Tuesday, 4 January 2011 - Annual Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC23R0

South Australia in 2010: 3rd wettest year on record.

• South Australia had its 3rd wettest year on record, with the state-wide area averaged total just over one and a half times the long-term annual average.
• Rainfall was above average across almost all of the state. The far northeast corner of South Australia received two to three times its annual average rainfall.
• Almost every month had average to above average rainfall across South Australia, except for June when rainfall totals were below average across most of the State. Growing Season (April to October) rainfall was above average and wettest since 1992. 
• A total of 11 locations recorded their highest single day rainfall totals on record during 2010, with Mindarie in the Murray Mallee district recording its wettest year on record.
• In 2010 the mean temperature for South Australia as a whole was 19.5°C this being equal to the average temperature for the standard climatological base period of 1961 to 1990.
• For Adelaide, temperatures were slightly warmer than average. Mean annual maximum temperature was 0.3°C above average.
• Temperatures for the decade from 2001 to 2010 averaged +0.7 °C for South Australia, making the last ten years the warmest decade since records began in 1900, continuing a steady increase in temperatures since the 1970’s.
• South Australian rainfall over the last decade has been below average across the agricultural areas, particularly in the eastern districts, tending above average in the far west of the state.

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Rainfall

The year 2010 commenced with an El Niño event present in the Pacific Ocean. Above average rainfall accompanied the breakdown of the El Niño during the autumn. The El Niño event transitioned into a La Niña by early winter and coincided with the development of a negative Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) event in August. Above average rainfall, particularly over northern and eastern Australia is typical of El Niño breakdowns and La Niña periods. Negative Indian Ocean Dipole events are also often associated with above average rainfall over southern Australia, as warm sea surface temperatures in the eastern Indian Ocean feed moisture south from the northwest.
The start of 2010 saw average to below average rainfall for large parts of South Australia in January through March, with the exception of the northeast which received well above average rainfall in February due to the passage of a monsoon low from the NT. Rainfall totals then tended average to above average across much of the state right through to years end, apart from June when rainfall was predominantly below average state-wide.
The combination of a La Niña event and the negative Indian Ocean Dipole through 2010 provided extremely favourable conditions for increased rainfall over South Australia, particularly in pastoral areas during spring, with several severe thunderstorm and flash flooding events recorded across the State. As a result of these tropical influences, South Australia recorded its third wettest year on record, with a state average of 362 mm) following 1974 (484 mm) and 1973 (385 mm), and its wettest spring on record (133 mm) exceeding spring 1975 by 3 mm: 1975 was the previous time that both a La Niña event and a negative IOD event of similar strength occurred simultaneously. See the South Australia in spring 2010 summary for more information. Across the whole of South Australia, rainfall in 2010 was 161% of the average. Moomba Airport in the North-east district was exceptional, recording 660.2 mm against an annual average of  just 179.2 mm, its second highest rainfall total after 1974 (869.2 mm) considered over the combined rainfall record for Moomba at the town and airport.
The autumn break start to the growing season (April to October) arrived for most agricultural areas by late May, with average to above average rainfall through until the end of the season, with the exception of June and July where rainfall was below average. Overall, the agricultural districts received above average rainfall for the growing season, with conditions generally the wettest since 1992.
Adelaide (Kent Town) annual rainfall was 592.6 mm recorded over 128 rain days, which exceeds the annual average of 549.1 mm (average is calculated over all years of record from 1978 to 2009). The last time Adelaide received more than its average annual rainfall was in 2005. The record highest annual rainfall for the complete Adelaide record (measurements made at both Kent Town and West Terrace, back to 1839) was recorded in 1992, with 883.2 mm in the gauge. The wettest overall station across South Australia was Uraidla with 1195.6 mm, followed by 1180.8 mm at Crafers (Mount Lofty), both in the Mount Lofty Ranges. The wettest single daily rainfall total was of 147 mm at Waikerie in the Upper Murray Valley on 8 December 2010. The lowest annual rainfall total for 2010 in the state was at Coober Pedy Airport, with 179.8 mm recorded over 59 rain days. This was still above the average of 123.4 mm for this location. Several stations broke daily rainfall records. Most of these occurred in the Barossa Valley in severe thunderstorm activity on the 7th and 8th of December.

Some sites had their highest total rainfall on record. Some sites had their highest total rainfall for at least 25 years. Some sites had their highest daily rainfall on record. See a map of rainfall deciles.

Temperature

The mean temperature (the average of daytime maximum temperatures and overnight minimum temperatures) for South Australia for 2010 was equal to the 1961-1990 mean of 19.5°C. In comparison, 2009 was the warmest year on record with temperatures 1.3°C above average.
For the decade from 2001 to 2010, South Australian temperatures have averaged +0.7°C above the 1961-1990 mean temperature, reflecting what has generally been a steady rise in annual temperatures for South Australia since the 1970’s.
Adelaide (Kent Town) in 2010 had an annual mean temperature of 17.5°C, 0.3°C above the normal of 17.2°C.

Maximum temperature

Annual maximum temperatures were up to 1.5°C below average in northern parts of the state in 2010, tending to close to average in the southeast. Overall, the annual maximum temperature across the state for 2010 was 0.6°C below the 1961-90 average of 26.7°C. This is consistent with historical patterns of rainfall and temperature, with high rainfall years having, in general, more cloud cover and lower daytime temperatures.  The warmest year on record for maximum temperatures across the state as a whole was 2007 (1.4°C above average), the coldest was in 1956 (1.3°C below average).
The first four months of 2010 were generally warmer than average, apart from the north where temperatures were generally cooler. A widespread heatwave event was experienced across south-eastern Australia in the second week of January, with temperatures 6°C to 10°C above average across the agricultural areas. Temperatures were then generally close to average from May to July. South Australia then experienced below average temperatures from August through to the end of the year, coinciding with the period of highest rainfall.
Adelaide’s annual maximum temperature for 2010 was 22.5°C, which is 0.2°C above the long-term average of 22.3°C. The warmest year on record at Adelaide was 2007 where the mean maximum temperature was 23.7°C.
Oodnadatta in the Far North District was the warmest location in South Australia during 2010, with an average maximum temperature of 27.8°C, 1.2°C below its average. The coolest annual maximum in the state was 16.7°C at Mount Lofty.
The hottest day was 45.8°C recorded at both Keith (Munkora) and Murray Bridge (Pallamana Aerodrome) on the 11th of January 2010, with the coldest day recorded being on the 4th of August when Mount Lofty reported 5.7°C.

Some sites had their lowest mean daily maximum temperature for at least 25 years.

Minimum temperature

Annual mean minimum temperatures were generally close to average across South Australia in 2010, if tending slightly warmer than average. The annual minimum temperature across the state for 2010 was 0.5°C above the average of 12.2°C. Again this is consistent with conditions expected during La Niña events, when warmer night-time temperatures result from greater cloud cover trapping more heat overnight. Previously, 2009 was the warmest year on record for minimum temperatures across the state as a whole, being 1.2°C above average.  
Adelaide had an annual mean minimum temperature of 12.6°C, which is 0.4°C above the long-term average for the Kent Town recording site of 12.2°C. The warmest year for overnight temperatures was in 1973 where the mean minimum temperature was 13.5°C at West Terrace.
The coldest night recorded in 2010 was –4.5°C at Renmark Aerodrome on the 6th of July. The coolest overnight minimum temperatures were recorded at Yongala where the annual average overnight minimum temperature was 7.4°C. The warmest minimum temperatures annually were 14.7°C at Moomba Airport and at Oodnadatta Airport. The warmest night was on the 11th of January when the overnight minimum was 32.0°C at Port Pirie.

Some sites had their warmest night (highest daily minimum temperature) on record.

Severe Weather Summary for 2010

In the north, severe thunderstorms with wind gusts over 100km/h were recorded on a number of occasions during January, February and April. Several heavy rainfalls were recorded in February associated with thunderstorms, with Moomba (Tirrawarra) having its wettest day on record with 131.2 mm on the 13th. Severe thunderstorms also caused structural damage in southeast parts of the state in early February.

A broad swathe of strong to gale force northerly winds ahead of a cold front affected a large part of the state overnight on the 9th of July. Many locations on the Eyre and Yorke peninsulas, as well as the Mount Lofty Ranges, saw sustained periods of winds of 65-75 km/h. On the 14th of July, a cold front and thunderstorms tracked across the Adelaide region and southern districts. Squally winds, heavy rain and small hail generated flash flooding in the northern suburbs of Adelaide. On the same day, another thunderstorm spawned a tornado in Redbanks, near Mallala in the Mid North, which cut a swathe of damage through a farm property.  On the 18th of July, a fairly slow moving cluster of heavy convective showers tracked northeast across the southern suburbs of Adelaide during the early evening. The heavy rain caused localised flash flooding.   

Thunderstorm activity in the Lower South-East district on the 31st of July spawned a tornado, of likely high end F1 or low end F2 intensity, creating a narrow path of severe wind damage in Penola, damaging many buildings and causing several million dollars damage.  

On the 3rd of September a band of thunderstorms moving through the state produced heavy rain and large hail on the Yorke Peninsula, with associated flooding and widespread power outages. Later, on the 3rd of September, an intense low pressure system over southern South Australia produced gale force winds across Kangaroo Island, Yorke Peninsula, the Mid North, Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges and Murraylands districts. The winds caused widespread mostly tree related damage and widespread power outages.

Thunderstorms formed ahead of a strong cold front and developing low pressure system on the 14th of October. There were heavy falls of 1-2 cm sized hail on several properties around New Well in the Murray Valley, which caused severe crop damage.

On the 7th of December a trough and low pressure system produced widespread thunderstorm and lightning activity, heavy rainfall and severe winds across much of South Australia. The highest recorded wind gust was at Woomera (135 km/h). Several other centres recorded wind gusts in the 90 to 108 km/h range. Intense rainfall with this event saw 60 locations around South Australia breaking December daily rainfall totals, with an approximately 1 in 20 year recurrence. An area in the Barossa Valley east of Gawler extending across to Mannum saw rainfall intensities exceeding 1 in 100 average recurrence intervals. Flooding occurred at some locations in the Barossa Valley and Mount Lofty Ranges.

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Extremes in 2010
Hottest day	45.8 °C at Keith (Munkora) on 11 Jan 45.8 °C at Murray Bridge (Pallamana Aerodrome) on 11 Jan
Warmest days on average	27.8 °C at Oodnadatta Airport
Coolest days on average	16.7 °C at Mount Lofty
Coldest day	5.7 °C at Mount Lofty on 4 Aug
Coldest night	-4.5 °C at Renmark Aero on 6 Jul
Coolest nights on average	7.4 °C at Yongala
Warmest nights on average	14.7 °C at Moomba Airport 14.7 °C at Oodnadatta Airport
Warmest night	32.0 °C at Port Pirie Nyrstar Comparison on 11 Jan
Warmest on average overall	21.3 °C at Oodnadatta Airport
Coolest on average overall	12.8 °C at Mount Lofty
Wettest overall	1195.6 mm at Uraidla
Driest overall	179.8 mm at Coober Pedy Airport
Highest wind gust	135 km/h at Woomera Aerodrome on 7 Dec

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Record highest annual daily rainfall
	Highest daily rainfall in 2010 (mm)		Previous annual wettest		Years of record
Tanunda	94.0	on 8 Dec	87.1	on 17 Apr 1889	132
Birdwood	128.2	on 8 Dec	125.5	on 9 Feb 1969	124
Mount Bryan	76.6	on 8 Dec	62.4	on 27 Sep 1979	114
Mindarie	85.0	on 8 Dec	79.8	on 18 Feb 1946	98
Freeling	96.3	on 8 Dec	68.6	on 31 Oct 1997	48
Wilpena (Martins Well)	78.0	on 4 Sep	76.0	on 12 Nov 2000	40
Caliph	64.0	on 8 Dec	59.0	on 12 Nov 1998	37
Adelaide (Kent Town)	66.2	on 8 Dec	55.6	on 31 Oct 1997	34
Innamincka (Dullingari)	93.0	on 2 Feb	87.0	on 31 Mar 1988	27
Moomba (Tirrawarra)	131.2	on 13 Feb	116.0	on 15 May 2007	27
Wilpena (Oraparinna)	84.4	on 4 Sep	66.0	on 19 Oct 2005	26

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Record highest total annual rainfall
	Total rainfall for 2010 (mm)	Previous annual wettest		Years of record	Annual average
Mindarie	547.4	545.3	in 1992	92	302.7

Highest total annual rainfall for at least 25 years
	Total rainfall for 2010 (mm)	Most recent annual at least this wet		Years since wetter	Annual average
Meningie	695.2	695.5	in 1946	62	468.0
Erudina	367.6	597.4	in 1974	36	189.6
Blinman	611.3	734.0	in 1974	35	307.7
Nildottie	473.2	540.3	in 1974	35	263.9
Port Wakefield	464.8	584.3	in 1974	34	332.0
Wolseley	618.0	680.0	in 1974	31	477.3
Marree Comparison	342.3	358.2	in 1979	30	162.5
Mount Dare	367.8	569.0	in 1976	29	164.3
Pinnaroo	500.8	525.7	in 1974	29	335.1
Parilla	514.0	584.3	in 1974	28	344.2

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Lowest annual mean daily maximum temperature for at least 25 years
	Mean daily maximum temperature for 2010 (°C)	Most recent annual at least this cool		Years since cooler	Annual average
Hawker	24.2	23.9	in 1974	28	25.2
Oodnadatta Airport	27.8	27.7	in 1974	26	29.0

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Record highest annual daily minimum temperature
	Highest daily minimum temperature in 2010 (°C)		Previous annual warmest		Years of record	Annual average
Neptune Island	23.3	on 11 Jan	23.2	on 20 Feb 1997	49	13.7
Warooka	28.4	on 11 Jan	= 28.4	on 22 Jan 2006	46	11.4

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Summary statistics for 2010
	Maximum temperatures (°C)				Minimum temperatures (°C)				Rainfall (millimetres)
	Mean for 2010	Diff from average	Highest for 2010		Mean for 2010	Diff from average	Lowest for 2010		Total for 2010	Average annual total	Rank of 2010	Fraction of annual average
Northwest (district 16)
Andamooka	26.6	-1.0	43.3	27 Jan	13.9	+0.2	0.0	11 Jul	412.3	196.3	v high	210%
Coober Pedy Airport	26.3		43.4	27 Jan	13.9		0.7	1 Jul	179.8
Ernabella (Pukatja)	25.7		41.5	27 Jan	12.4		-3.7	2 Jul	448.0
Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome)	26.3		43.1	31 Dec	12.7		-2.0	8 Jul	320.2
Tarcoola Aero	26.7		45.1	31 Dec	11.9		-2.7	8 Jul	194.6
Woomera Aerodrome	25.5	-0.2	43.1	31 Dec	13.0	+0.3	0.7	8 Jul	242.8	184.3	high	132%
Far North (district 17)
Arkaroola			41.9	22 Jan	11.4	-0.2	-2.5	7 Jul	427.6	252.8	high	169%
Leigh Creek Airport	25.3	-0.9	42.4	22 Jan	12.8	0.0	-0.5	28 Jun	496.0	223.4	v high	222%
Marree Aero	27.3		44.2	27 Jan	13.8		-0.5	28 Jun	263.0
Moomba Airport	27.3		44.1	26 Jan	14.7		0.1	28 Jun	660.2
Oodnadatta Airport	27.8	-1.2	44.3	27 Jan	14.7	+0.1	-0.6	8 Jul	351.4	177.8	v high	198%
Western Agricultural (district 18)
Ceduna AMO	23.5	+0.1	45.6	30 Dec	11.0	+0.6	-0.4	15 Jun	322.4	296.1	average	109%
Cleve	21.7	-0.4	42.0	10 Jan	11.9	+0.6	4.0	15 Jun	599.2	399.4	v high	150%
Cleve Aerodrome	21.7		43.0	10 Jan	11.5		2.7	27 Jun	535.0	357.3	v high	150%
Cummins Aero	22.2		43.6	9 Jan	10.3		0.6	3 Jul	520.2
Elliston	21.4	0.0	40.1	9 Jan	12.0	+0.3	1.1	7 Jul	546.8	426.9	v high	128%
Kimba	22.6	-1.0	42.8	31 Dec	10.4	+0.1	0.5	15 Jun	471.1	345.7	high	136%
Kyancutta	24.6	-0.5	44.7	9 Jan	9.8	+0.6	-1.6	5 Aug	351.2	313.5	high	112%
North Shields (Port Lincoln AWS)	20.9		43.6	10 Jan	11.3		2.7	5 Jul	556.6
Nullarbor	22.8	-0.9	43.9	30 Dec	11.0	+0.4	0.0	5 Jul	402.0	248.8	v high	162%
Port Augusta Aero	25.5		45.5	31 Dec	12.0		-1.3	6 Aug	303.6
Streaky Bay	23.3	+0.3	42.8	30 Dec	12.7	+0.5	3.6	25 Jul	456.2	379.1	high	120%
Whyalla Aero	23.2	-0.5	44.5	31 Dec	11.6	+0.2	-0.8	15 Jun	342.0	261.9	high	131%
Wudinna Aero	24.7		44.9	9 Jan	10.1		-1.5	5 Aug	349.0
Upper North (district 19)
Hawker	24.2	-1.0	42.3	31 Dec	10.6	0.0	-2.6	6 Aug	364.8	308.3	high	118%
Yongala	22.0	+0.2	41.0	31 Dec	7.4	+0.1	-4.3	28 Jun	398.7	365.3	average	109%
Northeast (district 20)
Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot)	24.5		44.2	31 Dec	9.6		-3.6	9 Jul	420.6
Yunta Airstrip	23.4		42.5	31 Dec	9.8		-3.6	6 Aug	315.2
Lower North (district 21)
Clare High School	20.9		40.3	9 Jan	9.2		-2.5	6 Jul	651.0
Port Pirie Aerodrome	24.3		43.3	9 Jan	11.1		-0.6	6 Jul	384.3
Port Pirie Nyrstar Comparison	24.4	-0.1	43.0	9 Jan	13.2	+0.5	3.0	14 Jun	408.5	345.2	high	118%
Snowtown (Rayville Park)	23.5		43.4	31 Dec	8.9		-1.4	14 Jun	491.2
Yorke Peninsula (district 22A)
Edithburgh	20.3		42.4	11 Jan	12.0		2.0	27 Jun	439.8
Kadina AWS	23.4		44.0	9 Jan	9.7		-0.9	6 Jul	501.8
Maitland	21.7	+0.1	41.8	10 Jan	11.9	+0.7	3.3	27 Jun	587.4	501.7	high	117%
Minlaton Aero	22.0		42.8	11 Jan	11.0		1.9	29 Sep	494.6
Stenhouse Bay	20.0		41.4	11 Jan	12.8		4.1	15 Jun	477.4
Warooka	21.1	-0.1	41.6	10 Jan	11.7	+0.3	3.8	2 Jul	552.1	446.9	high	124%
Kangaroo Island (district 22B)
Cape Borda	18.8		37.7	9 Jan	11.6		5.4	2 Jul	575.7
Cape Willoughby	18.2	+0.2	37.4	11 Jan	13.2	+0.4	6.4	20 Aug	572.9	540.0	average	106%
Kingscote Aero	21.2		42.4	10 Jan	8.8		-0.6	15 May	432.6
Adelaide Plains (district 23A)
Adelaide (Kent Town)	22.5	+0.2	42.8	11 Jan	12.6	+0.4	2.2	14 Jun	592.6	549.1	average	108%
Adelaide Airport	21.7	+0.2	41.0	10 Jan	11.9	+0.5	1.8	15 Jun	490.2	442.6	high	111%
Edinburgh RAAF	22.6	0.0	44.5	11 Jan	11.5	+0.4	0.3	15 Jun	544.4	429.4	high	127%
Parafield Airport	23.1	+0.8	42.4	10 Jan	11.2	0.0	-0.3	6 Jul	478.4	453.8	average	105%
Roseworthy AWS	23.2		45.1	11 Jan	9.9		-0.2	5 Aug	414.2
County Light (district 23B)
Nuriootpa Viticultural	21.1		42.1	11 Jan	9.2		-2.1	6 Jul	580.8
Rosedale (Turretfield Research Centre)	22.6	+0.1	44.1	11 Jan	9.9	-0.1	-0.5	6 Jul	620.2	469.4	v high	132%
Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23C)
Hindmarsh Island AWS	20.4		40.8	11 Jan	11.8		2.0	15 Jun	513.4
Kuitpo Forest Reserve	18.9		38.5	10 Jan	10.3		1.7	15 Jun	824.6
Mount Barker	21.1	+1.1	41.0	11 Jan	8.4	+0.4	-1.2	15 Jun	844.1	764.1	high	110%
Mount Crawford (Mt Crawford AWS)	18.9		40.4	11 Jan	9.7		2.6	17 Aug	829.2
Mount Lofty	16.7		36.8	11 Jan	8.9		0.6	14 Jun	1122.0
Noarlunga	21.3		40.3	10 Jan	12.7		4.0	5 Jul	476.0
Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS)	17.5		38.8	10 Jan	10.4		3.0	15 Jun	936.8
Victor Harbor (Encounter Bay)	20.3		42.0	10 Jan	10.3		0.0	14 May	613.9
Upper Murray Valley (district 24A)
Loxton Research Centre	23.7	-0.1	44.3	10 Jan	9.5	+0.6	-3.9	6 Jul	380.8	265.1	v high	144%
Renmark Aero	24.1		44.9	22 Jan	10.1		-4.5	6 Jul	408.8
Lower Murray Valley (district 24B)
Eudunda	21.1	+0.1	41.6	9 Jan	9.6	+0.4	0.0	15 Jun	560.0	447.3	high	125%
Meningie	21.0	+0.3	42.1	10 Jan	10.4	+0.2	0.3	15 Jun	695.2	468.0	v high	149%
Murray Bridge (Pallamana Aerodrome)	22.6		45.8	11 Jan	8.9		-3.2	5 Jul	429.4
Murray Bridge Comparison	23.3	+0.4	45.5	10 Jan	10.1	+0.3	-1.2	5 Jul	511.1	348.3	v high	147%
Strathalbyn Racecourse	21.3		43.1	11 Jan	10.2		0.4	9 Jul	494.8
Murray Mallee (district 25A)
Karoonda	22.8		44.5	11 Jan	9.2		-1.3	6 Jul	546.4	339.5	v high	161%
Upper Southeast (district 25B)
Keith	22.0	-0.2	44.0	10 Jan	9.6	+0.5	-1.2	27 Jun	577.8	462.8	high	125%
Keith (Munkora)	22.3		45.8	11 Jan	8.3		-1.8	25 Oct	580.2
Lameroo (Austin Plains)	22.6		44.5	11 Jan	9.0		-0.9	6 Jul	467.8
Lameroo Comparison	22.9	0.0	43.7	11 Jan	9.8	+1.1	-1.0	6 Jul	472.2	384.7	high	123%
Lower Southeast (district 26)
Cape Jaffa (The Limestone)	18.9		39.5	10 Jan	10.4		1.4	23 May	616.6
Coonawarra	20.4	+0.1	41.6	11 Jan	8.2	+0.2	-2.5	27 Jun	691.0	575.9	high	120%
Mount Gambier Aero	19.4	+0.5	42.5	11 Jan	8.5	+0.4	-0.8	15 Jun	815.6	710.8	high	115%
Naracoorte Aerodrome	21.1		43.0	11 Jan	8.1		-2.7	15 Jun	635.0
Padthaway South	21.1		42.9	10 Jan	8.6		-3.0	27 Jun	630.4
Robe Airfield	19.2		38.9	10 Jan	9.2		-1.8	15 Jun	675.0
Robe Comparison	18.3	+0.2	34.9	10 Jan	11.2	+0.3	1.9	15 Jun	684.4	632.6	high	108%

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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