Friday, 8 January 2021 - Annual Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC53R0

South Australia in 2020: near average rainfall overall, warm in the west

Rainfall in 2020 was close to average across large areas of South Australia, but it was a drier than average year for some Agricultural districts, including parts of the South East and Eyre Peninsula. Both daytime and night-time temperatures were warmer than average throughout western parts of South Australia in 2020, but nights were cooler than average in parts of the state's south and east.

Near average rainfall

• Rainfall totals were close to average over large parts of South Australia.
• Rainfall in 2020 was below average in some Agricultural districts, including parts of the South East and Eyre Peninsula.
• 2020 was a wetter than average year for much of the state's west, extending across southern areas of the Pastoral districts into the Flinders district.
• Rainfall was just 0.5% below average for South Australia as a whole, making it the State's wettest year since 2017.
• There were several very dry months for large areas of the state through the middle of the year and in November.
• The drier than average months were offset by a much wetter than average end to winter and start of spring.
• The year began with very wet conditions for western districts in January as tropical moisture tracked south from the north-west.
• Notable rain events affected the state during the first four months of the year, with January to April rainfall totals very much above average across many Agricultural districts.
• May to July was a drier than average period throughout the state, with totals less than half the long-term average over large areas.
• Rain returned to many areas in August, and both September and October were very much wetter than average.
• November was the state's driest since 1990, before a wet December for most northern and western areas of the State.
• A few sites had their highest daily rainfall on record.
• Booleroo Centre (Willowie) and Morchard (The Rocks) had their highest total rainfall since 1992.

Warm days in the west, cool nights in the east

• Both daytime and night-time temperatures were warmer than average throughout western parts of South Australia in 2020, but nights were cooler than average in parts of the east.
• Overall, it was South Australia's coolest year since 2016, with the mean temperature 0.70 °C above the long-term average.
• The year included several very warm months, including the state's warmest November on record, but South Australia also had its coolest May since 2006.
• Days were warmer than average in most areas and the mean maximum temperature for South Australia as a whole was 0.94 °C above average, but after several very warm years, it was the lowest since 2016.
• In August, many sites had their coldest day on record.
• Naracoorte Aerodrome had its lowest mean daily maximum temperature on record and a few sites lowest mean daily maximum temperature for at least 20 years.
• Nights were particularly cold during May, June, and July, with monthly mean minimum temperatures very much below average over large areas of eastern South Australia.
• The mean minimum temperature for South Australia as a whole was 0.45 °C above average, the lowest since 2012.
• During winter, a few sites had their lowest temperature on record.
• On 31 January, Renmark Aero and Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot) had their warmest night on record.
• A number of sites had their lowest mean daily minimum temperature on record or their lowest mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years.
• Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot) had its overall lowest mean temperature on record and several sites had their lowest mean temperature for at least 20 years.

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

---

Extremes in 2020
Hottest day	48.0 °C at Andamooka on 28 Nov
Warmest days on average	29.7 °C at Oodnadatta Airport
Coolest days on average	16.7 °C at Mount Lofty
Coldest day	5.2 °C at Mount Lofty on 7 Aug
Coldest night	-6.3 °C at Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot) on 5 Aug
Coolest nights on average	7.6 °C at Keith (Munkora)
Warmest nights on average	15.6 °C at Moomba Airport
Warmest night	31.9 °C at Oodnadatta Airport on 10 Jan
Warmest on average overall	22.4 °C at Moomba Airport
Coolest on average overall	12.6 °C at Mount Lofty
Wettest overall	1128.0 mm at Piccadilly (Woodhouse)
Wettest day	103.0 mm at Naracoorte (View Bank) on 20 Jan and at Yudnapinna on 1 Feb
Strongest wind gust	124 km/h at Woomera Aerodrome on 22 Oct and at Sellicks Hill (Mount Terrible Radar) on 22 Nov

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

---

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

---

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

---

Record highest daily rainfall
	New record (mm)		Old record		Years of record
Minnipa PIRSA	46.0	on 1 Feb	43.8	on 12 Dec 2008	25
Marree Aero	93.0	on 19 Sep	91.8	on 6 Feb 2011	23
Naracoorte (View Bank)	103.0	on 20 Jan	75.0	on 13 Dec 2008	20

---

Highest annual total rainfall for at least 20 years
	Observed (mm)	Most recent higher		Annual average
Booleroo Centre (Willowie)	444.1	524.6	in 1992*	316.0
Morchard (The Rocks)	525.4	630.0	in 1992*	366.5

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

---

Record lowest daily maximum temperature
	New record (°C)		Old record		Years of record	Annual average
Hawker	6.7	on 7 Aug	7.4	on 1 Jun 1989	50	25.3
Moomba Airport	10.0	on 6 Aug	= 10.0	on 20 Jun 2007	26	29.6
Renmark Aero	7.9	on 7 Aug	8.7	on 26 Jun 1999	26	25.0
Minnipa PIRSA	8.6	on 6 Aug	9.0	on 13 Jul 2006	25	24.8
Strathalbyn Racecourse	8.7	on 7 Aug	9.0	on 10 Aug 2003	25	21.7
Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome)	9.8	on 7 Aug	11.0	on 14 Jul 2006	24	27.8
Kuitpo Forest Reserve	6.7	on 7 Aug	7.0	on 12 Jul 2016	23	19.3
Snowtown (Rayville Park)	9.1	on 7 Aug	9.7	on 7 Jul 2008	23	24.3
Yunta Airstrip	7.1	on 7 Aug	7.3	on 14 Jul 2006	23	24.7
Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot)	7.7	on 7 Aug	7.8	on 26 Jun 1999	22	25.4
Wudinna Aero	9.5	on 6 Aug	= 9.5	on 2 Aug 2017	22	25.5
Port Augusta Aero	8.7	on 6 Aug	10.3	on 12 Jul 2005	20	26.5

---

Record lowest annual mean daily maximum temperature
	New record (°C)	Old record		Years of record	Annual average
Naracoorte Aerodrome	20.8	20.9	in 2011	21	21.7

Lowest annual mean daily maximum temperature for at least 20 years
	Observed (°C)	Most recent lower		Annual average
Yongala	21.6	21.4	in 1995*	21.9
Clare High School	20.9	20.7	in 1998	21.5
Edinburgh RAAF	22.5	=22.5	in 1998	22.7

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

---

Record highest daily minimum temperature
	New record (°C)		Old record		Years of record	Annual average
Renmark Aero	30.4	on 31 Jan	29.9	on 19 Dec 2015	26	9.7
Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot)	31.0	on 31 Jan	30.2	on 29 Jan 2009	22	9.3

---

Record lowest temperature
	New record (°C)		Old record		Years of record	Annual average
Parafield Airport	-2.8	on 28 Jul	-2.3	on 15 Jun 2006	66	11.2
Roseworthy AWS	-3.6	on 5 Aug	-3.2	on 25 Aug 2002	24	9.7
Snowtown (Rayville Park)	-4.5	on 28 Jul	= -4.5	on 15 Jun 2006	23	9.0
Noarlunga	1.8	on 5 Aug	2.0	on 24 Jun 2019	21	12.8
Keith (Munkora)	-4.7	on 5 Aug	-4.4	on 15 Jun 2006	20	8.0

---

Record lowest annual mean daily minimum temperature
	New record (°C)	Old record		Years of record	Annual average
Edithburgh	11.4	= 11.4	in 1994	27	12.1
Stenhouse Bay	12.5	12.6	in 1998	23	13.0

Lowest annual mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years
	Observed (°C)	Most recent lower		Annual average
Robe	10.4	10.2	in 1972	10.9
Cleve	11.3	=11.3	in 1992*	11.4
Parafield Airport	10.6	10.4	in 1998	11.2

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

---

Record lowest annual mean temperature
	New record (°C)	Old record		Years of record	Annual average
Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot)	16.7	16.9	in 2012	20	17.4

Lowest annual mean temperature for at least 20 years
	Observed (°C)	Most recent lower		Annual average
Robe	14.2	=14.2	in 1964	14.5
Cleve	16.7	=16.7	in 1995*	16.8
Clare High School	14.7	14.6	in 1998	15.3
Edinburgh RAAF	16.9	16.3	in 1998	16.9
Keith	15.5	15.3	in 1998	15.8
Nuriootpa PIRSA	15.0	14.7	in 1998	15.4
Renmark Aero	17.0	16.8	in 1998	17.4

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

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

---

Summary statistics for 2020
	Maximum temperatures (°C)				Minimum temperatures (°C)				Rainfall (millimetres)
	Mean for 2020	Diff from average	Highest for 2020		Mean for 2020	Diff from average	Lowest for 2020		Total for 2020	Average annual total	Rank of 2020	Fraction of annual average
Northwest (district 16)
Andamooka	27.5	-0.2	48.0	28 Nov	13.6	-0.3	0.2	29 Jun	149.6	188.3	average	79%
Coober Pedy Airport	27.6	-0.2	46.4	3 Jan	13.8	-0.5	1.3	7 Jul	250.4	138.4	high	181%
Ernabella (Pukatja)	28.0	+0.4	43.5	28 Nov	13.9	+0.7	-0.9	16 Jun	181.0	263.0	low	69%
Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome)	27.0	-0.8	47.4	28 Nov	12.6	-0.1	-3.1	9 Jun	160.0	139.0	average	115%
Tarcoola Aero	27.4	-0.4	45.6	3 Jan	12.0	-0.2	-1.4	8 Jul	198.2	179.6	average	110%
Woomera Aerodrome	26.1	+0.2	46.9	28 Nov	12.7	-0.1	1.6	9 Jun	259.6	181.5	high	143%
Far North (district 17)
Leigh Creek Airport	26.5	0.0	46.0	28 Nov	12.7	-0.2	-1.3	29 Jun	187.8	217.3	average	86%
Marree Aero	28.7	-0.5	47.5	28 Nov	13.5	-0.5	-0.4	30 Jun	219.4	139.8	high	157%
Moomba Airport	29.1	-0.5	47.3	10 Jan	15.6	0.0	1.8	24 Jun	204.8	165.8	high	124%
Oodnadatta Airport	29.7	+0.6	47.4	28 Nov	14.6	-0.1	0.3	8 Jul	153.8	173.3	average	89%
Western Agricultural (district 18)
Ceduna AMO	23.9	+0.4	45.7	30 Jan	11.0	+0.5	-0.2	22 Jul	304.8	293.3	average	104%
Cleve	22.1	0.0	43.9	30 Jan	11.3	-0.1	1.5	28 Jul	410.2	400.1	average	103%
Cleve Aerodrome			44.4	30 Jan	11.4	-0.1	2.7	23 Jul	332.6	353.0	average	94%
Coffin Bay (Point Avoid)	20.5		43.4	30 Jan	12.1		3.7	8 Jul	434.2
Cultana (Defence)	24.6		44.6	30 Jan	11.9		1.2	23 Jul	328.8
Cummins Aero	22.6	-0.5	45.6	3 Jan	9.1	-0.8	-1.8	10 Jun	431.8	421.0	average	103%
Elliston	22.6	+1.1	43.5	30 Jan	12.0	+0.2	-0.2	8 Jul
Minnipa PIRSA	24.2	-0.6	44.9	30 Jan	11.2	0.0	1.5	22 Jul	319.2	277.0	high	115%
North Shields (Port Lincoln AWS)	21.0	-0.4	42.6	3 Jan	11.0	-0.3	1.8	11 Jun	485.0	388.5	high	125%
Nullarbor	24.3	+0.4	46.7	30 Jan	11.3	+0.5	1.2	10 Jun	282.8	251.5	average	112%
Port Augusta Aero	25.7	-0.8	45.6	30 Jan	11.9	-0.3	-1.9	11 Jun	319.2	215.5	v high	148%
Streaky Bay	23.3	+0.2	44.7	30 Jan	11.8	-0.4	3.0	9 Jun	312.9	376.9	low	83%
Whyalla Aero	23.7	-0.1	45.1	30 Jan	11.4	-0.1	-1.4	9 Jun	302.9	261.3	high	116%
Wudinna Aero	25.1	-0.4	45.7	30 Jan			-3.0	22 Jul	231.2	267.9	low	86%
Upper North (district 19)
Hawker	24.5	-0.8	44.5	28 Nov	11.2	+0.6	-0.4	10 Jun	271.9	305.3	average	89%
Yongala	21.6	-0.3	40.8	30 Jan			-3.1	10 Jun	444.3	363.8	high	122%
Northeast (district 20)
Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot)	24.8	-0.6	45.5	30 Jan	8.7	-0.6	-6.3	5 Aug	271.0	264.3	average	103%
Lower North (district 21)
Clare High School	20.9	-0.6	42.4	30 Jan	8.5	-0.6	-3.0	10 Jun	545.8	542.5	average	101%
Port Pirie Aerodrome AWS	24.4		45.4	30 Jan	10.5		-1.5	28 Jul	397.8
Snowtown (Rayville Park)	23.8	-0.5	44.6	30 Jan	8.7	-0.3	-4.5	28 Jul	354.0	373.1	average	95%
Yorke Peninsula (district 22A)
Edithburgh	20.5	0.0	41.8	3 Jan	11.4	-0.7	1.0	10 Jun	419.4	377.3	average	111%
Minlaton Aero	22.1	-0.6	43.1	30 Jan	10.5	-0.4	-0.1	5 Aug	351.8	353.7	average	99%
Stenhouse Bay	20.1	-0.3	43.8	30 Jan	12.5	-0.5	4.3	9 Jul	501.2	444.7	high	113%
Kangaroo Island (district 22B)
Cape Willoughby	18.2	0.0	38.8	30 Jan	12.9	0.0	5.5	25 Sep
Kingscote Aero	20.6	-0.4	41.8	30 Jan	8.9	-0.1	-1.3	10 Jun	517.4	445.8	high	116%
Parndana CFS AWS	19.2		42.3	30 Jan	9.5		1.3	28 Jul	588.0
Adelaide Plains (district 23A)
Adelaide (West Terrace / ngayirdapira)	22.0	+0.2	43.3	30 Jan	12.1	+0.1	0.8	5 Aug	471.2	526.7	average	89%
Adelaide Airport	21.5	-0.1	42.3	30 Jan	11.8	+0.3	-0.4	10 Jun	392.4	437.3	average	90%
Edinburgh RAAF	22.5	-0.2	43.4	30 Jan	11.2	0.0	-0.9	5 Aug	392.2	426.9	low	92%
Parafield Airport	23.1	+0.6	43.7	30 Jan	10.6	-0.6	-2.8	28 Jul	396.2	448.0	low	88%
Roseworthy AWS	23.3	-0.4	45.3	30 Jan	9.4	-0.3	-3.6	5 Aug	336.8	378.3	average	89%
County Light (district 23B)
Nuriootpa PIRSA	21.3	-0.4	43.5	30 Jan	8.7	-0.5	-3.0	10 Jun	455.8	465.3	average	98%
Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23C)
Hindmarsh Island AWS	20.4	-0.5	42.2	30 Jan	11.5	-0.4	2.1	26 Aug	438.0	386.1	high	113%
Kuitpo Forest Reserve	18.6	-0.7	39.7	30 Jan	9.9	-0.5	1.6	5 Aug	854.8	710.7	v high	120%
Mount Crawford AWS	18.7	-0.4	41.1	30 Jan	9.4	-0.4	1.2	5 Aug	732.8	651.9	average	112%
Mount Lofty	16.7	+1.1	37.3	30 Jan	8.5	-0.2	-0.1	5 Aug	1003.0	990.5	average	101%
Noarlunga	21.2	-0.6	42.4	30 Jan	12.3	-0.5	1.8	5 Aug	509.4	445.8	high	114%
Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS)	17.2	-0.4	39.5	30 Jan	10.0	-0.3	3.0	9 Jun	884.6	827.0	high	107%
Victor Harbor (Encounter Bay)	20.2	-0.5	42.3	30 Jan	9.7	-0.6	-0.7	9 Jun	641.6	546.6	v high	117%
Upper Murray Valley (district 24A)
Loxton Research Centre	23.8	-0.3	43.5	30 Jan	9.3	+0.2	-4.6	5 Aug	260.3	256.1	average	102%
Renmark Aero	24.3	-0.7	45.0	28 Nov	9.8	+0.1	-4.6	5 Aug	237.4	233.1	average	102%
Lower Murray Valley (district 24B)
Eudunda	21.3	+0.1	42.5	30 Jan	9.4	+0.1	-1.2	11 Jun	430.5	445.9	average	97%
Meningie	20.8	-0.1	43.1	30 Jan	10.3	0.0	-0.6	10 Jun	488.8	468.3	average	104%
Murray Bridge (Pallamana Aerodrome)	22.6	-0.8	45.8	30 Jan	8.7	-0.4	-4.4	5 Aug	301.4	310.2	average	97%
Strathalbyn Racecourse	21.1	-0.6	43.2	30 Jan	9.9	-0.4	-0.2	5 Aug	454.2	417.4	average	109%
Upper Southeast (district 25B)
Keith	22.2	-0.1	43.0	30 Jan	8.8	-0.4	-3.0	6 Aug	458.1	459.7	average	100%
Keith (Munkora)	22.2	-0.8	43.6	30 Jan	7.6	-0.4	-4.7	5 Aug	418.4	401.7	average	104%
Lameroo (Austin Plains)	22.8	-0.7	44.0	27 Nov	8.6	-0.2	-2.6	5 Aug	356.0	310.3	high	115%
Lower Southeast (district 26)
Cape Jaffa (The Limestone)	18.9	-0.4	39.2	30 Jan	10.2	-0.2	1.1	10 Jun	492.6	496.4	average	99%
Coonawarra	20.1	-0.4	41.4	30 Jan	8.1	0.0	-2.9	9 Jun	569.0	563.5	average	101%
Mount Gambier Aero	19.3	+0.3	42.1	30 Jan	8.4	+0.2	-1.4	10 Jun	784.2	713.3	average	110%
Naracoorte Aerodrome	20.8	-0.9	42.6	30 Jan	8.1	-0.1	-2.0	5 Jun	461.8	483.4	average	96%
Padthaway South	20.9	-0.7	41.7	30 Jan	8.1	-0.4	-3.8	5 Aug	511.0	462.7	average	110%
Robe	18.1	-0.1	34.0	30 Jan	10.4	-0.5	2.4	28 Jul	712.2	634.2	high	112%
Robe Airfield	19.1	-0.6	38.7	30 Jan	9.5	-0.1	-1.1	5 Jun	582.8	601.4	average	97%

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

---

---