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

South Australia in October 2007
Below average rain and a warm October over much of the State.

Summary

October rainfall was mostly average to very much below average over all of the state. Average maximum temperatures were significantly above average with the mean minimum temperatures near normal.

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Rainfall

Pastoral Districts

Rainfall over the Pastoral districts was mostly very much below average to average with isolated areas receiving very much above average rainfall. Most locations in the North West and Far North districts recorded between 5 and 10 mm of rain whilst some locations in the Northeast district recorded their highest October rainfall but most were in the above average range. The highest total in the Pastoral districts was 103.8 mm at Braemar, which was the highest recording in South Australia.

Agricultural Districts

Rainfall totals over the Agricultural districts were generally average to below average. Totals were generally 25-50 mm in the Lower Eyre Peninsula, Mid-North districts, Yorke Peninsula, most of the Southeast district and the Central district, with the remainder agricultural districts receiving totals of 10-25 mm. Isolated heavy falls, caused by localised thunderstorms, were recorded in the Lower North district with totals of 99.6 mm at Georgetown and 90.6 mm at Laura. These were the highest totals in the agricultural districts during October.

Some sites had their highest total October rainfall on record.

Some sites had their lowest total October rainfall on record.

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

Temperature

Maximum

October average maximum temperatures were generally 1.5 to 2.5 °C above average across the state with several near coastal stations recording less than 1°C above their October average maximum temperatures.

In the pastoral districts, the maximum temperatures ranged from 25.8°C at Yunta in the Northeast district to 32.8°C at Oodnadatta and Moomba in the Far North district. The highest temperature recorded in the pastoral districts was 42.2 °C at Oodnadatta on the 27th.

Maximum temperatures over the agricultural districts ranged from 17.3°C at Parawa in the Mount Lofty Ranges to 28.5°C at Port Augusta in the Western Agricultural district. The warmest temperature in the agricultural districts was 41.1°C on the 20th at Ceduna.

Minimum

Minimum temperatures were generally within 0.5°C of normal over the state, either above or below. Some locations recorded average minimum temperatures greater than 1°C above the normal.

Mean minimum temperatures in the pastoral districts ranged from 9.0°C at Gluepot in the North East district to 17.0°C at Marree in the Far North district. The lowest temperature recorded in the Pastoral districts was 1.3°C at Yunta on the 4th.

Mean minimum temperatures in the agricultural districts ranged from 5.4°C at Keith (Munkora) in the Upper Southeast district to 13.0°C at Port Pirie. The lowest temperature recorded in the agricultural districts was -2.6°C at Keith (Munkora) on the 8th.

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

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

Some sites had their highest October mean daily minimum temperature on record.

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

Significant Weather

Thunderstorms

On Tuesday, October 23rd thunderstorms over the Agricultural districts resulted in flash flooding at townships of Crystal Brook (50 mm in 30 minutes), Kadina (Kadina P.O. 45 mm in 90 minutes), Moonta (34 mm) and Quorn (15 mm). Creek flooding caused road closures at Booleroo Centre, Wirrabara, Tarcowie, and the Hawker to Wilpena Rd. Daily rainfall totals included Georgetown (75 mm), Braemar (96 mm), Paratoo (59 mm), Laura (64 mm). Rainfall observations from members of the public included 93 mm in 30 minutes near Port Broughton.

Severe Winds

A deep and slow moving low-pressure system south of the Bight on Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th October produced damaging wind gusts and gale force winds over a large part of South Australia. This resulted in widespread tree damage with the SES receiving in excess of 400 calls for assistance over the weekend. A girl was hit by a falling tree in Whyalla on the Sunday and subsequently lost her life. Wind gust observations from both days included 109 km/h at Marree and Wudinna, 107 km/h at Woomera and Yunta, 106 km/h at Tarcoola, 96 km/h at Oodnadatta. There were numerous observations of 91-93 km/h gusts.

Storm Surge

On Monday 29th October, as a consequence of the strong to gale force winds over the previous two days, the sea level at Osborne (near Inner Harbour) reached 3.5 m at around 6:00 am.

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		 42.2 °C at Nullarbor on the 20th
42.2 °C at Oodnadatta Airport on the 27th
Warmest days on average
Highest mean daily maximum temperature		 32.8 °C at Moomba Airport
32.8 °C at Oodnadatta Airport
Coolest days on average
Lowest mean daily maximum temperature		 17.3 °C at Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS)
Coldest day
Lowest daily maximum temperature		 11.6 °C at Kuitpo Forest Reserve on the 23rd
Coldest night
Lowest temperature		 -2.6 °C at Keith (Munkora) on the 8th
Coolest nights on average
Lowest mean daily minimum temperature		 5.4 °C at Keith (Munkora)
Warmest nights on average
Highest mean daily minimum temperature		 17.0 °C at Marree Comparison
Warmest night
Highest daily minimum temperature		 26.6 °C at Minnipa DPI on the 21st
Wettest overall
Highest total rainfall		 375.6 mm at Bellevue Heights Alert
Highest wind gust
 109 km/h at Marree Aero on the 27th
109 km/h at Wudinna Aero on the 28th

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Records

Record highest total October rainfall
Total rainfall
for October 2007 (mm) 		Previous highest
for October		 Years of
record		 Normal for
October
Braemar 103.8 97.2 in 1995 44 29.6


Record lowest total October rainfall
Total rainfall
for October 2007 (mm) 		Previous lowest
for October		 Years of
record		 Normal for
October
Marree Comparison 0.0 = 0.0 in 2002 123 13.4
Lameroo Comparison 0.0 0.8 in 2006 109 37.6
William Creek 0.0 = 0.0 in 2002 83 11.5
Oodnadatta Airport 0.0 = 0.0 in 1982 59 13.9


Record highest October mean daily minimum temperature
Mean daily minimum
temperature
for October 2007 (°C) 		Previous highest
for October		 Years of
record		 Normal for
October
Marree Comparison 17.0 15.9 in 1977 68 13.3


Record highest October daily minimum temperature
Highest daily minimum
temperature
in October 2007 (°C) 		Previous highest
for October		 Years of
record		 Normal for
October
Nonning 21.4 on the 21st 21.2 on the 28th in 1977 38 9.4


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Summaries

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

Summary statistics for October 2007
Maximum temperatures
for October
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
for October
(°C)		 Rainfall
for October
(millimetres)
Mean for
October
2007		 Diff
from
normal		 Highest for
October
2007		 Mean for
October
2007		 Diff
from
normal		 Lowest for
October
2007		 Total for
October
2007		 Normal
for
October		 Rank of
October
2007		 Fraction of
October
normal
Northwest (district 16)
Andamooka 29.9 +1.9 39.3 21st 14.3 +1.0 8.7 13th 1.0 20.2 low 5%
Coober Pedy Airport 30.5 40.2 21st 14.3 7.2 29th 2.0
Ernabella 31.6 37.1 8th 14.7 6.0 14th 35.2
Nonning 26.7 +1.8 38.3 21st 9.6 +0.2 2.4 4th 9.0 22.7 normal 40%
Roxby Downs 29.6 39.7 21st 12.8 4.9 4th 0.2
Tarcoola Aero 29.8 40.9 20th 12.3 4.8 14th 3.8
Woomera Aerodrome 28.5 +2.4 40.0 21st 13.1 +0.9 6.7 13th 11.4 16.0 normal 71%
Far North (district 17)
Arkaroola 28.1 +1.6 35.9 21st 11.4 +0.2 6.0 14th 21.4 19.4 normal 110%
Leigh Creek Airport 28.8 +2.4 37.6 20th 13.5 +1.2 5.6 13th 13.6 19.0 normal 72%
Marree Aero 31.2 39.9 20th 14.6 8.8 1st 0.8
Marree Comparison 31.7 +2.4 39.5 20th 17.0 +3.7 5.5 5th 0.0 13.4 lowest 0%
Moomba Airport 32.8 39.5 27th 16.3 10.7 14th 0.8
Oodnadatta Airport 32.8 +2.6 42.2 27th 16.9 +1.9 8.5 13th 0.0 13.9 lowest 0%
Western Agricultural (district 18)
Ceduna AMO 26.3 +2.7 41.1 20th 10.1 +0.2 0.4 14th 15.4 26.0 normal 59%
Cleve 24.3 +2.1 36.4 21st 10.5 +0.4 3.5 29th 15.8 36.5 low 43%
Cleve Aerodrome 24.4 36.8 21st 10.1 5.0 12th 14.2 29.4 normal 48%
Coulta 21.4 32.5 20th 9.8 4.4 14th 21.8
Cummins Aero 23.4 35.9 20th 7.9 0.3 19th 31.2
Elliston 23.1 +1.6 35.0 20th 10.8 -0.3 2.9 14th 38.6 30.4 high 127%
Kyancutta 27.0 +1.9 38.8 20th 8.6 +0.4 2.3 4th 5.1 26.6 low 19%
Minnipa DPI 26.1 38.4 20th 10.0 3.8 6th 5.2
Neptune Island 17.8 +0.4 23.5 15th 12.3 +0.1 8.1 29th 28.0 27.5 normal 102%
North Shields 22.1 34.1 15th 9.6 4.7 4th 37.4
Nullarbor 25.2 +0.8 42.2 20th 9.6 -0.4 1.8 13th 11.0 18.4 normal 60%
Port Augusta Aero 28.5 39.9 21st 12.1 5.5 4th 4.2
Streaky Bay 23.9 +1.2 35.0 20th 11.9 +0.5 7.5 7th 30.4 26.3 normal 116%
Whyalla Aero 26.0 +2.3 39.4 21st 11.6 +1.1 4.7 4th 8.0 23.9 low 33%
Wudinna Aero 26.8 38.7 20th 8.6 1.8 6th 4.4
Upper North (district 19)
Hawker 27.5 +1.8 37.5 21st 10.6 +0.9 2.1 13th 4.8 24.7 low 19%
Yongala 24.3 +2.6 35.5 21st 7.2 +1.1 -2.1 4th 25.6 33.7 normal 76%
Northeast (district 20)
Gluepot Reserve 26.6 38.7 21st 9.0 1.5 5th 19.6
Yunta Airstrip 25.9 36.3 21st 9.5 1.3 4th 27.8
Lower North (district 21)
Clare High School 22.5 35.3 21st 7.9 0.1 4th 32.0
Port Pirie Aerodrome 26.5 38.5 21st 11.5 4.0 4th 20.0
Port Pirie Nyrstar Comparison 26.4 +2.0 38.5 21st 13.0 +1.1 7.0 14th 20.4 33.1 normal 62%
Snowtown 25.4 38.8 21st 7.3 -0.1 17th 28.0
Yorke Peninsula (district 22A)
Edithburgh 21.3 35.1 21st 10.2 3.2 4th 24.0
Kadina AWS 24.4 35.9 21st 8.7 0.7 4th 29.8
Maitland 23.0 +1.7 34.5 21st 10.5 +0.4 6.4 4th 19.0 42.3 low 45%
Minlaton Aero 22.6 34.9 21st 9.7 2.5 17th 30.4
Stenhouse Bay 20.4 32.4 21st 11.4 7.4 5th 19.0
Warooka 21.0 +0.4 31.8 21st 10.3 +0.3 6.6 17th 38.6 36.1 normal 107%
Kangaroo Island (district 22B)
Cape Borda 17.8 26.3 20th 9.5 4.8 17th 26.8
Cape Willoughby 19.0 +1.4 28.5 21st 11.4 +0.1 8.9 13th 30.4 42.7 normal 71%
Kingscote Aero 20.9 30.9 21st 6.4 -2.0 9th 23.0
Adelaide Plains (district 23A)
Adelaide 23.2 +1.5 34.9 21st 11.7 +0.3 6.7 8th 25.0 46.3 low 54%
Adelaide Airport 23.1 +2.3 35.3 21st 11.2 +0.6 5.0 17th 22.2 39.1 normal 57%
Edinburgh RAAF 24.0 +2.1 38.1 21st 10.6 +0.6 4.4 8th 27.8 41.5 normal 67%
Parafield Airport 23.9 +2.3 37.9 21st 10.6 +0.5 5.5 2nd 21.0 43.4 low 48%
Roseworthy AWS 38.7 21st 7.6 0.2 17th 6.8
County Light (district 23B)
Nuriootpa Viticultural 22.6 36.0 21st 8.0 1.9 5th 20.2
Rosedale 24.3 +2.7 38.4 21st 8.3 0 2.2 5th 19.6 44.8 low 44%
Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23C)
Hindmarsh Island AWS 21.7 35.0 21st 10.8 5.4 17th 30.2
Kuitpo Forest Reserve 19.3 32.7 21st 9.0 5.2 8th 48.0
Mount Barker 20.9 +1.6 33.2 21st 7.8 +0.7 0.5 8th 38.6 67.5 low 57%
Mount Crawford Fire Tower 19.0 31.1 21st 7.9 3.5 17th 29.2
Noarlunga 22.0 34.0 21st 11.5 6.4 8th 24.8
Parawa 17.3 27.8 20th 8.8 4.9 8th 56.0
Victor Harbor 21.3 34.4 21st 9.1 0.4 9th 45.0
Upper Murray Valley (district 24A)
Loxton Research Centre 25.6 +1.8 38.4 21st 8.1 -0.2 2.0 9th 11.2 27.1 normal 41%
Renmark Aero 26.4 39.1 21st 8.6 1.9 9th 12.8
Lower Murray Valley (district 24B)
Eudunda 22.5 +2.1 35.0 21st 8.2 +0.2 3.4 17th 24.0 40.7 normal 59%
Meningie 21.1 +0.6 32.5 21st 10.0 +0.6 2.4 8th 28.6 39.5 normal 72%
Murray Bridge 24.3 38.7 22nd 7.5 -0.1 8th 12.4
Murray Bridge Comparison 24.3 +1.7 38.4 21st 9.0 +0.1 2.2 9th 17.3 34.1 low 51%
Strathalbyn Racecourse 22.1 35.7 21st 9.1 2.5 8th 33.0
Murray Mallee (district 25A)
Karoonda 24.2 38.1 21st 8.0 1.0 15th 13.0 33.0 low 39%
Upper Southeast (district 25B)
Keith 22.5 +1.1 37.7 21st 7.9 -0.3 0.0 8th 24.2 43.2 normal 56%
Keith 23.1 39.0 21st 5.4 -2.6 8th 25.4
Lameroo 24.0 38.2 21st 6.9 0.9 8th 9.2
Lameroo Comparison 24.5 +2.0 38.0 21st 8.2 +0.5 2.5 8th 0.0 37.6 lowest 0%
Lower Southeast (district 26)
Cape Jaffa 19.2 30.2 21st 8.8 2.6 9th 30.8
Coonawarra 20.0 +0.8 32.2 21st 6.9 -0.2 0.2 9th 36.8 48.0 low 77%
Mount Gambier Aero 18.4 +0.6 30.3 21st 7.3 +0.2 0.8 20th 49.4 62.2 normal 79%
Naracoorte Aerodrome 21.0 35.0 21st 6.6 -1.0 9th 36.0
Padthaway South 20.9 36.2 21st 7.4 0.4 8th 38.8
Robe Airfield 19.0 28.8 27th 8.2 -1.0 17th 40.2
Robe Comparison 18.1 +0.6 25.9 28th 10.5 +0.3 4.1 17th 38.6 44.6 normal 87%

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Notes

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 7 am on Thursday 1 November 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 20 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