Monday, 1 September 2008 - Monthly Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC23R0

South Australia in August 2008
Near average rainfall but cold.

Summary

  • Rainfall was generally near average, tending below average in the southern Pastoral areas. Some locations around the Lower Lakes and Coorong, as well as the far north of the state had August totals in the top 10 percent of records.
  • August temperatures were generally below average across most of the State. Some locations had record lowest daily temperature records for August or had coldest August maximum or minimum temperatures on record.

A short summary of the month goes here.

An archive of previous monthly summaries for South Australia is also available, as are summaries for other states and many other climate summaries and diagnostics.

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Rainfall

Pastoral Districts

August rainfall was generally below average in the south and above average in the north, with most of this falling on the last few days of the month in a widespread but patchy rain event.

Most locations received around 5 mm but several locations totalled 20 to 30 mm, with the highest total being 35.4 mm at Oodnadatta Airport, all of that falling on the last two days of the month!! This left Marla and Oodnadatta with August totals in the top ten percent of those in their records.

Agricultural Districts

August rainfall over the agricultural districts was variable but generally near to slightly above average. Penneshaw on Kangaroo Island, Strathalbyn, Port Pirie, Port Elliot and Murray Bridge all had August totals in the top 10 percent of their records.

Totals were typically 50 to 100 mm in southern agricultural areas decreasing to 25 to 50 mm in northern parts. Some coastal locations and parts of the Mount Lofty ranges had totals between 100 to 150 mm.

The highest total was recorded at Longwood in the Mount Lofty Ranges, receiving 174.8 mm for the month.

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

Temperature

Maximum

Mean maximum temperatures for August were generally 1 to 2°C below average across the state, with some areas in the far north up to 2.5°C below average.

In the pastoral districts mean maximum temperatures ranged from 15.4°C at Yunta to 19.7°C at Oodnadatta and Moomba Airports.

Mean maximum temperatures over the agricultural districts ranged from 9.7°C at Mount Crawford in the Mount Lofty Ranges to 17.7 at Port Augusta Aerodrome in the Western Agricultural district.

Kimba, Nullarbor and Whyalla all had lowest on record August average maximum temperatures this month.

The highest maximum recorded during August was 27.5°C at Marla on the 29th, the coldest being 7.1°C Mount Crawford on the 7th.

Minimum

Mean minimum temperatures for August were generally up to 2°C below average across the state.

In the pastoral districts the mean minima ranged from 2.2°C at Yunta in the Northeast Pastoral district to 6.2°C at Andamooka in the Northwest Pastoral district.

Over the agricultural districts mean monthly minimum temperatures ranged from 1.4°C at Yongala in the Upper North to 10.3°C at Neptune Island.

The lowest minimum temperature recorded during August was −5.0°C at Gluepot in the Northeast Pastoral district on the 22nd, while the warmest overnight minimum occurred at Arkaroola in the Northwest Pastoral district on the 30th. Parafield and Kyancutta had coldest August minimums on record.

Several locations, chiefly in the north, saw lowest on record daily minimum temperatures, including Leigh Creek, Kadina, Oodnadatta and Tarcoola, all recording temperatures below freezing!!

Some sites had their lowest August mean daily maximum temperature on record.

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

Some sites had their lowest August temperature on record.

Some sites had their lowest August mean 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		 29.5°C at Oodnadatta Airport on the 29th
Warmest days on average
Highest mean daily maximum temperature		 19.7°C at Oodnadatta Airport
Coolest days on average
Lowest mean daily maximum temperature		 9.7°C at Mount Crawford Fire Tower
Coldest day
Lowest daily maximum temperature		 7.1°C at Mount Crawford Fire Tower on the 7th
Coldest night
Lowest temperature		 −5.0°C at Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot) on the 22nd
Coolest nights on average
Lowest mean daily minimum temperature		 1.4°C at Yongala
Warmest nights on average
Highest mean daily minimum temperature		 10.3°C at Neptune Island
Warmest night
Highest daily minimum temperature		 17.6°C at Arkaroola on the 30th
Wettest overall
Highest total rainfall		 253.0 mm at Inglewood Alert
Highest wind gust
 120 km/h at Renmark Aero on the 23rd

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Records

Record lowest August mean daily maximum temperature
Mean daily maximum
temperature
for August 2008 (°C) 		Previous lowest
for August		 Years of
record		 Normal for
August
Kimba 14.9 = 14.9 in 1970 41 17.0
Adelaide (Kent Town) 14.8 14.9 in 1989 32 16.7


Record lowest August temperature
Lowest temperature
in August 2008 (°C) 		Previous lowest
for August		 Years of
record		 Normal for
August
Oodnadatta Airport −0.3 on the 11th −0.2 on the 1st in 2003 59 7.4
Leigh Creek Airport −1.2 on the 8th −0.9 on the 1st in 2003 25 6.2


Record lowest August mean daily minimum temperature
Mean daily minimum
temperature
for August 2008 (°C) 		Previous lowest
for August		 Years of
record		 Normal for
August
Kyancutta 2.7 2.8 in 1966 78 5.0
Parafield Airport 4.8 4.9 in 1995 52 6.7
Kimba 3.8 3.9 in 1970 41 5.5
Adelaide (Kent Town) 6.5 6.7 in 1978 32 8.2

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Summaries

In this table, key sites have been highlighted to make them easier to find. This table is very wide and may not fit if printed.

Summary statistics for August 2008
Maximum temperatures
for August
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
for August
(°C)		 Rainfall
for August
(millimetres)
Mean for
August
2008		 Diff
from
normal		 Highest for
August
2008		 Mean for
August
2008		 Diff
from
normal		 Lowest for
August
2008		 Total for
August
2008		 Normal
for
August		 Rank of
August
2008		 Fraction of
August
normal
Northwest (district 16)
Andamooka 18.9 −1.7 23.8 30th 6.2 −1.0 1.4 8th 2.6 12.9 average 20%
Coober Pedy Airport 18.3   26.3 29th 5.5   1.6 7th 5.2
Ernabella 17.1   26.9 3rd 5.1   −1.2 8th 16.2
Nonning 16.3 −1.9 20.9 30th 3.1 −1.5 −2.2 12th 15.6 24.8 average 63%
Roxby Downs 18.4   23.5 30th 3.6   −2.8 11th 1.6
Tarcoola Aero 18.9   24.5 29th 2.6   −3.1 7th 13.2
Woomera Aerodrome 17.5 −1.3 23.4 30th 5.4 −1.4 1.0 7th 1.6 13.8 low 12%
Far North (district 17)
Leigh Creek Airport 17.2 −1.9 21.3 26th 4.5 −1.7 −1.2 8th 8.0 15.6 average 51%
Marree Aero 19.1   25.1 29th 5.4   0.5 8th 7.6
Marree Comparison 19.5 −1.9 25.1 29th 5.3 −1.0 1.0 13th 17.6 9.2 high 191%
Moomba Airport 19.6   27.2 29th 5.9   1.1 9th 2.6
Oodnadatta Airport 19.7 −2.4 29.5 29th 5.4 −2.0 −0.3 11th 35.4 8.2 very high 432%
Western Agricultural (district 18)
Ceduna AMO 17.4 −1.3 23.9 28th 4.5 −1.7 −0.8 18th 28.6 35.0 average 82%
Cleve 14.6 −2.0 19.2 28th 6.3 −1.1 3.0 7th 73.8 48.0 high 154%
Cleve Aerodrome 14.2   19.3 3rd 5.9   1.9 24th 63.0 44.3 high 142%
Coulta 14.6   18.9 28th 7.0   2.7 14th 62.0
Cummins Aero 14.7   18.5 28th 3.3   −0.9 23rd 63.8
Elliston 16.2 −0.9 21.5 28th 7.7 −0.6 1.2 26th 75.7 59.4 high 127%
Kimba 14.9 −2.2 20.5 1st 3.8 −1.6 1.0 7th 65.0 42.1 high 154%
Kyancutta 16.7 −1.9 22.1 28th 2.7 −2.3 −2.5 23rd 36.4 39.4 average 92%
Minnipa DPI 15.4   20.9 20th 5.1   0.4 22nd 34.2
Neptune Island 14.3 −1.0 17.2 25th 10.3 −0.7 7.1 21st 76.2 63.0 high 121%
North Shields 14.9   18.0 20th 6.2   3.6 14th 93.0
Nullarbor 17.3 −2.3 25.2 28th 4.9 −0.8 0.2 7th 19.8 24.6 average 80%
Port Augusta Aero 17.7   23.7 30th 4.7   0.1 9th 11.2
Streaky Bay 16.7 −0.9 22.4 28th 7.7 −1.0 2.9 26th 56.3 50.4 average 112%
Whyalla Aero 16.4 −2.1 22.8 30th 4.4 −1.5 0.7 24th 23.4 21.3 average 110%
Wudinna Aero 16.3   21.6 28th 3.6   −1.7 23rd 39.8
Upper North (district 19)
Hawker 15.6 −2.2 19.8 3rd 2.3 −2.0 −1.5 11th 27.0 32.2 average 84%
Yongala 12.3 −2.1 17.7 30th 1.4 −1.1 −2.3 3rd 33.0 43.7 average 76%
Northeast (district 20)
Gluepot Reserve 16.4   21.0 3rd 3.6   −5.0 22nd 21.8
Yunta Airstrip 15.4   19.5 26th 2.2   −2.8 9th 8.4
Lower North (district 21)
Clare High School 11.9   16.3 30th 3.2   −1.8 23rd 81.6
Port Pirie Aerodrome 15.9   23.0 30th 4.0   −0.5 19th 45.8
Port Pirie Nyrstar Comparison 16.4 −1.6 22.0 30th 7.4 −0.8 3.0 23rd 66.1 34.9 very high 189%
Snowtown 14.8   19.4 30th 3.1   −1.4 28th 43.8
Yorke Peninsula (district 22A)
Edithburgh 14.6   18.7 30th 6.1   1.9 26th 57.6
Kadina AWS 15.3   19.7 30th 2.8   −1.8 11th 32.4
Maitland 14.3 −1.0 18.2 30th 6.1 −1.0 3.4 22nd 53.5 61.1 average 88%
Minlaton Aero 14.7   18.4 29th 5.3   0.5 23rd 51.0
Stenhouse Bay 14.7   17.8 20th 8.7   5.8 25th 74.8
Warooka 14.9 −0.8 18.2 29th 6.7 −1.0 3.2 7th 53.4 59.4 average 90%
Kangaroo Island (district 22B)
Cape Borda 13.5   16.6 1st 8.1   5.5 22nd 102.4
Cape Willoughby 13.4 −1.0 16.2 30th 8.9 −0.7 6.0 9th 83.0 73.5 average 113%
Kingscote Aero 15.3   17.4 20th 4.7   −0.6 28th 82.6
Adelaide Plains (district 23A)
Adelaide 14.8 −1.9 18.7 28th 6.5 −1.7 2.4 24th 79.8 66.9 average 119%
Adelaide Airport 14.5 −1.4 18.7 30th 6.4 −1.1 2.3 23rd 69.8 49.8 high 140%
Edinburgh RAAF 14.9 −1.6 19.6 30th 5.1 −1.4 0.9 23rd 58.4 50.0 average 117%
Parafield Airport 15.1 −1.1 19.6 30th 4.8 −1.9 −0.1 24th 60.6 54.2 average 112%
Roseworthy AWS 14.6   19.4 30th 3.9   −0.5 28th 73.4
County Light (district 23B)
Nuriootpa Viticultural 12.3   16.0 3rd 3.3   −1.2 22nd 49.0
Rosedale 14.1 −1.8 18.7 30th 3.8 −1.9 −1.5 22nd 85.9 57.3 high 150%
Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23°C)
Hindmarsh Island AWS 14.5   18.9 3rd 7.9   4.5 28th 91.6
Kuitpo Forest Reserve 11.6   15.7 29th 5.5   2.4 22nd 151.6
Mount Barker 13.3 −0.9 16.5 30th 3.7 −1.3 −0.7 28th 125.6 101.9 high 123%
Mount Crawford Fire Tower 9.7   13.9 3rd 3.4   −0.6 11th 106.8
Noarlunga 14.0   17.5 29th 7.3   4.6 22nd 69.8
Parawa 11.3   14.8 29th 5.9   3.4 10th 168.4
Victor Harbor 14.8   18.4 30th 6.3   0.9 28th 123.4
Upper Murray Valley (district 24A)
Loxton Research Centre 15.8 −1.7 19.7 3rd 4.2 0.0 −1.6 23rd 26.6 27.8 average 96%
Renmark Aero 16.2   20.0 3rd 3.7   −1.6 25th 37.2
Lower Murray Valley (district 24B)
Eudunda 12.3 −2.1 16.9 30th 4.3 −1.0 0.6 22nd 57.0 55.6 average 103%
Meningie 14.8 −1.2 16.8 25th 6.7 −0.5 1.8 27th 88.0 56.5 high 156%
Murray Bridge 15.0   18.6 3rd 4.5   −0.9 27th 43.2
Murray Bridge Comparison 16.0 −1.5 19.4 3rd 5.1 −0.7 0.2 27th 63.0 36.8 very high 171%
Strathalbyn Racecourse 14.3   18.7 30th 5.8   1.8 28th 101.4
Murray Mallee (district 25A)
Karoonda 15.1   19.1 3rd 4.6   −0.4 24th 59.6 38.1 high 156%
Upper Southeast (district 25B)
Keith 14.4 −1.7 17.8 29th 4.7 −1.2 −1.0 27th 69.8 57.9 average 121%
Keith 14.4   17.7 29th 3.5   −2.1 27th 64.8
Lameroo 14.4   18.7 29th 3.5   −1.1 22nd 44.4
Lameroo Comparison 15.0 −1.4 19.2 29th 4.4 −0.3 −0.1 22nd 43.6 44.0 average 99%
Lower Southeast (district 26)
Cape Jaffa 13.5   16.0 29th 7.6   3.0 29th 123.2
Coonawarra 13.6 −1.2 17.3 29th 4.2 −1.1 −0.8 28th 77.0 78.3 average 98%
Mount Gambier Aero 13.0 −1.1 17.2 29th 5.1 −0.3 1.2 5th 111.0 93.3 average 119%
Naracoorte Aerodrome 13.7   17.4 29th 3.8   −2.3 28th 70.8
Padthaway South 14.0   18.2 29th 4.4   −0.8 22nd 75.0
Robe Airfield 14.0   17.3 29th 6.8   0.5 28th 124.0
Robe Comparison 13.9 −0.4 16.0 28th 8.7 +0.2 5.1 28th 117.6 85.3 high 138%

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Notes

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 9 am on Monday 1 September 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 long-term average ("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