|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Tuesday, 3 January 2006
MONTHLY CLIMATE SUMMARY - SOUTH AUSTRALIAN REGIONAL OFFICE Warm December over South AustraliaDecember rainfall was mostly average to above average over much of the State with the exception of the Northeast. December temperatures were above normal.December rainfall Pastoral Districts:Rainfall totals were average to above average in the North West District, and generally average to below average over the remainder of these districts.Totals in excess of 25 mm were confined to several stations in the North West District. The highest rainfall during the month in these districts was 31 mm, recorded at Oodnadatta, in the Far North, and also at Mulgathing Station, in the North West district. Agricultural Districts: Rainfall totals over the Yorke Peninsula, the western half of Eyre Peninsula, the far west of the Western Agricultural district, Kangaroo Island and the southern half of the Mount Lofty Ranges extending into the lower Murray Basin were above average. The far west of the Western Agricultural District abutting the Western Australia border and also isolated centres in the Mount Lofty Ranges District recorded totals that were very much above average. Elsewhere in these districts rainfall totals were near average. Rainfall totals over 50mm were confined to the higher parts of the Mount Lofty Ranges and isolated stations on the Adelaide Plains. Rainfall totals below 25mm were confined to the Upper North, Lower North, Riverland and parts of the Upper and Lower Southeast with parts of the Western Agricultural Districts. Elsewhere totals were between 25 and 50 mm. The highest rainfall total for December was 76 mm, recorded at the Mount Bold Reservoir, in the Mount Lofty Ranges District.
December temperatures Maximum: Maximum temperatures were between 1 and 5 degrees Celsius above normal across most of South Australia with the far west coast recording temperatures up to 5 °C above normal. Near normal temperatures were confined to isolated pockets centred around Adelaide and through the middle of the Pastoral Districts of the State.Mean maximum temperatures in the Pastoral Districts ranged from 31.6°C at Nonning to 38.5°C at Moomba. The highest maximum temperature recorded was 48.0°C at Marree on the 23rd. Mean maximum temperatures in the Agricultural Districts ranged from 21.2°C on Neptune Island to 33.9°C at Port Augusta Airport. The highest temperature recorded was 46.1°C at Port Augusta Airport on the 30 December. Several centres across South Australia reported record high daily December maximums with Port Pirie recording 44.6°C on the 30th. Minimum: Minimum temperatures were up to 2 degrees Celsius below normal over most of the Agricultural Districts and southern parts of the Pastoral Districts. The northern and north-eastern parts of the Pastoral Districts recorded temperatures up to 3°C above normal. Mean minimum temperatures in the Pastoral Districts ranged from 13.9°C at Gluepot Station to 23.0°C at Moomba Airport. The lowest minimum temperature recorded in the Pastoral Districts was 5.6°C at Yunta. Mean minimum temperatures in the Agricultural Districts ranged from 9.6°C at Parawa to 17.6°C at Port Pirie. The lowest minimum temperature recorded in the Agricultural Districts was 9.0°C at Yongala on the 9th.
Significant December weather Severe Winds:The passage of a number of strong fronts resulted in damaging gale force winds and severe gusts. The most significant of these resulted in part of the school roof being blown off and minor tree damage in Woomera on the 11th and the Scout hall, some trees and power lines down in Whyalla on the 12th. Brief gale force winds also occurred in parts on the 15th, 23rd, 24th and 27th.Thunderstorms:Thunderstorms, resulting in severe gusts or damaging winds occurred on seven days this month, the 1st, 6th 11th, 15th, 23rd 24th and 27th. Damage was generally minor. The strongest gust of 122 km/h was recorded at Marree in the early morning of the 24th. Significant Fire Weather Days:Hot to very hot conditions ahead of the strong fronts also resulted in a number of days when 9 or more of the 15 fire ban districts recorded extreme fire weather. Lightning on a few of these days also resulted in numerous fires. The strong and occasionally gale force winds on these days resulted in very hazardous conditions. These days were the 15th, 20th, 23rd, 27th, 30th and 31st.
December weather in Adelaide Rainfall: Adelaide’s rainfall for December 2005 was 56.4mm, recorded on 10 days. This is 29.4 mm above the normal of 27.0 mm on 7 days. Last year 32.0 mm was recorded in December on 9 days. This was the wettest December since 1993 when 72.8mm was recorded in Adelaide.The total rainfall for the year was 629.4mm and well above the normal of 565mm. Temperatures: The mean maximum temperature for December 2005 was 27.3°C, which is 0.4°C above the normal December mean maximum of 26.9°C. The mean December maximum last year was 27.3°C. The maximum temperature of 42.5°C on the 30th was the hottest December temperature recorded in Adelaide for 67 years. The hottest ever December day was on the 31st December 1904 when 44.2°C was reached. The mean minimum temperature for December 2005 was 16.0°C, which is 0.5°C above the normal December mean minimum of 15.5°C. Last December, the mean minimum was 15.4°C. Adelaide recorded its warmest overnight minimum since 1998 (29.3°C) with a temperature of 28.9°C on the 31st.
Ends
Further information:
|
