Friday, 1 August 2008 - Monthly Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC13R0

South Australia in July 2008
Near rainfall average in the south, drier in the north.

Summary

  • Despite some cold and frosty periods, temperatures were generally near normal when averaged across the month.
  • Rainfall was generally near average, and many locations in mainly coastal areas and in the Mount Lofty Ranges ended up with above average rainfall for the month in a predominately westerly air-stream. Rainfall tended below average in the central and eastern pastoral areas.
  • Rainfall totals for the year to date still remain below average across much of the state. This is also the case to a lesser extent for the April to end of July rainfall totals, as representing the growing season rainfall to date.

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Rainfall

Pastoral Districts

Rainfall totals were near average in the west tending below to very much below average in central and eastern areas.

Rainfall totals were typically 5 to 10 mm, apart from the northern and northeastern areas were some locations recorded no rainfall for the month. Gluepot in the Northeast Pastoral area recorded 21.5 mm, the highest amount in the Pastoral Districts.

Agricultural Districts

Rainfall totals were generally near average across the agricultural areas. Above average rainfall totals tended to be in coastal and ranges areas exposed to what was a predominately west to southwest air-stream through the month.

Most of the agricultural areas received totals in the 50 to 80 mm range tending to 20 to 30 mm in the northern parts.

Many locations on Kangaroo Island and in the lower South East and the Mount Lofty Ranges saw totals exceeding 100 mm. The highest total for the state was 263 mm at Woodhouse (Piccadilly).

Across the longer term, rainfall for the growing season to date is generally below average across South Australia, and for the year to date. Longer term rainfall deficiencies continue across 2 to 10 year rainfall averages for the South Australian agricultural areas and the Murray Darling Basin.

( See rainfall charts)

Some sites had their lowest total July rainfall on record.

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

Temperature

State-wide the monthly mean July temperature (the average of the maximum and minimum temperatures) was 0.01 degrees above the average for the South Australian agricultural areas, and 0.6°C above average for South Australia as a whole, looking at the July records since 1910.

Maximum

Mean maximum temperatures for July were near to below average in the central and eastern agricultural areas, generally up to 1°C below average, and generally up to 2°C above average over the remaining agricultural areas and the pastoral districts.

In the Pastoral districts mean maximum temperatures ranged from 14.7°C at Yunta to 20.5°C at Oodnadatta Airport.

Mean maximum temperatures over the Agricultural districts ranged from 10.4°C at Mt Crawford in the Mount Lofty Ranges to 18.1°C at Ceduna in the Western Agricultural district.

The highest maximum recorded during July was 30.6°C at Oodnadatta Airport on the 31st of July. The lowest was 6.2°C at Mount Crawford on the 7th of July.

Minimum

Mean minimum temperatures for July were generally near or up to 1°C below average in the east tending to near and up to 1°C above average in the west and north of the state.

Mean minimum temperatures ranged from 2.3°C at Yunta Airport to 6.3°C at Coober Pedy Airport.

Over the Agricultural districts mean monthly minimum temperatures ranged from 1.9°C at Yongala to 11.2°C at Neptune Island.

The lowest minimum temperature recorded during July was −5.8°C at Yunta in the North East Pastoral district on the 24th. Streaky bay recorded the warmest overnight temperature with 13.9°C on the 1st of July.

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

Some sites had their lowest July temperature on record.

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

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		 30.6°C at Oodnadatta Airport on the 31st
Warmest days on average
Highest mean daily maximum temperature		 20.5°C at Oodnadatta Airport
Coolest days on average
Lowest mean daily maximum temperature		 10.4°C at Mount Crawford Fire Tower
Coldest day
Lowest daily maximum temperature		 6.2°C at Mount Crawford Fire Tower on the 7th
Coldest night
Lowest temperature		 −5.8°C at Yunta Airstrip on the 24th
Coolest nights on average
Lowest mean daily minimum temperature		 1.9°C at Yongala
Warmest nights on average
Highest mean daily minimum temperature		 11.2°C at Neptune Island
Warmest night
Highest daily minimum temperature		 13.9°C at Streaky Bay on the 1st
Wettest overall
Highest total rainfall		 263.2 mm at Piccadilly (Woodhouse)
Highest wind gust
 119 km/h at Cape Willoughby on the 14th

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Records


Record lowest total July rainfall
Total rainfall
for July 2008 (mm) 		Previous lowest
for July		 Years of
record		 Normal for
July
Goolwa Council Depot 5.2 15.2 in 1924 146 61.0
Gulnare 7.8 8.4 in 1976 103 58.1
Oodnadatta Airport 0.0 = 0.0 in 2007 60 10.2



Record highest July daily minimum temperature
Highest daily minimum
temperature
in July 2008 (°C) 		Previous highest
for July		 Years of
record		 Normal for
July
Maitland 12.0 on the 2nd = 12.0 on the 18th in 1974 29 6.9


Record lowest July temperature
Lowest temperature
in July 2008 (°C) 		Previous lowest
for July		 Years of
record		 Normal for
July
Parafield Airport −1.9 on the 28th −1.4 on the 6th in 1997 52 6.3
Rosedale (Turretfield Research Centre) −2.5 on the 28th −2.3 on the 21st in 1997 47 5.6


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Summaries

Summary statistics for July 2008
Maximum temperatures
for July
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
for July
(°C)		 Rainfall
for July
(millimetres)
Mean for
July
2008		 Diff
from
normal		 Highest for
July
2008		 Mean for
July
2008		 Diff
from
normal		 Lowest for
July
2008		 Total for
July
2008		 Normal
for
July		 Rank of
July
2008		 Fraction of
July
normal
Northwest (district 16)
Andamooka 18.3 −0.1 25.2 19th 5.8 −0.1 −0.7 25th 1.2 13.0 low 9%
Coober Pedy Airport 18.9   26.1 31st 6.3   1.1 24th 0
Ernabella 19.3   28.7 31st 4.0   −5.2 25th 1.6
Marla Police Station 20.4 +0.5 30.0 31st 4.9 0.0 −1.5 23rd 3.7 13.8 normal 27%
Nonning 16.3 −0.2 21.1 31st 3.8 0.0 −4.5 25th 12.9 25.9 low 50%
Roxby Downs 17.9   25.5 19th 4.7   −3.3 25th 1.4
Tarcoola Aero 18.8   23.7 30th 4.0   −2.7 28th 4.2
Woomera Aerodrome 17.2 +0.3 23.3 19th 5.6 −0.3 0.7 25th 0.8 15.1 very low 5%
Far North (district 17)
Arkaroola 16.7 +0.3 26.0 31st 3.7 +0.4 −0.5 29th 13.0 15.1 normal 86%
Leigh Creek Airport 16.6 +0.1 22.7 19th 5.1 +0.4 0.1 25th 2.6 17.7 low 15%
Marree Aero 19.0   27.9 31st 5.5   0.7 25th 2.2
Marree Comparison 19.2 +0.2 27.4 31st 5.7 +0.8 0.6 25th 2.2 9.8 normal 22%
Moomba Airport 19.7   30.3 31st 6.0   2.4 29th 0
Oodnadatta Airport 20.5 +0.9 30.6 31st 6.1 +0.3 −1.1 24th 0 10.2 lowest 0%
Western Agricultural (district 18)
Ceduna AMO 18.1 +0.7 22.7 30th 6.4 +0.7 −1.4 28th 21.8 39.6 low 55%
Cleve 15.2 −0.1 20.8 31st 6.7 −0.4 2.8 24th 40.5 46.2 normal 88%
Cleve Aerodrome 15.1   20.4 31st 6.9   2.2 24th 31.4 44.7 normal 70%
Coulta 15.1   18.9 4th 7.2   1.3 25th 80.4
Cummins Aero 14.9   18.5 31st 5.3   −1.0 28th 78.6
Elliston 16.6 +0.2 20.5 4th 8.2 +0.4 1.0 23rd 91.2 70.4 high 130%
Kimba 14.5 −1.0 17.5 25th 4.8 −0.1 −0.8 25th 40.4 41.3 normal 98%
Kyancutta 17.0 −0.2 21.7 31st 4.8 0.0 −2.0 24th 36.6 40.4 normal 91%
Minnipa DPI 15.9   19.5 12th 6.5   2.0 27th 34.2
Neptune Island 14.9 −0.4 17.4 12th 11.2 0.0 7.4 28th 78.0 76.1 normal 102%
North Shields 15.3   19.0 31st 7.4   3.5 25th 59.8
Nullarbor 17.9 −0.4 24.3 30th 5.7 +0.8 0.9 11th 29.0 26.9 normal 108%
Port Augusta Aero 17.1   22.8 19th 5.3   −2.4 25th 11.8
Streaky Bay 16.5 +0.1 19.6 3rd 9.3 +0.9 3.5 23rd 84.6 60.8 high 139%
Whyalla Aero 16.8 −0.1 21.8 31st 5.6 +0.4 −1.8 24th 13.4 23.0 low 58%
Wudinna Aero 16.4   20.9 31st 6.4   −0.9 27th 42.2
Upper North (district 19)
Hawker 15.2 −0.8 22.0 19th 3.8 +0.1 −2.1 28th 13.8 33.9 low 41%
Yongala 12.2 −0.6 16.0 19th 1.9 −0.3 −4.0 25th 27.7 39.5 normal 70%
Northeast (district 20)
Gluepot Reserve 16.0   21.5 31st 4.0   −4.1 24th 21.5
Yunta Airstrip 14.7   20.9 19th 2.3   −5.8 24th 7.0
Lower North (district 21)
Clare High School 11.9   16.8 31st 3.8   −2.2 28th 108.2
Port Pirie Aerodrome 15.7   20.0 19th 5.8   −2.7 28th 32.9
Port Pirie Nyrstar Comparison 16.2 −0.3 19.5 19th 8.2 +0.6 1.0 28th 45.9 33.9 high 135%
Snowtown 14.4   18.4 31st 4.5   −2.3 24th 56.4
Yorke Peninsula (district 22A)
Edithburgh 15.0   19.0 31st 7.0   0.4 24th 22.8
Kadina AWS 14.7   19.2 31st 5.2   −2.8 28th 48.8
Maitland 13.9 −0.3 19.1 31st 7.3 +0.4 2.1 28th 87.1 66.2 high 132%
Minlaton Aero 14.6   17.1 31st 6.9   −0.3 28th 39.4
Stenhouse Bay 14.8   18.7 31st 8.7   3.4 24th 94.0
Warooka 14.5 −0.4 18.4 31st 7.4 −0.1 2.8 24th 44.6 65.4 low 68%
Kangaroo Island (district 22B)
Cape Borda 13.6   16.6 31st 8.9   6.1 23rd 132.2
Cape Willoughby 13.9 −0.2 17.1 31st 9.5 −0.2 6.7 28th 100.6 81.6 high 123%
Kingscote Aero 14.8   19.2 31st 5.7   −0.5 24th 62.2
Adelaide Plains (district 23A)
Adelaide 14.8 −0.5 19.3 31st 7.4 0.0 0.7 28th 66.8 74.6 normal 90%
Adelaide Airport 14.9 0.0 18.6 31st 7.2 +0.2 −0.1 24th 36.8 59.4 low 62%
Edinburgh RAAF 14.7 −0.6 19.4 31st 6.2 +0.2 −1.2 24th 48.6 52.4 normal 93%
Parafield Airport 14.8 −0.3 19.4 31st 6.1 −0.2 −1.9 28th 41.6 58.6 low 71%
Roseworthy AWS 14.6   19.8 31st 5.7   −1.6 28th 49.6
County Light (district 23B)
Nuriootpa Viticultural 12.6   17.6 31st 4.1   −2.6 28th 57.8
Rosedale 14.2 −0.5 19.8 31st 4.9 −0.7 −2.5 28th 77.8 58.8 high 132%
Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23°C)
Hindmarsh Island AWS 14.7   18.7 31st 7.6   −0.1 24th 61.0
Kuitpo Forest Reserve 11.8   15.6 19th 5.8   1.5 24th 168.6
Mount Barker 13.0 +0.2 17.0 31st 4.2 −0.3 −1.9 24th 116.8 105.5 normal 111%
Mount Crawford Fire Tower 10.4   14.7 31st 4.9   1.8 24th 147.2
Noarlunga 14.1   17.7 19th 8.1   2.4 28th 62.6
Parawa 11.2   13.6 31st 6.4   2.6 24th 163.6
Victor Harbor 14.9   18.6 31st 6.5   −0.3 24th 90.5
Upper Murray Valley (district 24A)
Loxton Research Centre 15.5 −0.3 21.4 31st 3.9 +0.1 −2.5 24th 27.4 28.7 normal 95%
Renmark Aero 15.8   20.1 31st 3.7   −4.2 24th 18.4
Lower Murray Valley (district 24B)
Eudunda 12.4 −0.7 18.0 31st 4.5 −0.5 0.8 24th 73.4 51.4 high 143%
Meningie 14.3 −0.6 17.7 31st 6.8 +0.1 1.7 24th 109.4 61.0 very high 179%
Murray Bridge 15.0   20.6 31st 4.9   −4.2 24th 22.4
Murray Bridge Comparison 15.8 −0.3 21.4 31st 5.4 0.0 −1.6 24th 31.1 35.1 normal 89%
Strathalbyn Racecourse 14.5   18.5 31st 6.4   0.7 24th 51.2
Murray Mallee (district 25A)
Karoonda 14.9   21.5 31st 4.9   −1.4 24th 25.5 34.5 normal 74%
Upper Southeast (district 25B)
Keith 14.1 −0.8 19.0 31st 5.3 −0.2 −1.2 28th 60.9 54.5 normal 112%
Keith 14.1   19.5 31st 4.8   −2.2 28th 56.4
Lameroo 14.1   19.8 31st 4.2   −0.5 24th 26.2
Lameroo Comparison 14.5 −0.4 20.4 31st 4.8 +0.5 0.4 24th 24.6 41.5 low 59%
Lower Southeast (district 26)
Cape Jaffa 13.2   15.4 30th 6.8   1.5 24th 122.8
Coonawarra 13.3 −0.5 17.2 31st 4.4 −0.7 −1.9 23rd 62.2 76.7 low 81%
Mount Gambier Aero 12.6 −0.6 15.8 13th 4.9 −0.2 −0.4 28th 86.8 98.6 normal 88%
Naracoorte Aerodrome 13.3   17.1 31st 4.9   −2.9 28th 18.4
Padthaway South 13.7   18.0 31st 5.2   −1.7 23rd 44.8
Robe Airfield 13.8   17.3 31st 5.7   −0.5 24th 136.2
Robe Comparison 13.0 −0.6 15.2 30th 7.9 −0.2 3.9 28th 128.6 104.0 high 124%

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Notes

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 5 pm on Friday 1 August 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