A heatwave affecting the Northern Territory's Top End for the past week or so is fizzling out, effectively farewelling residents and allowing them some recovery.

Since late September, temperatures have been as much as two to three degrees hotter than average, consistently reaching the mid-to-high thirties. This might not sound like a lot, but in the northern tropics, anything hotter than normal without relief can have a cumulative draining effect.

Weekly maximum temperatures have averaged as high as 40.8 degrees at both Bradshaw and Douglas River, 40.1 at Bradshaw, 39.9 at Tindal (near Katherine), and 39.8 at both Jabiru and Bulman.

This sort of long-lasting heat has not been experienced in a few years in some places.

It has been the hottest week in 10 years at Tiwi Islands' Pirlangimpi (averaging a maximum of 37.1 degrees), five years at Douglas River and two years at Bradshaw.

Image: Average maximum temperature for the week 5-11 Oct 2024 (BoM)

It hasn't been so unusual for Darwin, a week with maximums averaging as high as 35.1 degrees. Last month was hotter for longer, giving residents some handy experience.

Looking ahead, a cooler change will take place but only gradually during the next several days. It will come about by winds turning from easterly to more humid northwesterly, mainly affecting the area northwest from about Katherine. The moist wind change will help produce cooling showers and thunderstorms, a typical trend for the end of the dry season, better known as the 'build-up'.

So it may be goodbye to heat but it's hello to humidity.