Monday, 2 April 2007 - Monthly Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC13R0

South Australia in March 2007
Warm and Wet for Most of the State

Summary

Rainfall was generally above average to very much above average over South Australia, while temperatures were mostly above average throughout the State.

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Rainfall

Pastoral Districts

Average to above average rainfall totals were reported over the Northeast Pastoral district and above to very much above average totals were reported over the Far North and Northwest Pastoral districts. Totals varied widely across the Pastoral areas with Moonaree, recording 82 mm being the highest total. Many centres in the Northwest Pastoral district exceeded 30 mm. Totals in the remaining districts were mostly between 10 and 30 mm.

Agricultural Districts

Rainfall totals range from an isolated pocket of below average rainfall in the south east of the state to very much above average rainfall over the west and far west of the Agricultural districts. Above average rainfall totals were reported from the Murray Mallee, Riverland, the western half of Kangaroo Island and the northern half of the Yorke Peninsula, northern parts of the Adelaide Plains and County Light along with the southern and eastern Eyre Peninsula and an isolated area over the far west of the Western Agricultural district. A tongue of very much above average rainfall extended into South Australia from the north west and penetrated through northern Eyre Peninsula and through the centre of the Lower and Upper North districts. Average rainfall totals were reported from the remainder of the Agricultural Districts with a small pocket of below average rainfall extending from Beachport to Mount Gambier. Rainfall totals between 10 and 25 mm were reported from the Upper and Lower Southeast, Murray Mallee, Riverland, southern Mount Lofty Ranges and the Adelaide Plains, parts of Kangaroo Island, southern Yorke Peninsula and isolated pockets on Eyre Peninsula. Totals between 25 and 50 mm were reported from the Upper and Lower North, northern Adelaide Plains and County Light and the remainder of the Eyre Peninsula. Totals between 50 and 100 mm were reported from the Western agricultural districts north and west of Streaky Bay.

Some sites had their highest total March rainfall on record.

Some sites had their highest total March rainfall for at least 20 years.

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

Temperature

Maximum Temperature

Mean maximum temperatures were up to 3°C above normal over the Agricultural areas and the eastern areas of the state, but were up to 2°C below average in the west. In the Pastoral districts, mean maximum temperatures ranged from 28.1°C at Nonning in the North West district, to 35.3°C at Moomba Airport, in the Far North district. In the Agricultural districts, mean maxima ranged from 22.0°C at Robe Comparison in the Lower Southeast district to 29.5°C at both Hawker in the Upper North district and Port Augusta Aerodrome in the Western Agricultural district. The highest maximum recorded during the month was 44.6°C at Oodnadatta Airport, in the Far North district, on the 2nd.

Some sites had their highest March temperature on record.

Some sites had their coldest March day (lowest maximum temperature) on record.

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

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

Minimum Temperature

Mean minimum temperatures ranged from being within 1°C of normal the Agricultural districts, and up to 3°C above normal in the remainder of the State. In the Pastoral districts, mean minimum temperatures ranged from 13.5°C at Gluepot Station in the northeast district to 22.7°C at Moomba Airport in the Far North district. In the Agricultural districts mean minima ranged from 10.3°C at Naracoorte Aerodrome in the Lower Southeast, to 17.3°C at Port Augusta Aerodrome in the Western Agricultural district. The lowest minimum recorded during the month was 2.1°C at Coonawarra on the 25th .

Some sites had their lowest March temperature on record.

Some sites had their highest March mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years.

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

Other phenomena

Thunderstorms

On the 23rd, a thunderstorm resulted in a wind squall to 95km/h at Oodnadatta.

Significant Fire Weather Day

On the 27th, extreme fire weather was recorded in 8 districts.

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		 44.6°C at Oodnadatta Airport on the 2nd
Warmest days on average
Highest mean daily maximum temperature		 35.3°C at Moomba Airport
Coolest days on average
Lowest mean daily maximum temperature		 21.8°C at Cape Willoughby
Coldest day
Lowest daily maximum temperature		 14.4°C at Mount Crawford Fire Tower on the 29th
Coldest night
Lowest temperature		 2.1°C at Coonawarra on the 25th
Coolest nights on average
Lowest mean daily minimum temperature		 10.3°C at Naracoorte Aerodrome
Warmest nights on average
Highest mean daily minimum temperature		 22.7°C at Moomba Airport
Warmest night
Highest daily minimum temperature		 29.8°C at Moomba Airport on the 4th
Wettest overall
Highest total rainfall		 81.6 mm at Moonaree
Highest wind gust
 94 km/h at Oodnadatta Airport on the 23rd

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Records

Record highest total March rainfall
Total rainfall
for March 2007 (mm) 		Previous highest
for March 		Normal for
March		 Years of
record
Kyancutta 72.6 69.0 in 1935 13.6 78

Highest total March rainfall for at least 20 years
Total rainfall
for March 2007 (mm) 		Most recent higher
for March 		Normal for
March		 Years of
record
Poochera 70.4 89.6 in 1968 13.8 37
Moonta 44.6 49.6 in 1971 18.7 35
Ceduna AMO 74.4 80.2 in 1983 16.2 24
Nonning 71.7 92.4 in 1983 14.7 24
Nundroo 46.8 100.8 in 1983 16.3 24
Penong 55.0 91.2 in 1983 15.0 24
Smoky Bay 50.4 82.8 in 1983 13.1 23


Record highest March mean daily maximum temperature
Mean daily maximum
temperature
for March 2007 (°C) 		Previous highest
for March 		Normal for
March		 Years of
record
Neptune Island 22.4 22.3 in 1990 21.0 45


Record highest March temperature
Highest temperature
in March 2007 (°C) 		Previous highest
for March 		Normal for
March		 Years of
record
Andamooka 43.9 on the 2nd 43.4 on the 6th in 1986 32.3 38
Marla Police Station 44.5 on the 2nd 43.2 on the 22nd in 1998 33.1 21


Record lowest March daily maximum temperature
Lowest daily maximum
temperature
in March 2007 (°C) 		Previous lowest
for March 		Normal for
March		 Years of
record
Oodnadatta Airport 16.8 on the 28th 17.3 on the 27th in 1982 33.7 59
Nullarbor 17.1 on the 13th 18.0 on the 2nd in 2003 26.6 21


Highest March mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years
Mean daily minimum
temperature
for March 2007 (°C) 		Most recent higher
for March 		Normal for
March		 Years of
record
Arkaroola 18.9 19.7 in 1983 15.7 24


Record lowest March temperature
Lowest temperature
in March 2007 (°C) 		Previous lowest
for March 		Normal for
March		 Years of
record
Woomera Aerodrome 8.4 on the 30th = 8.4 on the 22nd in 1954 16.8 58


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Summaries

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

Summary statistics for March 2007
Maximum temperatures
for March
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
for March
(°C)		 Rainfall
for March
(millimetres)
Mean for
March
2007		 Diff
from
normal		 Highest for
March
2007		 Mean for
March
2007		 Diff
from
normal		 Lowest for
March
2007		 Total for
March
2007		 Normal
for
March		 Rank of
March
2007		 Fraction of
March
normal
Northwest (district 16)
Andamooka 32.3 0 43.9 2nd 19.2 +1.0 9.6 26th 10.2 14.5 normal 70%
Coober Pedy Airport 31.4 −0.3 43.0 2nd 18.2 0 9.4 30th 9.0 2.3 high 391%
Ernabella 31.4 +0.4 41.1 2nd 18.8 +1.9 9.0 31st 65.8 26.4 high 249%
Nonning 28.1 −1.4 41.1 2nd 15.2 +0.9 8.0 26th 71.7 14.7 very high 488%
Roxby Downs 31.5 −0.6 43.0 2nd 18.2 +1.7 5.0 26th 2.2 4.9 normal 45%
Woomera Aerodrome 30.2 −0.2 42.6 2nd 17.3 +0.6 8.4 30th 9.4 13.6 normal 69%
Far North (district 17)
Arkaroola 30.6 +0.7 40.5 2nd 18.9 +3.3 11.0 25th 8.8 29.5 normal 30%
Leigh Creek Airport 31.9 +0.8 41.3 2nd 19.3 +2.1 8.8 30th 19.6 17.4 high 113%
Marree Aero 34.4 43.4 2nd 20.6 10.5 26th 14.2
Marree Comparison 35.0 +1.1 44.1 2nd 20.4 +2.5 10.4 26th 20.5 14.2 high 144%
Moomba Airport 35.3 +1.5 44.2 3rd 22.7 +2.4 13.1 30th 33.4 9.4 high 355%
Oodnadatta Airport 34.6 +0.9 44.6 2nd 21.0 +1.8 9.6 26th 17.0 12.3 high 138%
Western Agricultural (district 18)
Ceduna AMO 26.3 −0.4 39.8 10th 14.6 +1.6 9.0 25th 74.4 16.2 very high 459%
Cleve 26.1 +0.2 41.5 2nd 15.3 +0.7 10.5 29th 45.2 20.5 high 220%
Cleve Aerodrome 26.9 +1.4 41.9 2nd 15.4 +1.4 9.8 26th 42.4 20.1 high 211%
Coulta 25.3 +0.4 37.7 2nd 14.6 +1.2 9.8 25th 55.6 19.7 high 282%
Elliston 25.2 +1.2 36.8 10th 15.0 +0.8 8.8 26th 23.7 14.6 high 162%
Kimba 27.6 −0.3 41.0 2nd 14.7 +0.8 9.0 25th 26.8 16.1 high 166%
Kyancutta 29.3 −0.6 43.4 2nd 14.3 +2.0 6.8 26th 72.6 13.6 highest 534%
Minnipa DPI 27.6 −1.2 41.8 2nd 14.5 +0.9 9.1 7th 66.4 17.4 highest 382%
Neptune Island 22.4 +1.4 28.8 10th 16.9 +1.0 13.5 29th 7.2 18.9 low 38%
North Shields 25.6 +2.0 41.7 2nd 15.3 +0.9 10.8 21st 27.0 18.6 high 145%
Nullarbor 25.2 −1.4 42.1 1st 14.8 +0.9 9.1 26th 53.0 21.6 high 245%
Port Augusta Aero 29.5 43.1 2nd 17.3 11.1 29th 44.0
Streaky Bay 26.3 −0.9 39.1 1st 15.6 +0.9 9.6 25th 30.8 14.6 high 211%
Whyalla Aero 27.0 −0.1 42.3 2nd 16.3 +1.1 8.6 26th 74.8 20.2 very high 370%
Wudinna Aero 28.4 43.5 2nd 14.1 7.6 7th 66.6
Upper North (district 19)
Hawker 29.5 −0.7 38.7 2nd 15.7 +1.0 6.3 30th 10.0 16.3 normal 61%
Yongala 26.7 −0.4 37.6 2nd 12.4 +1.7 6.1 25th 31.4 16.2 high 194%
Northeast (district 20)
Gluepot Reserve 28.8 39.9 23rd 13.5 4.1 26th 25.0
Yunta Airstrip 28.2 39.6 2nd 13.8 3.5 26th 18.4
Lower North (district 21)
Clare High School 25.9 +0.1 37.4 2nd 12.8 +1.2 7.0 31st 61.6 22.8 highest 270%
Port Pirie Aerodrome 28.7 41.1 2nd 15.8 8.6 26th 62.2
Port Pirie Zinifex Comparison 28.9 −0.5 41.0 2nd 16.7 +0.8 10.0 26th 61.5 17.8 very high 346%
Snowtown 28.3 40.7 2nd 13.7 7.1 26th 39.2
Yorke Peninsula (district 22A)
Edithburgh 24.8 +1.8 38.8 10th 16.8 +1.2 10.1 29th 14.6 15.3 normal 95%
Kadina AWS 27.7 41.3 2nd 14.6 7.6 25th 29.4
Maitland 26.4 +0.5 39.7 2nd 15.0 +0.7 10.4 25th 41.4 20.3 high 204%
Minlaton Aero 26.9 39.7 2nd 14.6 8.8 30th 29.0
Stenhouse Bay 24.6 +1.8 39.0 2nd 16.3 +0.5 11.6 29th 23.8 20.9 normal 114%
Warooka 25.4 +0.4 36.9 2nd 15.3 +0.7 10.0 30th 15.0 16.2 normal 93%
Kangaroo Island (district 22B)
Cape Borda AWS 23.0 31.2 2nd 13.8 9.5 25th 31.2
Cape Borda Comparison 22.8 +1.5 30.7 2nd 14.1 +0.6 9.9 25th 37.1 23.7 high 157%
Cape Willoughby 21.8 +1.3 32.3 10th 16.1 +0.6 11.5 29th 1.4 21.0 very low 7%
Kingscote Aero 25.5 +1.6 35.2 10th 12.0 +1.2 5.3 26th 18.2 22.0 normal 83%
Adelaide Plains (district 23A)
Adelaide 27.3 +1.2 39.7 2nd 16.1 +1.0 11.7 7th 23.4 25.4 normal 92%
Adelaide Airport 27.0 +1.6 39.2 2nd 15.6 +1.3 9.1 26th 20.0 21.0 normal 95%
Edinburgh RAAF 27.8 +1.0 40.0 2nd 15.4 +1.1 8.9 26th 34.8 24.0 high 145%
Parafield Airport 28.4 +1.8 40.0 2nd 15.2 +0.7 8.8 26th 27.4 21.4 high 128%
Roseworthy AWS 28.0 +0.1 40.7 2nd 13.8 +1.8 6.7 26th 36.0
County Light (district 23B)
Nuriootpa Viticultural 25.9 +0.5 37.9 2nd 12.9 +1.7 6.6 25th 29.8 25.4 normal 117%
Rosedale 27.9 +0.7 39.3 2nd 14.1 +0.8 7.1 7th 36.4 19.8 high 184%
Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23°C)
Hindmarsh Island AWS 25.1 37.9 2nd 15.2 9.1 9th 14.0
Kuitpo Forest Reserve 24.0 36.2 2nd 13.0 8.1 13th 41.6
Mount Barker 26.3 +1.7 37.6 2nd 11.6 +1.2 5.0 26th 30.8 31.2 normal 99%
Mount Crawford Fire Tower 23.7 +0.9 35.4 2nd 12.1 +0.3 6.0 25th 29.6 23.5 normal 126%
Noarlunga 26.0 38.4 2nd 15.6 10.6 25th 26.2
Parawa 22.1 +1.6 34.7 2nd 13.4 +1.0 9.6 25th 29.6 37.8 normal 78%
Victor Harbor 24.3 36.5 15th 13.7 7.7 26th 21.0
Upper Murray Valley (district 24A)
Loxton Research Centre 28.5 +0.5 38.4 15th 13.6 +1.9 8.1 25th 27.2 11.3 high 241%
Renmark Aero 28.9 +0.2 40.4 23rd 14.3 +2.1 7.9 25th 27.8 8.7 highest 320%
Lower Murray Valley (district 24B)
Eudunda 25.8 +0.3 38.1 2nd 12.6 +0.6 6.9 25th 35.4 20.4 high 174%
Meningie 25.3 +1.2 37.0 2nd 13.4 +0.9 6.0 25th 8.2 22.1 low 37%
Murray Bridge 27.5 39.9 2nd 13.0 6.1 25th 10.8
Murray Bridge Comparison 28.0 +1.5 40.7 2nd 13.5 +0.6 6.1 25th 18.9 20.1 normal 94%
Strathalbyn Racecourse 26.0 +1.4 39.1 2nd 13.3 +1.2 6.2 26th 11.8 18.2 low 65%
Murray Mallee (district 25A)
Karoonda 27.9 38.0 2nd 13.1 7.1 25th 34.7 16.2 very high 214%
Upper Southeast (district 25B)
Keith 27.4 +0.6 37.3 15th 12.4 +1.0 4.7 25th 11.3 21.1 normal 54%
Keith 27.7 37.2 15th 11.4 3.7 25th 11.2
Lameroo 27.2 38.2 15th 12.3 6.5 25th 24.0
Lameroo Comparison 28.0 +0.4 37.8 15th 13.4 +1.9 6.8 25th
Lower Southeast (district 26)
Cape Jaffa 23.6 +1.2 33.8 2nd 12.5 +0.3 7.0 25th 11.0 20.0 low 55%
Coonawarra 25.9 +1.2 34.8 10th 10.4 +0.5 2.1 25th 13.6 25.0 normal 54%
Mount Gambier Aero 24.7 +1.7 35.0 10th 11.1 +0.7 4.1 25th 20.4 34.9 normal 58%
Naracoorte Aerodrome 26.7 36.0 10th 10.3 3.0 25th 13.0
Padthaway South 26.5 35.7 15th 11.4 3.1 25th 10.6
Robe Airfield 23.7 32.6 2nd 11.3 2.8 25th 11.6
Robe Comparison 22.0 +1.0 30.4 2nd 12.9 +0.2 6.1 25th 16.6 26.5 normal 63%

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Notes

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 11 am on Monday 2 April 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