Monday, 15 January 2024 - Annual Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC53R0

South Australia in 2023

Rainfall

  • Rainfall totals for 2023 were below average in much of South Australia's Riverland, the Northeast Pastoral district, and some southern central areas. However, rainfall was above average through central areas of the Pastoral districts and in parts of the South East.
  • Rainfall for South Australia as a whole was 12.5% below average, making it the state's driest year since 2019.
  • The year included a mix of much wetter than average months and much drier than average months for South Australia. May 2023 was the state's driest May since 2006. June was the seventh-wettest on record and wettest June since 2001. September was the eighth-driest on record, and October was the ninth-driest on record (based on data since 1900).
  • The wettest area of the state in 2023 was in the Mount Lofty Ranges, with Ashton recording the highest rainfall for the year at 1,173.0 mm in the Bureau's network of rainfall gauges.
  • Storms brought heavy rain at times in November and December, with some sites having their highest daily rainfall on record.

Temperature

  • South Australia's overall mean temperature for 2023 was 1.15 °C above the 1961–1990 average, making it the state's overall seventh-warmest year on record (since 1910) and warmest year since 2019.
  • Mean maximum temperatures in 2023 were above average across most of South Australia, including a large area that was very much above average covering the Northwest and Northeast Pastoral districts.
  • South Australia's mean maximum temperature was 1.55 °C above average, the sixth-highest on record and highest since 2019.
  • Mean minimum temperatures in 2023 were above average in the northern Pastoral districts and in areas of the south, but were close to average or cooler than average in some central and eastern agricultural districts.
  • South Australia's mean minimum temperature was 0.74 °C above average, the equal-eighth-highest on record and highest since 2016.
  • On 7 August, Wudinna Aero recorded a daily minimum temperature of -4.0 °C, which was its lowest temperature on record.
  • Robe Airfield equalled its highest mean daily minimum temperature on record.
  • The year included South Australia's ninth-warmest June on record (since 1910), third-warmest August, and second-warmest September.

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes in 2023
Hottest day 46.5 °C at Marree Aero on 7 Dec
Warmest days on average 30.7 °C at Moomba Airport
Coolest days on average 17.0 °C at Mount Lofty
Coldest day 7.1 °C at Mount Lofty on 6 Jul
Coldest night -5.0 °C at Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot) on 17 Jul
Coolest nights on average 8.2 °C at Padthaway South
Warmest nights on average 16.1 °C at Moomba Airport
Warmest night 31.8 °C at Oodnadatta Airport on 2 Jan
Warmest on average overall 23.4 °C at Moomba Airport
Coolest on average overall 13.8 °C at Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS)
Wettest overall 1,173.2 mm at Ashton
Wettest day 96.0 mm at Piccadilly (Woodhouse) on 23 Jun
Strongest wind gust 135 km/h at Neptune Island on 8 Jul

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Maps
ObservedAnomalyDecile rank
Total
rainfall		 Map of Rainfall totals Map of Percentage of normal rainfall Map of Rainfall deciles
Mean
daily
maximum
temperatures		 Map of Mean maximum temperature Map of Anomaly in mean maximum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean maximum temperature
Mean
daily
minimum
temperatures		 Map of Mean minimum temperature Map of Anomaly in mean minimum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean minimum temperature

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

Monthly maps
Rainfall rankMaximum temperature rankMinimum temperature rank
January Map of Rainfall deciles Map of Decile rank of mean maximum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean minimum temperature
February Map of Rainfall deciles Map of Decile rank of mean maximum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean minimum temperature
March Map of Rainfall deciles Map of Decile rank of mean maximum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean minimum temperature
April Map of Rainfall deciles Map of Decile rank of mean maximum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean minimum temperature
May Map of Rainfall deciles Map of Decile rank of mean maximum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean minimum temperature
June Map of Rainfall deciles Map of Decile rank of mean maximum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean minimum temperature
July Map of Rainfall deciles Map of Decile rank of mean maximum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean minimum temperature
August Map of Rainfall deciles Map of Decile rank of mean maximum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean minimum temperature
September Map of Rainfall deciles Map of Decile rank of mean maximum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean minimum temperature
October Map of Rainfall deciles Map of Decile rank of mean maximum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean minimum temperature
November Map of Rainfall deciles Map of Decile rank of mean maximum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean minimum temperature
December Map of Rainfall deciles Map of Decile rank of mean maximum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean minimum temperature

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Record highest daily rainfall
New record
(mm)		 Old
record		 Years of
record
McLaren Vale (Pirramimma Winery) 49.6 on 28 Nov 46.4 on 5 Jul 2016 31
Brownhill Creek (Scotch College) 74.8 on 28 Nov 64.4 on 14 Feb 2014 27
Naracoorte Aerodrome 71.4 on 25 Nov 69.4 on 14 Jan 2011 26
Wudinna Aero 48.6 on 10 Dec 47.6 on 19 Nov 2022 25


Record lowest temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Annual
average
Wudinna Aero -4.0 on 7 Aug -3.7 on 15 Jun 2006 25 10.2


Record highest annual mean daily minimum temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Annual
average
Robe Airfield 10.1 = 10.1 in 2022 20 9.6


Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Summary statistics for 2023
Maximum temperatures
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
(°C)		 Rainfall
(millimetres)
Mean
for
2023		 Diff
from
average		 Highest
for
2023		 Mean
for
2023		 Diff
from
average		 Lowest
for
2023		 Total
for
2023		 Average
annual
total		 Rank
of
2023		 Fraction
of annual
average
Northwest (district 16)
Andamooka 28.6 +0.9 45.9 7 Dec 14.2 +0.3 0.5 23 Jun 142.4 189.2 average 75%
Coober Pedy Airport 28.5 +0.7 46.1 7 Dec 14.4 +0.2 2.4 25 Jun 229.6 146.3 high 157%
Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome) 28.3 +0.6 46.2 7 Dec 12.9 +0.2 0.2 8 Aug 152.8 146.8 average 104%
Tarcoola Aero 28.2 +0.5 45.6 5 Dec 11.8 -0.3 -0.8 7 Aug 201.2 182.0 average 111%
Woomera Aerodrome 27.2 +1.3 46.4 7 Dec 13.1 +0.3 2.4 25 Jun 173.2 183.7 average 94%
Far North (district 17)
Leigh Creek Airport 27.6 +1.1 45.2 6 Dec 13.3 +0.4 0.4 19 Jun 97.8 217.3 v low 45%
Marree Aero 30.0 +0.9 46.5 7 Dec 14.0 +0.1 0.0 25 Jun 117.0 146.1 average 80%
Moomba Airport 30.7 +1.1 45.7 7 Dec 16.1 +0.5 2.5 19 Jun 67.2 169.1 low 40%
Oodnadatta Airport 30.5 +1.3 46.2 7 Dec 15.7 +1.0 2.8 25 Jun 157.4 173.2 average 91%
Western Agricultural (district 18)
Ceduna AMO 23.9 +0.4 44.6 27 Jan 11.0 +0.5 -1.7 17 Jul 219.4 294.1 low 75%
Cleve 22.5 +0.4 41.5 10 Nov     0.6 8 Aug 392.9 401.2 average 98%
Cleve Aerodrome 22.6 0.0 42.5 10 Nov 11.4 -0.1 1.6 9 Sep 315.6 353.5 average 89%
Coffin Bay (Point Avoid) 20.6   40.6 23 Feb 12.7   4.6 17 Jul 385.8
Cultana (Defence) 25.5   43.4 10 Nov 12.0   3.0 7 Aug 280.0
Cummins Aero 23.0 0.0 43.5 23 Feb 9.4 -0.4 -1.2 17 Jul 335.2 426.4 v low 79%
Elliston 22.6 +1.0 41.4 23 Feb 12.1 +0.3 2.5 17 Jul 357.6 427.1 low 84%
Neptune Island 18.8 +0.2 34.3 16 Feb 14.1 +0.3 8.4 8 Sep 413.6 441.7 average 94%
North Shields (Port Lincoln AWS) 21.3 0.0 42.8 23 Feb 11.3 0.0 2.3 8 Aug
Nullarbor 24.1 +0.3 45.2 22 Feb 11.1 +0.2 0.1 17 Jul 213.2 252.2 average 85%
Port Augusta Aero 26.3 0.0 44.3 14 Jan 12.2 +0.1 -0.3 8 Aug 199.8 222.2 average 90%
Whyalla Aero 23.7 -0.1 44.2 10 Nov 11.7 +0.2 -0.2 7 Aug 247.8 265.5 average 93%
Wudinna Aero 25.8 +0.4 44.2 27 Jan 9.8 -0.4 -4.0 7 Aug 297.8 279.5 average 107%
Northeast (district 20)
Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot) 25.9 +0.6 42.6 10 Nov 9.2 -0.1 -5.0 17 Jul 184.8 263.3 low 70%
Yunta Airstrip 25.3 +0.7 42.1 5 Dec 9.1 -0.4 -3.9 8 Aug 211.8 204.2 average 104%
Lower North (district 21)
Clare High School 21.7 +0.3 39.0 22 Feb 8.9 -0.1 -1.7 16 Jul 443.6 542.4 low 82%
Port Pirie Aerodrome AWS 25.1   44.1 14 Jan 10.9   -0.9 8 Aug 318.4
Snowtown (Rayville Park) 24.2 0.0 42.5 14 Jan 8.6 -0.4 -1.8 8 Aug 375.2 372.5 average 101%
Yorke Peninsula (district 22A)
Edithburgh 20.5 0.0 41.9 16 Feb 12.1 +0.1 0.9 18 Jul 437.0 383.2 high 114%
Kadina AWS 23.5 -0.1 42.0 10 Nov 9.8 -0.1 -1.5 18 Jul 377.2 327.1 average 115%
Minlaton Aero 22.4 -0.2 40.3 23 Feb 10.9 0.0 0.8 9 Sep 355.6 357.2 average 100%
Stenhouse Bay 20.3 -0.1 41.9 23 Feb 13.0 0.0 4.7 17 Jul 500.4 455.4 average 110%
Kangaroo Island (district 22B)
Cape Borda 18.8 -0.3 35.2 23 Feb 11.7 +0.1 5.5 6 Aug 533.2 550.4 average 97%
Cape Willoughby 18.3 +0.1 37.8 14 Jan 13.1 +0.2 6.8 8 Sep 524.8 536.7 average 98%
Kingscote Aero 20.7 -0.3 39.2 16 Feb 9.1 +0.1 -0.2 19 Jul 461.2 449.0 average 103%
Adelaide Plains (district 23A)
Adelaide (West Terrace / ngayirdapira) 22.3 +0.5 40.6 14 Jan 12.2 +0.2 2.9 18 Jul 587.6 527.8 high 111%
Adelaide Airport 21.7 +0.1 40.4 14 Jan 12.1 +0.6 2.0 17 Jul 505.6 438.5 high 115%
Edinburgh RAAF 22.8 +0.1 41.6 10 Nov 11.2 0.0 1.7 19 Jul 420.2 429.0 average 98%
Parafield Airport 23.3 +0.8 41.4 10 Nov 11.1 -0.1 0.2 18 Jul 449.6 448.5 average 100%
Roseworthy AWS 23.6 0.0 43.3 10 Nov 9.7 0.0 -1.2 26 Oct 322.4 385.4 low 84%
County Light (district 23B)
Nuriootpa PIRSA 21.7 +0.1 40.0 10 Nov 9.0 -0.2 -2.0 17 Jul
Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23C)
Hindmarsh Island AWS 20.2 -0.6 40.9 14 Jan 12.0 +0.1 1.9 19 Jul 481.6 397.8 high 121%
Kuitpo Forest Reserve 18.7 -0.5 38.1 10 Nov 10.2 -0.1 2.3 19 Jul 796.8 725.9 average 110%
Mount Barker 20.8 +0.7 37.9 10 Nov 9.3 +1.2 -0.3 17 Jul 772.6 764.3 average 101%
Mount Crawford AWS 19.0 -0.1 37.8 10 Nov 9.5 -0.2 2.8 26 Oct 647.8 661.5 average 98%
Mount Lofty 17.0 +1.2 34.6 23 Feb 8.8 +0.1 1.6 8 Sep 968.6 985.0 average 98%
Noarlunga 21.6 -0.1 40.7 14 Jan 12.5 -0.2 4.3 17 Jul 529.2 452.4 high 117%
Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS) 17.3 -0.3 37.8 23 Feb 10.3 0.0 2.8 19 Jul 790.2 827.3 average 96%
Victor Harbor (Encounter Bay) 20.1 -0.5 40.4 14 Jan 10.4 +0.2 0.0 8 Aug 604.6 557.2 average 109%
Upper Murray Valley (district 24A)
Loxton Research Centre 24.6 +0.5 41.7 17 Jan 9.4 +0.2 -3.5 17 Jul 191.2 261.0 low 73%
Renmark Aero 25.3 +0.3 43.0 14 Jan 9.4 -0.3 -4.9 19 Jul 177.4 236.9 low 75%
Lower Murray Valley (district 24B)
Eudunda 21.1 -0.1 39.3 12 Nov 10.1 +0.8 1.1 19 Jul
Murray Bridge 23.2 +0.1 42.5 10 Nov 10.3 +0.4 -1.0 19 Jul 377.3 349.1 average 108%
Murray Bridge (Pallamana Aerodrome) 22.7 -0.5 42.9 10 Nov 9.2 +0.1 -4.1 19 Jul 348.4 316.7 average 110%
Strathalbyn Racecourse 21.1 -0.5 41.3 10 Nov 10.4 +0.1 0.8 8 Aug 484.4 425.7 average 114%
Upper Southeast (district 25B)
Keith 22.7 +0.4 41.4 14 Jan 9.0 -0.2 -0.6 17 May 481.1 460.3 average 105%
Lameroo (Austin Plains) 23.0 -0.4 42.2 14 Jan 8.5 -0.2 -0.8 19 Jul 420.8 319.9 high 132%
Lower Southeast (district 26)
Cape Jaffa (The Limestone) 19.3 0.0 39.0 14 Jan 10.6 +0.2 1.9 19 Jul 517.2 500.8 average 103%
Coonawarra 20.4 -0.1 39.4 14 Jan 8.5 +0.4 -2.4 19 Jul
Mount Gambier Aero 19.6 +0.5 38.7 24 Feb 9.0 +0.8 -1.1 14 Aug 738.8 714.2 average 103%
Naracoorte Aerodrome 21.3 -0.3 41.3 14 Jan 8.4 +0.2 -2.2 17 May 590.6 489.1 high 121%
Padthaway South 21.3 -0.2 40.3 14 Jan 8.2 -0.3 -2.7 17 May 528.4 472.4 high 112%
Robe Airfield 19.2 -0.4 37.8 24 Feb 10.1 +0.5 -0.4 14 Aug 614.6 601.7 average 102%

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Notes

The Annual climate summary, lists the main features of the weather in South Australia using the most timely and accurate information available on the date of publication; it will generally not be updated.

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 2 pm on Monday 15 January 2024. Some checks have been made on the data, but it is possible that results will change as new information becomes available.

In some situations, some or all of the rainfall is in the form of hail or snow. In these cases the totals given are for the water equivalent: the depth of liquid water that results from melting any frozen precipitation. There can be significant 'undercatch' of snow in strong winds, meaning the true precipitation can be higher than that reported.

Averages for individual sites are long-term means based on observations from all available years of record, which vary widely from site to site. They are not shown for sites with less than 10 years of record, as they cannot then be calculated reliably.
The median is sometimes more representative than the mean of long-term average rain.

The Rank indicates how rainfall this time compares with the climate record for the site, based on the decile ranking (very low rainfall is in decile 1, low in decile 2 or 3, average in decile 4 to 7, high in decile 8 or 9 and very high is in decile 10).
The Fraction of average shows how much rain has fallen this time as a percentage of the long-term mean.

Where temperature area averages are mentioned, they are derived from the ACORN-SAT dataset.

Information about Australian Indigenous seasonal calendars is available at the Indigenous Weather Knowledge website.

Creative Commons By Attribution logo Unless otherwise noted, all maps, graphs and diagrams in this page are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence

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