Tuesday, 1 March 2005
MONTHLY CLIMATE SUMMARY - SOUTH AUSTRALIAN REGIONAL OFFICE
Record cold snap over SA
February temperatures over South Australia were mostly below average.
February temperatures
Maximum: Mean maximum temperatures were up to 4°C below normal over the southeast of the State grading up to 3°C
above normal over the far west of the State.
In the Pastoral districts, mean maximum temperatures ranged from 36.7°C at Oodnadatta, in the Far North district, to
29.6°C at Yunta, in the Northeast Pastoral district. In the Agricultural districts, mean maxima ranged from 21.2°C at
Robe, in the Lower Southeast, to 32.4°C at Hawker, in the Flinders Ranges. The highest maximum recorded during the
month was 45.0°C at Moomba in the Far North district, on the 8th.
Many centres in South Australia had their lowest maximum temperature on record for February (see Table 1 below).
Minimum: Mean minimum temperatures were mostly near normal over the southeast coasts and western border region
grading to 4 °C below normal over the interiors of the State, north of Lake Eyre.
In the Pastoral districts, mean minimum temperatures ranged from 12.4°C at Yunta, in the Northeast Pastoral district,
to 20.8°C at Moomba Airport, in the Far North district. In the Agricultural districts, mean minima ranged from 10.1°C
at Polda Basin, in the western Agricultural district, to 16.8°C at Port Pirie, in the Lower North district.
The lowest minimum recorded during the month was 5.0°C at Coonawarra, in the Lower Southeast district, on the 13th.
Many centres in South Australia had their lowest minimum temperature on record for February (see Table 2 below).
February rainfall
Pastoral Districts:Below average to very much below average rainfall was reported from the majority of the Pastoral
districts.
Rainfall totals were below 10mm throughout. The highest total of 6mm recorded at Gluepot Station in the Northeast Pastoral
district.
Agricultural Districts: Near average rainfall was reported from much of the Agricultural districts. However, there
was a large area of below to very much below average rainfall over the west of the Western Agricultural district and
parts of the Upper North district. An isolated pocket of below average rainfall persisted over the south-eastern coast
of Eyre Peninsula, north of Tumby Bay. Coastal parts of the Lower Southeast, Mount Lofty Ranges, Lower Murray Valley
districts and the eastern end of Kangaroo Island recorded above average rainfall totals. Several isolated centres in
the Mount Lofty Ranges and the Lower Southeast recorded rainfall totals that were very much above average.
Rainfall totals were generally less than 10mm over much of the Western Agricultural, Upper North Lower North and
Yorke Peninsula districts and parts of the Adelaide Plains district. Rainfall totals over 25 mm were reported from
isolated centres in the Lower North district, most of the Mount Lofty Ranges and Lower Southeast districts and parts
of the Flats and Lower Basin district; higher parts of the Mount Lofty ranges reported rainfall totals over 50mm.
Remaining districts reported rainfall totals between 10 and 25mm.
Parawa, in the Mount Lofty Ranges district, reported the highest rainfall total for February of 67mm.
Summer Rainfall:Northern and western parts of South Australia recorded below average to very much below average
rainfall for summer. Average rainfall was reported from much of the southern region of the Pastoral districts and most
of the northern and southeastern Agricultural districts. Above average to very much above average rainfall was reported
from most of the Murray Valley, Upper Southeast, Mount Lofty Ranges, County Light districts and eastern parts of the
Lower North district.
Significant February weather
Temperatures: Abnormally low maximum and minimum temperatures were reported from a wide area of the State during
the period 2-4 February. A number of stations experienced their coldest Februaries for many years. See tables 1 & 2 below.
Severe winds: On the 1st, gale force southerly winds of up to 65 km/h blew at Marree during the evening following
a cool change. On the 2nd, gale force southerly winds of up to 67 km/h blew briefly during the morning.
Fire weather: The 23rd saw extreme fire danger observed in 9 districts. A total fire ban had been issued for all
districts except the North East Pastoral district.
February weather in Adelaide
Rainfall: Adelaide’s rainfall for February 2005 was 10.4 mm, recorded on 6 days. This is 3.3mm below the average
of 13.7 mm on 4 days. Last year, 5.2 mm was recorded in February on 2 days.
Adelaide’s rainfall for summer 2004/05 was 79.4 mm, 19.8 mm above the normal summer rainfall of 59.6 mm. Rainfall for
last summer was 49.2 mm.
Temperatures: The mean maximum temperature for February 2005 was 27.2°C, which is 2.1°C below the normal February
mean maximum of 29.3°C. The mean February maximum last year was 32.2°C. This has been the coolest February since 2002
when the mean maximum was 26.4°C.
The mean maximum temperature for summer was 27.8°C, which is 0.5°C below the average of 28.3°C. Last summer the mean
maximum temperature was 29.0°C.
The mean minimum temperature for February 2005 was 15.2°C, which is 1.9°C below the normal February mean minimum of
17.1°C. Last February, the mean minimum was 17.8°C. This has been the coolest February since 2002 when the mean minimum
was 15.0°C.
The mean minimum temperature for summer was 15.8°C, which is 0.7°C below the average of 16.5°C. Last summer the mean
minimum temperature was 16.5°C.
This has been the coolest summer in Adelaide, for both maximum and minimum temperatures, since 2002.
Ends
Further information:
Richard Szkup, tel: (08) 8366 2691, e-mail: climate.sa@bom.gov.au
Table 1. Locations with lowest daily maximum temperature for February
| Location |
Date |
Temperature
(degrees C) |
Previous
record
(degrees C) |
Date |
Number of
years of data |
| Mount Barker |
3rd |
15.5 |
15.8 |
20/02/1987 |
48 |
| Meningie |
4th |
17.7 |
18 |
21/02/1993 |
38 |
| Murray Bridge |
3rd |
17.4 |
18.3 |
14/02/1972 |
38 |
| Keith |
3rd |
16.2 |
17.2 |
15/02/1965 |
43 |
| Lameroo |
3rd |
16.5 |
17.8 |
1/02/1960 |
48 |
Table 2. Locations with lowest daily minimum temperature for February
| Location |
Date |
Temperature
(degrees C) |
Previous
record
(degrees C) |
Date |
Number of
years of data |
| Nonning |
3rd |
6.5 |
7.5 |
17/02/1990 |
34 |
| Cleve |
2nd |
8.3 |
8.5 |
12/02/1964 |
48 |
| Hawker |
2nd |
9.4 |
9.9 |
21/02/1972 |
32 |
| Cape Willoughby |
2nd |
9 |
9.2 |
8/02/1985 |
37 |
| 
