Highest daily rainfall recorded for September broken at Darwin Airport

A 43-year standing record in Darwin has been broken following significant rainfall, with a number of other Top End locations also making local history. Read for details.

Darwin Airport has received its highest daily September rainfall in 43 years, with significant rainfall breaking records across a number of Top End locations.

It comes as tens of thousands of residents across the Top End woke up to showers for the first time in months.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Bureau of Meteorology confirmed records had been broken amid the “widespread rainfall” across the Top End.

“Darwin Airport received its highest daily September rainfall in 43 years, while Nightcliff Pool broke its September record with 75.2mm,” a Bureau spokesperson told the NT News.

“Significant rainfall also fell elsewhere across the Top End, with September records also falling at Noonamah, Batchelor and Upper Seventeen Mile near Katherine.”

While the wet season does not officially start until October, the spokesperson said the rainy conditions suggested Territorians were “transitioning towards build-up conditions”.

“While we’re not expecting a repeat of this morning’s rainfall in coming days, isolated showers are possible.”

Bureau of Meteorology radar of Darwin on September 17, 2024.

Across Darwin on Tuesday morning, the wet conditions were met with frustration from motorists, after a couple of prangs forced commuters to a crawl along a major thoroughfare.

A crash on Bagot Rd shortly before 8am forced commuters to nudge their way forward slowly in the 80 kmph zone, with a line of traffic backed up almost two kilometres.

Commuters in a rush to make it to the office could be seen peeling off towards Coconut Grove, intent on escaping the backed up traffic.

Bagot Rd was bumper to bumper after 8am on Tuesday morning.

In the city, the Bennett St and McMinn St intersection was also disrupted with emergency services responding to a crash at the traffic lights.

A white Hyundai and a grey Subaru were stopped at the scene, with paramedics also on the scene assessing a man.

Originally published as Highest daily rainfall recorded for September broken at Darwin Airport