Monday, 2 June 2008 - Monthly Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC13R0

South Australia in May 2008
Agricultural areas receive near normal rain.

Summary

  • Temperatures, the minimum was generally within 1°C of normal for the month of May whilst the maximum was up to 2°C above the normal.
  • Rainfall was mainly near average across southern parts of South Australia, tending to below average throughout northern areas of the state.

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Rainfall

Pastoral Districts

Rainfall over most of the Pastoral districts ranged between below and very much below average with some isolated areas, in the southern parts of the districts, receiving near normal rainfall for May.

Rainfall totals were generally less than 7 mm, with many locations including Coober Pedy, Marree, Moomba and Oodnadatta receiving no rainfall for the month.

The highest rainfall total was 25.6 mm at the Gluepot Reserve in the Northeast district.

Agricultural Districts

Rainfall totals over the Agricultural districts were generally near average although the southern parts of the Lower Southeast district and the western areas of the Western Agricultural district recorded below average rain.

Totals were typically between 25 and 50 mm, ranging up to between 100 and 150 mm in the Mount Lofty ranges. Some northern and western Agricultural districts only received rainfall totals in the 10 to 20 mm range.

The highest rainfall reported in the Agricultural districts was 180.2 mm at Woodhouse in the Mount Lofty ranges.

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

Temperature

Maximum

The majority of the state, north of latitude 35° south (Adelaide), had mean monthly maximum temperatures between 1°C and 2°C above normal with the higher departure from normal in the far western regions. The remainder of the state was within 1°C above or below the average.

The Marla Police Station recorded the highest daily maximum for the month in the Pastoral areas, with 31.0°C on the 5th. Yunta recorded the coolest with 13.2°C on the 17th.

Mean maximum temperatures across the Pastoral districts ranged from 25.3°C at Marree in the Far North district down to 19.9°C at Yunta in the Northeast district.

Mean maximum temperatures across the Agricultural districts ranged from 22.9°C at Port Augusta and Nullarbor in the Western Agricultural district down to 13.0°C at Mount Lofty in the Mount Lofty ranges.

The highest daily maximum temperature of 30.5°C was recorded at Nullarbor on the 14th. The coolest daily maximum was 9.5°C at Mount Lofty on the 16th.

Minimum

The mean minimum temperature was 1°C below the monthly average over most of the state with large areas of the agricultural districts up to 1°C above the normal for May. Some isolated locations were up to 1.5°C either above or below the average.

Mean minimum temperatures in the Pastoral districts ranged from 4.3°C at Yunta in the Northeast district, to 10.3°C at Moomba in the Far North district.

The lowest recorded daily minimum temperature in the Pastoral districts was −1.4°C at Yunta, on the 29th. The warmest was 18.3°C at Moomba on the 2nd.

Across the Agricultural areas mean minimum temperatures ranged from 4.7°C at Yongala in the Upper North district to 14.6°C at Neptune Island.

The lowest recorded daily minimum temperature in the Agricultural districts was −0.1°C at Coonawarra in the Lower Southeast district on the 28th. The warmest daily minimum temperature was at Neptune Island on the 14th when a daily minimum of 16.4°C was recorded.

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

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		 31.0°C at Marla Police Station on the 5th
Warmest days on average
Highest mean daily maximum temperature		 25.3°C at Marree Comparison
Coolest days on average
Lowest mean daily maximum temperature		 15.5°C at Mount Crawford Fire Tower
Coldest day
Lowest daily maximum temperature		 9.9°C at Mount Crawford Fire Tower on the 17th
Coldest night
Lowest temperature		 −1.4°C at Yunta Airstrip on the 29th
Coolest nights on average
Lowest mean daily minimum temperature		 4.3°C at Yunta Airstrip
Warmest nights on average
Highest mean daily minimum temperature		 14.6°C at Neptune Island
Warmest night
Highest daily minimum temperature		 18.3°C at Moomba Airport on the 2nd
Wettest overall
Highest total rainfall		 180.2 mm at Piccadilly (Woodhouse)
Highest wind gust
 106 km/h at Neptune Island on the 16th

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Summaries

Summary statistics for May 2008
Maximum temperatures
for May
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
for May
(°C)		 Rainfall
for May
(millimetres)
Mean for
May
2008		 Diff
from
normal		 Highest for
May
2008		 Mean for
May
2008		 Diff
from
normal		 Lowest for
May
2008		 Total for
May
2008		 Normal
for
May		 Rank of
May
2008		 Fraction of
May
normal
Northwest (district 16)
Andamooka 23.3 +0.9 28.4 5th 9.1 −0.8 5.5 24th 0 15.9 lowest 0%
Coober Pedy Airport 23.0   29.7 5th 9.8   7.1 23rd 0
Ernabella 23.1   28.7 5th 8.1   3.2 16th 0
Marla Police Station 24.6 +1.3 31.0 5th 8.1 −1.2 3.5 28th 0 12.5 very low 0%
Nonning 21.4 +1.3 25.0 4th 7.0 0.0 2.7 30th 12.0 23.8 normal 50%
Roxby Downs 23.0   28.1 5th 6.9   3.4 21st 0.2
Tarcoola Aero 23.3   29.1 4th 7.5   3.5 28th 6.0
Woomera Aerodrome 22.2 +1.6 27.8 5th 9.5 +0.1 6.0 17th 2.0 18.6 low 11%
Far North (district 17)
Leigh Creek Airport 22.2 +1.2 26.9 14th 7.9 −0.9 5.0 20th 4.0 15.7 normal 25%
Marree Aero 24.1   28.1 14th 8.7   5.2 24th 0
Marree Comparison 25.3 +2.2 28.5 14th 9.1 +0.1 6.0 24th 0 13.6 lowest 0%
Moomba Airport 24.9   29.5 14th 10.3   6.2 18th 0
Oodnadatta Airport 24.6 +1.4 29.7 5th 9.8 +0.1 6.1 22nd 0 12.6 lowest 0%
Western Agricultural (district 18)
Ceduna AMO 22.2 +1.4 29.3 4th 8.4 −0.1 2.2 21st 22.0 32.5 normal 68%
Cleve 20.4 +1.5 25.5 4th 10.6 +0.6 6.0 17th 42.6 40.7 normal 105%
Cleve Aerodrome 20.2   25.7 4th 10.7   6.1 17th 39.0 38.1 normal 102%
Coulta 19.2   25.5 14th 10.2   5.4 28th 36.4
Cummins Aero 20.3   26.0 14th 8.7   4.9 28th 45.6
Elliston 21.1 +1.7 26.0 14th 10.2 −0.1 5.1 13th 29.2 52.5 low 56%
Kimba 20.0 +0.6 25.2 4th 9.1 +0.8 6.5 17th 33.0 35.3 normal 93%
Kyancutta 21.8 +0.7 27.5 4th 7.5 +0.1 2.5 28th 23.0 32.2 normal 71%
Minnipa DPI 20.9   26.6 4th 10.4   6.5 28th 18.4
Neptune Island 18.2 +0.5 20.9 14th 14.6 +0.9 8.9 17th 42.8 55.4 low 77%
North Shields 20.1   26.3 14th 10.2   6.9 17th 34.4
Nullarbor 22.9 +1.4 30.5 14th 8.1 −0.9 3.9 28th 8.0 30.0 low 27%
Port Augusta Aero 22.9   27.5 5th 8.1   3.5 30th 5.0
Streaky Bay 21.5 +1.4 26.7 4th 12.1 +1.3 8.1 28th 28.4 45.9 low 62%
Whyalla Aero 21.1 +0.5 26.8 4th 8.2 −0.6 4.0 24th 16.0 22.4 low 71%
Wudinna Aero 21.5   27.5 4th 9.0   2.5 28th 20.4
Upper North (district 19)
Hawker 20.8 +0.7 25.1 14th 6.7 −0.4 3.9 20th 12.4 30.7 normal 40%
Yongala 18.1 +1.0 22.4 14th 4.7 +0.2 0.4 30th 34.7 35.0 normal 99%
Northeast (district 20)
Gluepot Reserve 20.9   25.5 14th 5.8   0.0 23rd 25.6
Yunta Airstrip 19.9   25.3 5th 4.3   −1.4 29th 8.4
Lower North (district 21)
Clare High School 17.9   22.6 14th 6.2   2.7 3rd 50.0
Port Pirie Aerodrome 21.0   25.0 14th 9.2   5.7 11th 44.5
Port Pirie Nyrstar Comparison 21.8 +1.5 25.5 14th 11.6 +0.9 8.5 28th 28.9 38.1 normal 76%
Snowtown 20.9   24.9 14th 7.5   4.3 29th 30.0
Yorke Peninsula (district 22A)
Edithburgh 18.9   23.6 4th 9.8   5.7 12th 37.8
Kadina AWS 20.2   24.7 14th 7.9   3.6 12th 45.6
Maitland 19.6 +1.6 24.0 14th 10.8 +1.0 6.8 17th 49.6 60.4 normal 82%
Minlaton Aero 19.9   24.5 14th 9.9   7.0 3rd 24.2
Stenhouse Bay 19.0   25.2 14th 11.9   8.4 24th 54.6
Warooka 19.4 +0.8 22.4 14th 10.7 +0.3 7.2 17th 66.2 54.5 high 121%
Kangaroo Island (district 22B)
Cape Borda 17.0   19.6 14th 12.0   7.4 17th 46.4
Cape Willoughby 17.8 +0.9 23.1 14th 12.9 +0.4 7.9 17th 47.4 61.7 normal 77%
Kingscote Aero 19.7   23.7 12th 6.8   2.1 14th 45.2
Adelaide Plains (district 23A)
Adelaide 19.7 +0.7 25.0 14th 10.0 −0.2 5.9 29th 63.4 59.8 normal 106%
Adelaide Airport 19.3 +0.8 24.5 14th 9.7 +0.2 5.8 29th 41.6 54.1 normal 77%
Edinburgh RAAF 19.7 +0.5 25.2 14th 9.5 +0.3 5.8 31st 54.6 43.3 high 126%
Parafield Airport 19.9 +1.0 25.5 14th 9.0 −0.4 4.3 29th 63.4 47.7 high 133%
Roseworthy AWS 20.3   25.6 14th 8.7   5.9 12th 47.6
County Light (district 23B)
Nuriootpa Viticultural 18.0   22.6 14th 7.3   3.7 12th 19.8
Rosedale 19.7 +1.1 24.5 14th 9.0 +0.7 5.3 12th 55.4 52.9 normal 105%
Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23°C)
Hindmarsh Island AWS 18.8   25.7 14th 9.8   5.5 29th 28.6
Kuitpo Forest Reserve 17.0   22.7 14th 9.6   6.2 17th 47.4
Mount Barker 18.6 +2.1 23.2 14th 6.8 +0.1 2.5 23rd 61.0 88.0 normal 69%
Mount Crawford Fire Tower 15.5   20.4 14th 8.6   4.1 17th 66.0
Noarlunga 18.8   23.8 14th 11.4   8.2 17th 50.4
Parawa 15.7   20.5 14th 9.8   4.6 28th 122.6
Victor Harbor 18.9   24.7 14th 8.0   2.2 24th 69.4
Upper Murray Valley (district 24A)
Loxton Research Centre 20.2 +0.7 24.6 14th 5.7 −0.6 0.5 30th 35.0 23.4 high 150%
Renmark Aero 20.3   24.9 14th 6.1   0.8 23rd 35.0
Lower Murray Valley (district 24B)
Eudunda 18.0 +1.1 23.0 13th 7.7 +0.1 4.2 24th 53.4 45.4 normal 118%
Meningie 18.8 +0.5 25.1 14th 9.1 +0.3 2.4 23rd 41.0 54.4 normal 75%
Murray Bridge 19.8   25.7 14th 7.3   1.6 24th 23.6
Murray Bridge Comparison 20.8 +1.3 26.1 14th 7.8 −0.2 3.7 23rd 41.0 34.9 normal 117%
Strathalbyn Racecourse 19.4   25.4 14th 8.9   4.3 23rd 46.4
Murray Mallee (district 25A)
Karoonda 19.5   24.8 14th 7.0   3.0 24th 33.8 35.6 normal 95%
Upper Southeast (district 25B)
Keith 18.3 0.0 25.2 14th 7.8 0.0 1.0 23rd 48.6 52.9 normal 92%
Keith 18.8   25.3 14th 6.9   0.8 28th 36.4
Lameroo 18.6   24.6 14th 6.9   2.7 28th 36.8
Lameroo Comparison 19.3 +0.7 25.0 14th 7.5 +0.6 2.9 23rd 31.0 40.0 normal 78%
Lower Southeast (district 26)
Cape Jaffa 16.9   20.0 14th 9.2   4.4 24th 48.2
Coonawarra 17.3 +0.1 23.1 14th 7.7 +1.0 −0.1 28th 50.6 52.8 normal 96%
Mount Gambier Aero 16.4 +0.3 21.2 14th 8.2 +1.0 1.7 28th 46.6 71.7 low 65%
Naracoorte Aerodrome 17.8   24.0 14th 7.8   0.0 28th 64.4
Padthaway South 17.8   24.3 14th 6.8   1.2 28th 38.0
Robe Airfield 17.5   21.6 14th 7.6   0.3 24th 43.2
Robe Comparison 16.8 +0.4 18.9 14th 10.8 +0.6 5.7 24th 35.2 73.3 low 48%

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Notes

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 3 pm on Monday 2 June 2008. 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