MANY Darwin residents were abruptly awoken last night as wild thunderstorms lit up the night skies with more than an incredible recorded lightning strikes.

The Darwin airport water gauge received 27mm of rain from the storms over the northern suburbs, bumping the October rainfall total up to 30mm.

The CBD also received 14mm, Pinelands received a total of 18mm and Palmerston received 8.8mm.

Darwin’s October rainfall monthly average is 70.7mm.

The thunderstorm continues Darwin’s week of wild weather which saw hail fall in Humpty Doo on Wednesday, while the same afternoon tourists were stripping off at Mindil beach at the same time to escape the stifling humid weather.