highs staying pretty consistent from 29°C (84°F) to 32°C (90°F) year-round. It has two distinct wet and dry seasons.
• The wet season in Darwin: October to April is the wet season with majority of the rainfall occurs between December and March - it is safe to expect 18 to 22 rainy days a month during this period. In January, the average high is 31°C (88°F) and the average low is 26°C (79°F), while the average rainfall is 420mm (17 inches), making January the wettest month.
• The dry season in Darwin: May to September is the dry season – as Darwin sizzles in sunshine, this is the best time to visit Darwin. In July, the average high is 29°C (84°F) and the average low is 22°C (72°F), while the average rainfall is just 10mm (0.4 inches).

Located just south of the Tropic of Capricorn, Alice Springs has a desert climate with temperatures vary widely. Although the annual average high is 29°C (84°F), temperatures over 44°C (111°F) have been frequently recorded from October to February. The best time to visit Alice Springs is from June to August when average highs dip to 21°C (70°F) – but bring a jacket as night time temperatures can fall below freezing. Rainfall, despite little, mostly occurs between November and March.