Monday, 2 April 2001
MONTHLY CLIMATE SUMMARY - SOUTH AUSTRALIAN REGIONAL OFFICE
Near normal March weather in SA
Rainfall throughout South Australia was generally average to above average in March, while temperatures were mostly slightly below normal.
Rainfall
Pastoral districts: Near average rainfall was reported from southern and eastern parts of the Pastoral districts. Above to very much above average falls were reported from the northern and north-western parts. The highest rainfall was 124 millimetres at Pukatja in the North West district.
Agricultural districts: Above average falls were reported from much of the Agricultural districts, with isolated pockets of very much above average falls reported from the Western Agricultural, Yorke Peninsula, Kangaroo Island, Mt Lofty Ranges and the Upper and Lower Southeast. Parts of the Western Agricultural, Riverland and Flats and Lower Basin districts reported average falls. The highest rainfall in the Agricultural districts was 131mm at Mt Lofty.
A table of March rainfall for selected stations is available from the SA Regional Office. The rainfall decile map shows the distribution of monthly rainfall.
Temperatures
Maxima: Mean maximum temperatures were mostly below normal in the Pastoral districts, with Pukatja in the North West district 5.3 degrees Celsius below it's mean March maximum. Mean maximum temperatures in the Agricultural districts were mostly near average. In the Pastoral districts, mean maximum temperatures ranged from 29 to 33 degrees. In the Agricultural districts, mean maxima ranged from 20.5 degrees at Parawa in the Mt Lofty Ranges, to 29.5 degrees at Hawker in the Flinders Ranges. The highest maximum recorded during the month was 41.2 degrees at Marree in the Far North district on the 10th.
Minima: Mean minimum temperatures were up to 2.4 degrees below normal in Pastoral districts and mostly near normal in the Agricultural districts. In the Pastoral districts, mean minimum temperatures ranged from 13 degrees to 20 degrees, while in the Agricultural districts, mean minima ranged from 9.8 degrees at Coonawarra to 15.7 degrees at Port Pirie in the Lower North. The lowest minimum recorded during the month was 2.2 degrees at Kyancutta on the 30th.
A table of temperature statistics for all stations is available from the SA Regional Office.
Significant weather
On the 11th, a wind squall, most likely associated with a dust devil, lifted a Supa Bounce castle into the air at Kapunda in the Mid North. One child died and 11 children and an adult were injured.
On the 15th, a severe thunderstorm, which developed along a vigorous cold front, produced wind squalls to 122 kilometres an hour at Nullarbor on the West Coast. Early on the 16th, a wind gust to 91km/h was recorded at Coles Point on Lower Eyre Peninsula in the strong northerly flow ahead of the same front. No known damage with either event.
During the morning of the 21st, gale force south-west winds affected the South
East district as a low moved north-east towards Mt Gambier. Mean wind speeds up to 69km/h were recorded at Cape Jaffa.
On the 25th, a wind gust of 117km/h, coincident with a heavy shower, was recorded at Coles Point on the Lower Eyre Peninsula.
Adelaide's weather
Rainfall in Adelaide during March was well above average, while temperatures were near normal.
Rainfall: Adelaide's rainfall for March 2001 was 49.0mm recorded on 10 days. This is 23mm above the estimated normal of 26mm on five days. Last year 35.6mm was recorded in March on four days. This has been the wettest March since 1999 when 58.8mm of rain fell in Adelaide. March rainfall for the last three years has been above average. The total rainfall for the first three months of 2001 was 79.0mm. Last year 83.6mm was recorded over the same period.
Temperature: The mean maximum temperature for March 2001 was 25.5 degrees, 0.6 degrees below the normal March mean maximum of 26.1. The mean March maximum last year was 26.3 degrees. This has been the coolest March since 1999 when the average was 24.4 degrees. Adelaide, Kent Town, had its second coldest March daily maximum on the 21st when the temperature reached only 15.8 degrees. The lowest daily March maximum recorded at Kent Town was 15.6 on 31 March 1999. The mean minimum temperature for March 2001 was 14.4 degrees, 0.8 degrees below the normal March mean minimum of 15.2. This was the coldest March minimum since 1997 when the average was 13.1. Last March, the mean minimum was 16.0 degrees.
Ends
Further information:
Dick Szkup, e-mail: d.szkup@bom.gov.au, tel (08) 8366 2691, fax: (08) 8366 2693
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