Tuesday, 6 January 2015 - Annual Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC53R0

South Australia in 2014: Another very warm year

2014 was the second-warmest year on record for South Australia, with particularly warm conditions across the State during late autumn and spring. Annual rainfall was above average in most areas, predominantly owing to a very wet April and May, but spring was very dry.

• Statewide mean temperature the second-highest on record
• Mean maximum and mean minimum temperature both the second-highest on record
• Generally above average rain overall
• Below average rain in the southeast
• Below average rain in most areas in most months
• A very wet April
• Extreme heat through autumn and spring
• Mean temperatures fourth-warmest on record for Adelaide
• Mean maximum temperatures equal second-warmest on record for Adelaide

South Australia observed its second-warmest year on record in 2014, with statewide average temperatures +1.37 °C above the historical average and slightly below the warmest year record set in 2013 (+1.56 °C). Both maximum (+1.64 °C) and minimum (+1.11 °C) temperatures were second warmest record for South Australia as a whole, while numerous stations across the state had their warmest year on record. A feature of the year was the persistence of warm temperatures, including several significant heatwaves, with several stations breaking daily temperature records and their warmest spring seasonal record. While minimum temperatures were above average in most months, nights were very cool during August, resulting in wide spread frost damage across agricultural districts.

The statewide average rainfall during 2014 was 206 mm, 9% below the historical average and the third consecutive year with below average rainfall. More than a quarter of the annual total was received in April, which was the second-wettest April on record for South Australia. Rainfall was below average in the southeast agricultural and the far northeast Pastoral areas of the State, with the Murray Valley recording rainfall totals in the driest 10% of years. Elsewhere in the State, total rainfall for the year was close to average or above average. Most months had generally average or below average rain. Spring totals were very low, particularly for agricultural areas, but February, April and May recorded substantially above average rainfall.

Despite the generally warm and dry conditions, there were many days of strong and damaging winds through the year, the most notable of which was on 31 October as a band of thunderstorms developed on a low pressure trough that affected the Northwest Pastoral district. Coober Pedy Airport reported a gust to 135 km/h and there was widespread damage to buildings in the town centre.

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Notable events in 2014

• Extreme heat breaks records in South Australia between 1 and 3 January; Moomba Airport observes 49.3 °C on 2 January, the fifth hottest temperature ever recorded in South Australia
• A multi-day heatwave in mid-January results in many locations experiencing record runs of very hot days
• About 425 000 hectares were burnt by at least 16 separate significant fires between 14 and 17 January
• Widespread heavy rainfall in February resulted in many new daily records across southern parts of the State with Adelaide's wettest day in 45 years
• Widespread rainfall through April produces records across the state
• Warmth through May produces temperature records across the state
• Unusual heat in autumn gave many locations prolonged runs of warm days and South Australia's warmest autumn nights on record
• A dry winter with cool nights ends with wide spread frosts in August
• Record-breaking daytime temperatures and consecutive days above 35 °C at the end of October across northern parts of SA contributed to the warmest October on record
• Record-breaking daily maximum temperatures and hot spells from 14 to 15 November, particularly in the northeast

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Extremes in 2014
Hottest day	49.3 °C at Moomba Airport on 2 Jan
Warmest days on average	30.7 °C at Moomba Airport
Coolest days on average	17.8 °C at Mount Lofty
Coldest day	5.7 °C at Mount Lofty on 9 Jul
Coldest night	-5.7 °C at Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot) on 6 Aug
Coolest nights on average	8.2 °C at Keith (Munkora) and Naracoorte Aerodrome
Warmest nights on average	16.0 °C at Moomba Airport
Warmest night	32.8 °C at Moomba Airport on 23 Nov
Warmest on average overall	23.4 °C at Moomba Airport
Coolest on average overall	13.6 °C at Mount Lofty
Wettest overall	1009.5 mm at Uraidla
Driest overall	43.4 mm at Moomba Airport
Wettest day	115.0 mm at Coober Pedy Airport on 10 Apr
Strongest wind gust	135 km/h at Coober Pedy Airport on 31 Oct

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Maps
	Observed	Anomaly	Decile rank
Total rainfall
Mean daily maximum temperatures
Mean daily minimum temperatures

Click on a map to show it full size in a pop-up window

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Monthly maps
	Rainfall rank	Maximum temperature rank	Minimum temperature rank
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

Click on a map to show it full size in a pop-up window

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Record highest daily rainfall
	New record (mm)		Old record		Years of record
Streaky Bay	109.0	on 14 Feb	77.5	on 20 Feb 1938	136
Mundoora	82.6	on 15 Feb	79.2	on 22 Jan 1933	131
Smoky Bay	88.0	on 14 Feb	81.0	on 14 Jan 1995	103
Apoinga (Wilivere)	82.4	on 15 Feb	73.4	on 30 Jan 1974	58
Berri	84.0	on 15 Feb	72.4	on 17 Nov 1961	55
Hamilton	87.2	on 15 Feb	73.0	on 12 Dec 2008	51
Mundoora (Barunga North)	81.0	on 15 Feb	80.4	on 31 Oct 1997	51
Balaklava (Wanappe)	87.0	on 15 Feb	76.4	on 8 Dec 2010	46
Bowillia	82.4	on 15 Feb	70.2	on 31 Oct 1997	46
Riverton (Leeward)	80.0	on 15 Feb	78.4	on 22 Jan 2002	46
Snowtown (Banyula)	80.0	on 15 Feb	79.4	on 31 Oct 1997	46
Caliph	70.2	on 15 Feb	64.0	on 8 Dec 2010	41
Adelaide (Kent Town)	75.2	on 14 Feb	66.2	on 8 Dec 2010	38
Burnside	77.6	on 14 Feb	71.1	on 17 May 1898	38
Adelaide (Hope Valley Reservoir)	84.2	on 14 Feb	59.0	on 16 Mar 1985	36
Adelaide (Clarence Gardens Bowling Club)	60.0	on 14 Feb	55.0	on 21 Jun 2012	33
Coffin Bay	54.4	on 13 Jun	49.6	on 27 Mar 2006	30
Buckleboo (Karinya)	54.6	on 15 Feb	47.6	on 3 Sep 2010	28
Wanilla	62.0	on 13 Jun	47.0	on 26 May 1967	25
Clare High School	75.8	on 15 Feb	73.0	on 7 Feb 1997	21
Coober Pedy Airport	115.0	on 10 Apr	49.6	on 19 Jan 2007	21
Renmark Aero	79.8	on 15 Feb	77.0	on 8 Dec 2010	20

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Record lowest annual total rainfall
	New record (mm)	Old record		Years of record	Annual average
Salt Creek (Pitlochry Outstation 1)	344.6	346.4	in 1994	28	515.4
Coulta (Coles Point)	79.8	194.0	in 2002	20	364.9

Lowest annual total rainfall for at least 20 years
	Observed (mm)	Most recent lower		Years since lower	Annual average
Kalangadoo	519.1	490.5	in 1982*	28	741.7
Clarendon	583.4	522.4	in 1982*	25	811.3
Port Elliot Caravan Park	395.4	345.8	in 1982*	25	502.1
Kingston SE	390.8	353.8	in 1982*	22	587.3

* note: there are gaps in the historical record at this site, so it is possible a lower value has gone unreported.

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Record highest temperature
	New record (°C)		Old record		Years of record	Annual average
Mount Gambier Aero	44.9	on 2 Feb	43.6	on 4 Jan 2013	73	19.0
Keith	46.5	on 2 Feb	45.5	on 28 Jan 2009	53	22.2
Neptune Island	36.9	on 16 Jan	36.8	on 8 Feb 1970	53	18.6
Cape Willoughby	42.2	on 14 Jan	41.5	on 23 Jan 1982	48	18.1
Coober Pedy Airport	47.4	on 1 Jan	47.1	on 25 Jan 2011	21	27.6
Kingscote Aero	43.8	on 2 Feb	= 43.8	on 29 Jan 2009	21	20.9

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Record highest annual mean daily maximum temperature
	New record (°C)	Old record		Years of record	Annual average
Kyancutta	26.5	= 26.5	in 2007	80	25.1
Mount Gambier Aero	20.5	20.4	in 2007	71	19.0
Woomera Aerodrome	27.6	27.4	in 2013	64	25.8
Keith	23.5	23.4	in 2007	58	22.2
Hawker	26.2	= 26.2	in 2002	38	25.2
Maitland	23.0	= 23.0	in 2007	29	21.7
Coonawarra	21.6	= 21.6	in 2007	28	20.4

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Record highest daily minimum temperature
	New record (°C)		Old record		Years of record	Annual average
Mount Crawford (Mt Crawford AWS)	30.2	on 17 Jan	29.9	on 29 Jan 2009	21	9.7
Renmark Aero	29.4	on 9 Feb	29.3	on 11 Jan 2008	20	9.6

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Record lowest temperature
	New record (°C)		Old record		Years of record	Annual average
Hawker	-5.5	on 5 Aug	-4.7	on 20 Jul 1976	44	10.6

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Highest annual mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years
	Observed (°C)	Most recent higher		Years since higher	Annual average
Oodnadatta Airport	15.8	15.9	in 1973*	31	14.6

* note: there are gaps in the historical record at this site, so it is possible a higher value has gone unreported.

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Record highest annual mean temperature
	New record (°C)	Old record		Years of record	Annual average
Woomera Aerodrome	20.7	= 20.7	in 2013	64	19.2
Eudunda	16.2	= 16.2	in 2013	49	15.1
Andamooka	21.8	= 21.8	in 2013	42	20.7
Maitland	17.6	= 17.6	in 2013	29	16.5
Leigh Creek Airport	20.8	20.7	in 2013	28	19.5

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Summary statistics for 2014
	Maximum temperatures (°C)				Minimum temperatures (°C)				Rainfall (millimetres)
	Mean for 2014	Diff from average	Highest for 2014		Mean for 2014	Diff from average	Lowest for 2014		Total for 2014	Average annual total	Rank of 2014	Fraction of annual average
Northwest (district 16)
Andamooka	28.7	+1.1	46.8	1 Jan	14.8	+1.0	0.0	3 Aug	147.0	193.0	average	76%
Coober Pedy Airport	28.7	+1.1	47.4	1 Jan	14.8	+0.6	1.8	10 Jul	219.8	134.7	v high	163%
Ernabella (Pukatja)	28.3	+0.9	42.6	1 Jan	13.7	+0.6	-2.1	4 Aug	165.4	263.9	low	63%
Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome)	28.9	+1.2	47.1	1 Jan	13.3	+0.8	-3.9	3 Aug	124.0	149.9	average	83%
Woomera Aerodrome	27.6	+1.8	46.8	1 Jan	13.8	+1.1	1.4	5 Aug	102.0	182.3	low	56%
Far North (district 17)
Leigh Creek Airport	27.9	+1.6	45.7	2 Jan	13.7	+0.9	0.3	3 Aug	145.6	222.6	low	65%
Marree Aero	30.0	+1.0	48.1	2 Jan	14.4	+0.5	-1.6	3 Aug	172.8	136.8	average	126%
Moomba Airport	30.7	+1.3	49.3	2 Jan	16.0	+0.5	0.7	11 Jul	43.4	177.7	v low	24%
Oodnadatta Airport	30.5	+1.5	48.0	1 Jan	15.8	+1.2	-0.2	4 Aug	93.8	175.5	low	53%
Western Agricultural (district 18)
Ceduna AMO	24.6	+1.1	46.0	14 Jan	11.1	+0.7	-1.5	4 Aug	320.8	295.8	average	108%
Cleve	23.1	+1.0	43.4	2 Feb	12.6	+1.2	2.0	12 Aug	340.2	400.1	low	85%
Cleve Aerodrome	23.4	+0.8	44.6	14 Jan	12.0	+0.5	1.6	12 Aug	289.6	356.0	average	81%
Cummins Aero	23.7		46.2	2 Feb	10.2		-0.1	4 Aug	427.0
Elliston	22.5	+1.1	43.4	11 Feb	12.5	+0.7	1.0	4 Aug	376.1	427.2	average	88%
Kimba	24.6	+1.0	43.0	28 Jan	10.6	+0.2	0.8	3 Aug	332.0	347.1	average	96%
Kyancutta	26.5	+1.4	45.3	13 Jan	10.1	+0.8	-3.2	12 Aug	302.2	313.4	average	96%
Minnipa Pirsa	25.2	+0.5	44.5	11 Feb	11.5	+0.4	0.5	18 Aug
Neptune Island	19.2	+0.6	36.9	16 Jan	14.5	+0.8	7.7	9 Jul	416.0	447.8	average	93%
North Shields (Port Lincoln AWS)	22.1	+0.9	45.1	16 Jan	11.6	+0.2	3.1	2 Aug	380.2	394.2	average	96%
Nullarbor	24.7	+1.0	44.9	1 Feb	11.6	+0.8	-0.1	3 Aug	309.2	250.2	high	124%
Port Augusta Aero	26.7	+0.3	46.2	14 Jan	12.4	+0.3	-4.5	3 Aug	263.2	216.1	high	122%
Streaky Bay	24.5	+1.4	44.0	11 Feb			2.7	13 Jul	441.7	378.7	high	117%
Whyalla Aero	24.4	+0.7	45.7	14 Jan	12.0	+0.5	-2.0	3 Aug
Wudinna Aero	26.0	+0.7	45.7	1 Feb	10.2	0.0	-2.7	13 Aug	326.4	273.3	high	119%
Upper North (district 19)
Hawker	26.2	+1.0	44.0	1 Jan	11.1	+0.5	-5.5	5 Aug	362.3	309.0	high	117%
Northeast (district 20)
Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot)	25.9	+0.7	45.4	14 Jan	9.5	+0.2	-5.7	6 Aug	319.4	276.9	high	115%
Lower North (district 21)
Clare High School	22.2	+0.9	42.5	2 Feb	9.5	+0.5	-2.7	5 Aug	601.8	544.6	high	111%
Port Pirie Aerodrome	25.4		44.8	12 Feb	11.3		-2.3	3 Aug	329.7
Snowtown (Rayville Park)	24.8	+0.7	45.5	16 Jan	8.9	-0.1	-2.7	4 Aug	381.6	368.0	average	104%
Yorke Peninsula (district 22A)
Edithburgh	21.1	+0.8	44.5	14 Jan	12.5	+0.5	0.8	4 Aug	369.4	378.4	average	98%
Kadina AWS	24.0		44.9	14 Jan	9.9		-2.5	4 Aug	314.4
Maitland	23.0	+1.3	43.5	14 Jan	12.2	+0.9	2.5	2 Aug	456.9	503.7	average	91%
Minlaton Aero	22.9	+0.3	44.7	14 Jan	11.3	+0.4	0.6	4 Aug	334.0	358.5	average	93%
Stenhouse Bay	21.0	+0.7	44.0	2 Feb	13.4	+0.4	4.3	3 Aug	393.0	446.3	low	88%
Warooka	21.9	+0.7	42.8	15 Jan	12.1	+0.6	2.4	4 Aug	356.4	444.7	low	80%
Kangaroo Island (district 22B)
Cape Borda	19.5	+0.3	39.0	15 Jan	11.8	+0.2	3.4	12 Aug	538.4	549.9	low	98%
Cape Willoughby	18.9	+0.8	42.2	14 Jan	13.6	+0.8	5.8	1 Aug	397.3	539.8	v low	74%
Kingscote Aero	21.6	+0.7	43.8	2 Feb	9.3	+0.4	-1.1	4 Aug	371.6	448.3	low	83%
Parndana Cfs AWS	20.3		42.6	2 Feb	9.9		1.7	11 Aug	544.2
Adelaide Plains (district 23A)
Adelaide (Kent Town)	23.6	+1.3	45.1	14 Jan	12.9	+0.6	0.9	4 Aug	534.2	547.9	average	97%
Adelaide Airport	22.6	+1.1	43.3	14 Jan	12.2	+0.8	0.5	4 Aug
Edinburgh RAAF	23.7	+1.1	45.4	16 Jan	11.5	+0.4	-0.7	4 Aug	412.2	430.1	average	96%
Parafield Airport	24.0	+1.6	45.3	16 Jan	11.5	+0.3	-1.3	4 Aug	416.0	452.6	average	92%
Roseworthy AWS	24.4	+0.8	46.4	16 Jan	9.9	+0.2	-1.3	15 Oct	371.2	378.6	average	98%
County Light (district 23B)
Nuriootpa Viticultural	22.2	+0.7	42.5	14 Jan	9.4	+0.2	-2.7	4 Aug	490.2	474.2	average	103%
Rosedale (Turretfield Research Centre)	23.6	+1.0	45.2	14 Jan	10.2	+0.2	-1.4	11 Aug	534.9	467.8	high	114%
Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23C)
Hindmarsh Island AWS	21.5	+0.8	44.6	14 Jan	12.3	+0.5	2.4	4 Aug	282.0	388.2	low	73%
Kuitpo Forest Reserve	19.9	+0.7	41.4	14 Jan	10.8	+0.5	1.3	2 Aug	577.4	714.5	v low	81%
Mount Barker	21.6	+1.6	43.0	2 Feb	9.5	+1.5	-1.4	4 Aug	655.8	763.8	low	86%
Mount Crawford (Mt Crawford AWS)	19.9	+0.9	41.6	2 Feb	10.1	+0.4	2.1	13 Jul	665.4	654.7	average	102%
Mount Lofty	17.8	+2.6	38.9	2 Feb	9.3	+0.7	0.7	12 Aug	875.6
Noarlunga	22.3	+0.7	43.4	2 Feb	13.1	+0.4	3.4	4 Aug	360.8	448.7	low	80%
Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS)	18.5	+1.1	40.9	14 Jan	10.8	+0.6	3.1	3 Aug	715.6	834.9	low	86%
Victor Harbor (Encounter Bay)	21.1	+0.6	44.3	14 Jan	10.6	+0.4	0.0	21 Aug	448.8	538.3	low	83%
Upper Murray Valley (district 24A)
Loxton Research Centre	24.9	+1.0	44.6	14 Jan	9.7	+0.7	-4.0	5 Aug	272.2	261.5	average	104%
Renmark Aero	25.7	+0.8	45.7	14 Jan	10.0	+0.4	-5.6	4 Aug	240.8	242.4	average	99%
Lower Murray Valley (district 24B)
Eudunda	22.3	+1.2	42.0	1 Feb	10.0	+0.8	-1.0	3 Aug	507.9	447.8	high	113%
Meningie	21.9	+1.1	44.2	2 Feb	10.8	+0.5	0.9	21 Aug	470.1	468.7	average	100%
Murray Bridge (Pallamana Aerodrome)	23.5		46.3	14 Jan	9.2		-2.7	4 Aug	369.8
Strathalbyn Racecourse	22.2	+0.6	44.9	16 Jan	10.9	+0.7	1.5	12 Aug	360.2	412.2	average	87%
Murray Mallee (district 25A)
Karoonda	24.2	+0.7	45.5	2 Feb	9.5	+0.3	-2.0	4 Aug	304.8	341.1	average	89%
Upper Southeast (district 25B)
Keith	23.5	+1.3	46.5	2 Feb	9.5	+0.3	-1.2	11 Aug	290.5	460.6	v low	63%
Keith (Munkora)	23.8	+0.9	47.2	14 Jan	8.2	+0.4	-2.7	11 Aug	298.0	394.0	v low	76%
Lameroo (Austin Plains)	24.0		46.2	14 Jan	8.9		-0.4	14 Oct	272.4	312.2	average	87%
Lower Southeast (district 26)
Cape Jaffa (The Limestone)	19.8	+0.6	41.0	16 Jan	10.7	+0.4	2.6	12 Aug	403.2	496.3	low	81%
Coonawarra	21.6	+1.2	43.6	2 Feb	8.3	+0.3	-2.1	12 Aug	457.6	568.2	v low	81%
Mount Gambier Aero	20.5	+1.5	44.9	2 Feb	8.8	+0.7	-1.7	21 Sep	638.0	710.9	average	90%
Naracoorte Aerodrome	22.7	+1.1	45.8	14 Jan	8.2	+0.1	-2.3	12 Aug	364.8	482.5	v low	76%
Padthaway South	22.5	+1.0	44.6	14 Jan	8.6	+0.1	-1.9	2 Aug	310.4	455.0	v low	68%
Robe Airfield	20.1	+0.5	41.7	2 Feb	9.5	0.0	-0.2	19 Sep	512.4	591.8	low	87%

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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