BoM: Territorians can expect a chilly Wednesday with freezing temperatures

Brrr! Is this weather the beginning of the apocalypse or is the Territory the new Antarctica? READ THE FORECAST HERE.

UPDATE, SUNDAY: WINTER woollies have been out in full force across the Territory but the cool weather has just begun.

Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Billy Lynch said the unusually low temperatures was due to the two weather systems in southern Australia pushing cool air up to the NT.

“It is because it’s all getting pushed from southern Australia and is the result of a high near the Great Australian Bight and a low of the east coast,” Mr Lynch said.

“It doesn’t happen every dry season. It is a bit exceptional because we’re not forecasting a day over 30C in Darwin this week.”

The coldest morning forecast for across the Territory this week is Wednesday, with Darwin expected to hit a minimum of 14C, Katherine 7C and Alice Springs -3C.

“It is exceptionally cold minimum temperatures this week,” Mr Lynch said.

“The other factor is it’s still windy across the NT, so the wind chills and it feels like temperature makes it even colder.

“There’s going to be a lot of people wearing winter woollies.”

Visiting the Top End from Sunshine Coast with their family, sisters Willow and Matilda Beaven did not expect Darwin to be so cold.

Willow and Matilda Beaven are freezing in Darwin. Picture: Glenn Campbell

“It’s so windy if I had my dog on the lead it might blow off,” Matilda said.

“We just brought lots and lots of warm jumpers and beanies and stuff. We only thought we would be needing it at Ayers Rock (Uluru), not Darwin.

“I’m glad I have warm clothing or I would have frozen. I thought it was going to be a bit warmer than what it is.”

Will the cold and windy weather impede Territory Day celebrations?

EARLIER, FRIDAY: AFTER a bleak week of uncomfortably chilly weather, Territorians have been warned that cold, cloudy and rainy conditions are expected to hang around for Territory Day festivities.

A large cloud band is continuing to produce unusually cooler temperatures across much of the Territory, and the Top End, in particular.

But Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) senior forecaster Sally Cutter said the weather should improve in Darwin.

“Things should ease off during the day, there might still be a bit of cloud around this evening,” she said.

“But chances are saying any rain will be decreasing as we go through the evening.

“We’ve got a fairly extensive cloud band that extends over much of the Top End right down through Barkly and into the northeast district.

“It’s a combination of the cloud cover and the fact that we got a really cool south-easterly flow coming up underneath this cloud band, then it’s bringing these really cool temperatures and the cloud band is producing the rainfall.”

Light showers are forecast for Territory Day evening but Darwin might strike a lucky break.

“Katherine probably won’t see the rain clear in time, that will continue into the evening but around to the Darwin area, it should be easing off later in the afternoon,” Ms Cutter said.

“The central parts of the NT you could see there’s drips in Tennant Creek area but once you get to Alice Springs and Yulara, you should have pretty clear skies.”

“It will warm up but if you’re under the thicker parts of the cloud band it won’t warm up that much.

“The cloud band will clear off during the weekend but the south-easterly winds will remain.

Overnight, Darwin recorded a low of 18.4C with Batchelor hitting a chilly 17C.

It was a cold night for people in the Katherine region which bottomed out at 15C, but freezing for Alice Springs with temperatures recorded of 4C overnight.

Territorians freeze with 18.3C temperatures

TERRITORIANS have woken to a freezing morning in the Top End, with cooler conditions expected to continue for the rest of the week.

Temperatures across Darwin reached as little as 18.3C this morning with Darwin Airport currently at 19.1C which feels like 16.6C.

A looming cloud band across the Territory is contributing to the cooler weather, which is unusual for the Top End tropics to experience during the dry.

Cool dry season conditions will continue for Darwin CBD resident Simon Drapal Picture: Glenn Campbell

Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) senior forecaster Rebecca Patrick said clouds and light rain is to be expected throughout the day in the Top End.

“In addition to the cloud band, we have a high pressure system moving across the south of the country, that's directing cold south-easterly winds through the territory,” she said.

“The rain around, that also contributes to a bit of evaporative cooling can make it a bit cooler as well.

“We do see cloud bands but more through Central Australia so it’s quite unusual for the dry season.

“Even this week, so we have the cloud bend, and those continual cold south-easterly winds so we are seeing the temperatures becoming quite cold throughout the Territory this week.”

Overnight, Darwin had winds between 40 to 45kph with Darwin Harbour reaching speeds of 54kph.

The Katherine Region had two millimetres of rain with other areas across the Territory reaching nearly 20mm.

“We have seen some reasonable rainfall overnight.

“The highest since 9am yesterday was 18.8 millimetres in Tennant Creek.”

Darwin is forecasted to have possible rain throughout the next two days with a top of 29C on Wednesday and a top of 25C on Thursday.

Alice Springs could have possible light rain on Wednesday with a max of 18C, but should expect to see sunshine on Thursday with a top of 17C.

BBRRRR: Territorians brace for another cold week

CLOUDY conditions, cooler weather and a chance of rain is on the cards this week for the Top End.

Territorians are expected to sport jumpers and trackies for an unusually cooler weather in the dry.

Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) senior forecaster Billy Lynch said the combination of weather could change school holiday plans.

“Everyone’s going to notice this week is the cloudy skies, which is unusual for this time of year,” he said.

“We’ve got a south-easterly surge pushing into the top end so with both of those factors combined are going to create cooler daytime temperatures.

“We’re looking at temperatures forecast this week to not even get over 30C.

“We got 29C the forecast top for tomorrow, around 27C for the middle of the week.

“Quite a few degrees below the normal June averages.

“The other kind of interesting aspects of the forecast this week is the cloud band could bring a few light showers or rain areas across the Top End.

“Something else being school holidays for people to factor into camping trips and outdoor activities, it’s not going to be a typical dry season weather pattern.”

Central Australia is expected to stay cool with southerly winds with maximum temperatures of late teens all week.

“Alice Springs are only getting a little bit of that cloud,” Mr Lynch said.

“The main thing are those cool southerly winds as well through Central Australia.

“The temperatures in the mid teens, Alice Springs is only forecast to be 15 degrees tomorrow.

“There could be some rain forecast through the Barkly this week with that cloud bands but Alice Springs and Yulara are not expecting any rain.”

A marine warning has been issued due to strong winds, Mr Lynch said.

“We’ve got marine wind warnings, but not for Darwin Harbor,” he said.

“But for the remaining coastal waters from around the Kimberley right around to the Queensland border, we’ve got strong wind warnings, and they’re likely to persist throughout much of this week.”