Thursday, 1 March 2007 - Monthly Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC13R0

South Australia in February 2007
Well Above Average Temperatures Across the State

Summary

Temperatures were well above normal or highest on record for February, while rainfall was mostly average to below average.

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Rainfall

Pastoral Districts

Rainfall totals were average in the south of the Northwest and Far North Pastoral Districts, with an isolated pocket of above average rainfall over Tarcoola, to below average over the north with embedded areas of very much below average rainfall. Most of the Northeast district reported average totals.

Rainfall totals varied widely ranging from zero at a few stations to over 20 mm at isolated stations. The highest total of 106 mm, in a thunderstorm, was recorded at Maynards Well near Leigh Creek in the Far North Pastoral district.

Agricultural Districts

Below to very much below average rainfall was reported over the southern agricultural areas. Most of the Riverland, Murray Mallee and Upper Southeast, along with the far west of the Western Agricultural district and northern agricultural parts, reported average rainfall totals.

Rainfall totals in excess of 50 mm were confined to isolated stations in the Upper North district. Totals in the range 10 to 25 mm were confined to the remainder of the Upper North, most of the Murray Mallee and parts of the Upper Southeast. Elsewhere rainfall totals were at the lower end of the 0 to 10 mm range, with many stations reporting no rainfall for February.

The highest rainfall in the Agricultural districts was 54 mm at Black Rock and Wilpena Pound, in the Upper North district.

Summer Rainfall

South Australian summer rainfall was mostly average to above average, with very much above average totals over central and northeast areas of the state. Isolated small areas of below and very much below average were confined to coastal parts of the Western Agricultural districts, the northwest corner of the state and a small pocket east of Marree.

Summer rainfall totals in excess of 100 mm were reported from many stations in all districts, except Kangaroo Island and the Adelaide Plains districts where all totals were below 50 mm. Much of the Far North, Western Agricultural and Yorke Peninsula districts recorded totals below 50 mm.

The remaining districts of the State reported totals mainly in the range 50 to 100 mm.

The highest summer rainfall in the State was 211 mm at Hawker, in the Upper North district.

Some sites had their lowest total February rainfall on record.

Some sites had their lowest total February rainfall for at least 20 years.

See a map of total rainfall. See a map of rainfall deciles.

Temperature

Western and northern South Australia saw record high mean maximum temperatures this month. The mean maximum temperature in these areas was up to 6°C above average. This was also the case over much of Western Australia and the southwest of the Northern Territory. The remainder of South Australian experienced very much above average temperatures, with maximum temperatures between 1 and 4°C above average. Mean minimum temperatures across the state were above average by similar amounts.

In the Pastoral districts mean maximum temperatures ranged from 34.1°C at Yunta in the North East Pastoral district, to 40.6°C at Marree in the Far North Pastoral district. In the Agricultural districts mean maxima ranged from 23.0°C at Cape Willoughby on Kangaroo Island, to 36.1°C at Kyancutta in the Western Agricultural District.

The highest maximum recorded during the month was 47.9°C at Nullarbor in the Western Agricultural on the 17th.

Mean minimum temperatures were up to 5°C above average over the northwest of the State, and 1 to 2°C above average over most of the remainder.

In the Pastoral districts mean minimum temperatures ranged from 16.4°C at Gluepot Station in the Northeast Pastoral district, to 24.5°C at Moomba Airport in the Far North district. In the Agricultural districts mean minima ranged from 13.2°C at Naracoorte Aerodrome in the Lower Southeast district to 20.6°C at Port Augusta Aero in the Western Agricultural district.

The lowest minimum recorded during the month was 4.8°C at Robe Aerodrome in the Lower Southeast district on the 8th.

Summer temperatures

Above average to very much above average temperatures were experienced across the State this Summer. Mean maximum temperatures were as much as 3°C above average, and mean minimum temperatures as much as 2°C above average.

Some sites had their highest February temperature on record.

Some sites had their highest February mean daily maximum temperature on record.

See a map of mean maximum temperatures. See a map of maximum temperature anomalies.

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

See a map of mean minimum temperatures. See a map of minimum temperature anomalies.

Significant Weather

Thunderstorms

On the 14th, thunderstorms resulted in flash flooding at Hawker in the Flinders District and very heavy rainfall near Jamestown, in the Mid North, where 45 mm was reported in 1 and 1/4 hours.

Thunderstorms in the Flinders district resulted in very heavy rainfall at Black Rock (53 mm in 1 and 1/2 hours) and flash flooding between Oodla Wirra and Pitcairn Station on the 19th.

On the 20th, a thunderstorm produced very heavy rainfall at Maynards Well in the Northeast Pastoral district where 62 mm fell in 1/2 hour. A thunderstorm in the Northwest Pastoral generated a southeasterly wind gust of 117km/h at Tarcoola.

Significant fire weather days

There were two.
On the 17th, extreme fire weather was recorded in 10 districts.
On the 18th, extreme fire weather was recorded in 8 districts.

Adelaide's Weather

Rainfall

No rainfall was recorded in Adelaide, (Kent Town) during February 2007. The average is 13.7 mm on 4 days. Last year, 15.6 mm was recorded in February on 4 days.

Adelaide's rainfall for summer 2006/07 was 57.0 mm, 4.5 mm below the average summer rainfall of 61.5 mm. Rainfall for last summer was 94.4 mm. This was the driest summer since 2003/04 when 49.2 mm was recorded in Adelaide.

Temperatures

The mean maximum temperature for February 2007 was 32.9°C, which is 3.7°C above the normal February mean maximum of 29.2°C. This has been the warmest February mean maximum since 1906 when it averaged 33.0°C. The February mean maximum last year was 27.2°C. In addition, there were 17 days with a maximum temperature above 30°C this February, 5 days above the average number of 12.

The mean minimum temperature for February 2007 was 19.0°C, which is 1.9°C above the normal February mean minimum of 17.1°C. This has been the warmest February mean minimum since 2004 when the mean minimum was 17.8°C. Last February, the mean minimum was 15.5°C.

Summer

The mean maximum temperature for summer 2006/07 was 30.3°C, which is 1.9°C above the average of 28.4°C. Last summer the mean maximum temperature was 28.9°C. This has been the warmest mean maximum temperature for summer since 2003/4 when the mean maximum was 29.0°C.

The mean minimum temperature for summer was 17.6°C, which is 1.0°C above the average of 16.6°C. Last summer the mean minimum temperature was 17.1°C. This has been the warmest mean minimum temperature for summer since 2000/1 when the mean minimum was 18.8°C.

 

Further information

South Australian Regional Office
South Australian Climate Services Centre
Bureau of Meteorology
Phone (08) 8366 2600
Email climate.sa@bom.gov.au

Extremes

Hottest day
Highest temperature		 47.6°C at Nullarbor on the 17th
Warmest days on average
Highest mean daily maximum temperature		 40.6°C at Marree Comparison
Coolest days on average
Lowest mean daily maximum temperature		 23.0°C at Cape Willoughby
Coldest day
Lowest daily maximum temperature		 17.3°C at Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS) on the 11th
Coldest night
Lowest temperature		 4.8°C at Robe Airfield on the 8th
Coolest nights on average
Lowest mean daily minimum temperature		 13.2°C at Naracoorte Aerodrome
Warmest nights on average
Highest mean daily minimum temperature		 25.1°C at Oodnadatta Airport
Warmest night
Highest daily minimum temperature		 30.9°C at Noarlunga on the 18th
Wettest overall
Highest total rainfall		 106.0 mm at Leigh Creek (Maynards Well)
Highest wind gust
 117 km/h at Tarcoola Aero on the 20th

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Records

Record lowest total February rainfall
Total rainfall
for February 2007 (mm) 		Previous lowest
for February 		Normal for
February		 Years of
record
Happy Valley Reservoir 0.0 = 0.0 in 1991 22.1 134
Port Pirie Zinifex Comparison 0.0 = 0.0 in 2002 17.9 131
Cape Willoughby 0.0 = 0.0 in 1965 17.9 126
North Adelaide 0.0 = 0.0 in 1991 20.6 123
Marree Comparison 0.0 = 0.0 in 2005 20.7 122
Rosedale (Turretfield Research Centre) 0.0 = 0.0 in 1991 18.2 112
Cleve 0.0 = 0.0 in 1991 22.2 111
Maitland 0.0 = 0.0 in 1970 22.5 106
Finniss 0.0 = 0.0 in 1933 21.6 94
Kyancutta 0.0 = 0.0 in 2002 15.0 78
Mount Bold Reservoir 0.0 = 0.0 in 1991 26.9 69
Price 0.0 = 0.0 in 2002 20.4 63
Oodnadatta Airport 0.0 = 0.0 in 2005 32.2 59
Parafield Airport 0.0 = 0.0 in 1991 18.0 59
Braemar 0.0 = 0.0 in 2002 21.5 43
Cleve Aerodrome 0.0 = 0.0 in 1991 17.7 43
Edinburgh RAAF 0.0 = 0.0 in 2002 16.5 35
Adelaide (Kent Town) 0.0 = 0.0 in 2002 13.2 31
Kensington Upper (Burnside) 0.0 = 0.0 in 1920 17.8 29
Adelaide (Hope Valley Reservoir) 0.0 = 0.0 in 2002 16.4 28
Marla Police Station 0.0 = 0.0 in 2005 27.8 21

Lowest total February rainfall for at least 20 years
Total rainfall
for February 2007 (mm) 		Most recent lower
for February 		Normal for
February		 Years of
record
Sedan 0.2 0.0 in 1970 18.6 31
Farrell Flat 0.2 0.0 in 1985 20.4 22
Meadows 0.8 0.5 in 1986 27.6 21


Record highest February mean daily maximum temperature
Mean daily maximum
temperature
for February 2007 (°C) 		Previous highest
for February 		Normal for
February		 Years of
record
Mount Barker 31.7 30.5 in 2000 26.6 107
Oodnadatta Airport 40.3 40.2 in 2001 36.5 59
Eudunda 32.5 = 32.5 in 2004 28.9 43
Murray Bridge Comparison 32.9 32.5 in 1983 29.2 41
Adelaide (Kent Town) 32.9 32.7 in 1997 29.2 31
Marla Police Station 40.2 39.4 in 1991 36.0 21


Record highest February temperature
Highest temperature
in February 2007 (°C) 		Previous highest
for February 		Normal for
February		 Years of
record
Elliston 43.5 on the 17th 43.2 on the 19th in 1980 25.6 45
Nullarbor 47.6 on the 17th 45.8 on the 6th in 1993 27.8 21


Record highest February daily minimum temperature
Highest daily minimum
temperature
in February 2007 (°C) 		Previous highest
for February 		Normal for
February		 Years of
record
Kyancutta 28.7 on the 18th 27.9 on the 20th in 1969 14.3 78
Mount Gambier Aero 27.7 on the 18th 27.1 on the 8th in 1983 11.6 66
Adelaide Airport 30.3 on the 18th 29.8 on the 8th in 1970 16.0 53
Cleve 30.7 on the 18th 30.5 on the 20th in 1980 15.9 51
Maitland 29.2 on the 18th 29.0 on the 3rd in 1993 15.8 50
Meningie 28.5 on the 18th = 28.5 on the 12th in 1977 13.8 41
Whyalla Aero 29.6 on the 18th 28.2 on the 19th in 2000 17.6 25
Coonawarra 26.8 on the 18th 26.0 on the 8th in 2001 11.5 22


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Summaries

 In the following table, certain key sites have been highlighted to make them easier to identify.

Summary statistics for February 2007
Maximum temperatures
for February
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
for February
(°C)		 Rainfall
for February
(millimetres)
Mean for
February
2007		 Diff
from
normal		 Highest for
February
2007		 Mean for
February
2007		 Diff
from
normal		 Lowest for
February
2007		 Total for
February
2007		 Normal
for
February		 Rank of
February
2007		 Fraction of
February
normal
Northwest (district 16)
Andamooka 38.0 +2.4 43.7 5th 23.1 +1.9 17.3 8th 6.6 23.2 normal 28%
Coober Pedy Airport 38.1 +2.7 42.2 5th 23.8 +2.2 18.8 12th 0.0 12.4 lowest 0%
Marla Police Station 40.2 +4.2 43.5 17th 23.3 +2.0 16.5 12th 0.0 27.8 lowest 0%
Nonning 35.3 +2.3 42.5 5th 19.3 +2.5 14.1 9th 8.6 16.8 normal 51%
Roxby Downs 37.8 +1.9 44.0 5th 22.0 +1.8 15.0 9th 6.8 16.0 normal 43%
Woomera Aerodrome 36.5 +2.9 43.0 5th 21.2 +1.9 15.6 9th 6.4 19.2 normal 33%
Far North (district 17)
Arkaroola 35.5 +2.3 41.9 5th 21.4 +2.2 14.1 9th 1.2 35.5 low 3%
Leigh Creek Airport 37.0 +2.7 42.9 5th 22.2 +1.9 16.3 9th 21.2 23.1 normal 92%
Marree Aero 39.7 44.6 5th 23.8 17.0 9th 0.0
Marree Comparison 40.6 +3.8 45.9 5th 23.7 +2.7 16.6 9th 0.0 20.7 lowest 0%
Moomba Airport 38.3 +1.4 41.8 24th 24.5 +0.7 20.4 12th 4.0 25.3 low 16%
Oodnadatta Airport 40.3 +3.8 42.8 5th 25.1 +2.8 19.3 9th 0.0 32.2 lowest 0%
Western Agricultural (district 18)
Ceduna AMO 30.7 +2.6 45.1 17th 15.9 +0.9 9.8 9th 0.8 13.1 low 6%
Cleve 29.8 +2.2 41.5 17th 18.2 +2.3 14.0 9th 0.0 22.2 lowest 0%
Cleve Aerodrome 29.9 +1.2 42.4 17th 17.7 +1.5 13.1 9th 0.0 17.7 lowest 0%
Coulta 29.4 +2.0 41.2 17th 16.2 +0.8 10.9 27th 0.4 13.4 very low 3%
Elliston 26.7 +1.1 43.5 17th 16.8 +1.0 10.3 27th 0.5 13.4 low 4%
Kimba 34.4 +3.3 42.2 4th 18.7 +2.7 13.2 9th 0.2 20.4 low 1%
Kyancutta 36.1 +3.8 43.9 4th 17.1 +2.8 11.2 7th 0.0 15.0 lowest 0%
Minnipa DPI 34.8 +2.2 42.9 4th 17.9 +1.8 11.2 7th 0.0 9.2 lowest 0%
Neptune Island 23.2 +1.0 31.5 17th 17.4 +0.9 15.1 7th 1.0 13.6 very low 7%
North Shields 27.4 +1.5 44.1 17th 17.1 +1.1 14.1 13th 0.6 12.0 very low 5%
Nullarbor 30.3 +2.5 47.6 17th 17.4 +1.5 9.8 15th 2.6 12.4 normal 21%
Port Augusta Aero 35.6 43.2 4th 20.6 14.1 9th 0.4
Streaky Bay 31.9 +2.9 41.0 4th 18.2 +2.2 14.0 8th 1.6 13.8 low 12%
Whyalla Aero 31.6 +2.1 42.2 17th 19.0 +1.5 13.5 9th 2.4 25.5 low 9%
Wudinna Aero 35.4 43.2 4th 17.3 11.5 7th 0.0
Upper North (district 19)
Hawker 34.9 +1.5 41.2 5th 18.6 +0.7 13.0 9th 8.9 20.6 normal 43%
Yongala 33.2 +3.2 39.5 5th 16.1 +2.8 10.0 8th 1.4 20.2 low 7%
Northeast (district 20)
Gluepot Reserve 35.2 43.1 5th 16.4 11.2 8th 1.4
Yunta Airstrip 34.1 41.6 5th 17.0 10.5 9th 6.8
Lower North (district 21)
Clare High School 32.3 +2.5 38.9 17th 16.0 +1.2 9.4 9th 0.0 25.8 lowest 0%
Port Pirie Aerodrome 34.2 41.8 4th 18.5 11.5 8th 2.7
Port Pirie Zinifex Comparison 34.5 +2.7 43.0 4th 19.9 +2.1 13.5 8th 0.0 17.9 lowest 0%
Snowtown 34.3 42.6 4th 15.9 9.0 8th 0.0
Yorke Peninsula (district 22A)
Edithburgh 26.4 +1.3 37.8 17th 18.0 +1.0 15.5 7th 0.4 14.5 very low 3%
Kadina AWS 33.4 41.7 17th 16.6 10.2 27th 4.4
Maitland 31.6 +3.0 40.4 4th 18.0 +2.1 11.5 7th 0.0 22.5 lowest 0%
Minlaton Aero 31.0 41.7 17th 16.5 11.0 7th 0.4
Stenhouse Bay 26.2 +1.4 42.5 17th 18.0 +1.0 15.0 7th 1.2 16.3 very low 7%
Warooka 28.2 +1.1 38.4 17th 17.9 +2.0 14.6 7th 0.8 16.8 low 5%
Kangaroo Island (district 22B)
Cape Borda AWS 27.0 35.6 17th 15.0 11.1 7th 4.2
Cape Borda Comparison 26.6 +3.4 34.6 17th 15.5 +1.2 11.5 7th 3.4 16.9 low 20%
Cape Willoughby 23.0 +1.2 38.7 17th 17.5 +1.3 14.8 7th 0.0 17.9 lowest 0%
Kingscote Aero 28.6 +2.3 40.2 17th 14.5 +1.2 7.9 9th 1.6 14.6 very low 11%
Adelaide Plains (district 23A)
Adelaide 32.9 +3.7 41.5 17th 19.0 +1.9 12.9 7th 0.0 13.2 lowest 0%
Adelaide Airport 30.5 +2.4 39.9 17th 17.7 +1.7 12.3 9th 0.8 18.8 low 4%
Edinburgh RAAF 33.1 +3.2 42.0 17th 18.1 +1.6 12.4 9th 0.0 16.5 lowest 0%
Parafield Airport 33.6 +4.5 42.7 4th 17.5 +1.2 11.4 8th 0.0 18.0 lowest 0%
Roseworthy AWS 34.1 +3.0 42.6 17th 16.4 +2.0 9.0 7th 1.8 21.5 low 8%
County Light (district 23B)
Nuriootpa Viticultural 32.4 +3.0 40.1 4th 15.6 +1.1 8.3 10th 0.2 24.3 lowest 1%
Rosedale 33.8 +3.4 41.7 4th 17.1 +1.6 9.5 10th 0.0 18.2 lowest 0%
Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23°C)
Hindmarsh Island AWS 25.8 40.8 17th 16.9 11.1 9th 0.6
Kuitpo Forest Reserve 28.6 38.8 4th 15.7 10.5 7th 1.0
Mount Barker 31.7 +5.1 41.2 4th 13.8 +2.0 8.3 9th 4.4 25.5 low 17%
Mount Crawford Fire Tower 30.1 +3.2 38.0 4th 15.5 +1.3 8.6 7th 3.2 24.1 low 13%
Noarlunga 30.1 40.1 17th 18.4 12.7 8th 0.0
Parawa 25.3 +2.2 37.4 17th 15.0 +1.4 11.1 7th 2.4 29.1 lowest 8%
Victor Harbor 25.8 41.8 17th 15.1 8.9 9th 1.4
Upper Murray Valley (district 24A)
Loxton Research Centre 34.2 +3.0 42.0 5th 16.0 +1.9 10.6 7th 3.2 17.6 low 18%
Renmark Aero 35.0 +2.2 44.0 5th 17.4 +1.5 11.6 8th 2.2 19.3 low 11%
Lower Murray Valley (district 24B)
Eudunda 32.5 +3.6 40.1 5th 16.0 +1.9 9.4 7th 0.8 22.2 low 4%
Meningie 28.4 +2.1 41.0 17th 15.4 +1.6 9.1 8th 1.6 16.9 low 9%
Murray Bridge 32.4 43.0 17th 15.5 10.1 8th 7.4
Murray Bridge Comparison 32.9 +3.8 43.0 4th 16.0 +1.4 10.2 8th 1.2 18.3 low 7%
Strathalbyn Racecourse 29.4 +1.9 41.4 17th 15.8 +1.3 9.3 8th 0.8 23.5 lowest 3%
Murray Mallee (district 25A)
Karoonda 33.2 41.2 4th 15.0 8.0 7th 10.7 19.4 normal 55%
Upper Southeast (district 25B)
Keith 32.8 +3.1 39.7 4th 14.9 +1.8 9.0 7th 4.2 20.2 low 21%
Keith 33.0 40.8 17th 13.9 7.4 26th 2.6
Lameroo Comparison 33.7 +3.2 41.3 4th 16.4 +3.0 8.4 7th 23.2 22.4 normal 104%
Lower Southeast (district 26)
Cape Jaffa 25.9 +1.4 39.9 17th 14.3 +0.9 9.3 7th 0.2 17.8 lowest 1%
Coonawarra 30.1 +2.9 38.8 17th 14.0 +2.5 6.7 7th 0.6 18.3 very low 3%
Mount Gambier Aero 28.4 +3.3 40.1 17th 14.0 +2.4 7.3 1st 3.2 26.1 very low 12%
Naracoorte Aerodrome 31.7 40.0 17th 13.2 5.0 1st 3.2
Padthaway South 31.4 39.9 17th 13.8 6.4 7th 0.6
Robe Airfield 26.2 39.4 17th 13.4 4.8 8th 0.2
Robe Comparison 23.9 +1.4 36.0 17th 14.9 +1.3 10.7 1st 0.6 18.6 very low 3%

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Notes

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 2 pm on Thursday 1 March 2007. Some checks have been made on the data, but it is possible that results will change as new information becomes available.

Normals 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 "normal" 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, normal in decile 4 to 7, high in decile 8 or 9 and very high is in decile 10).
The Fraction of normal shows how much rain has fallen this time as a percentage of the long-term mean.

Further information

South Australian Regional Office
South Australian Climate Services Centre
Bureau of Meteorology
Phone (08) 8366 2600
Email climate.sa@bom.gov.au