Top End impacts

Heat

Darwin already has more sweltering days over 35°C, the number rising from 5.6 each year on average a century ago to 22.2 per year today.

Four of Darwin’s hottest years on record have occurred since 2016.

At current rates of warming, in 2030 Darwin is likely to have an average of 132 days (4 months) over 35°C per year, and 275 days (8 months) over 35°C on average each year in 2070.

Rainfall

Overall, rainfall in northern Australia has increased in recent decades, and this trend is expected to continue. During the past 30 years, wet season rainfall for Darwin was 1732 mm, 146 mm higher than the 1586 mm average for the previous 30-year period (1959–1988). Darwin currently receives 8.4% more rainfall each year on average than it did in the 1959-1989 period.

Sea-level rise

Sea-level in the Darwin region has risen 17 cm in the past 20 years, which makes it one of the highest rates in the world. It is currently rising at a rate of 7mm each year, and this rate is rapidly increasing.