Friday, 31 October 2008 - Monthly Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC13R0

South Australia in October 2008
Driest October Statewide.

Summary

  • Driest October, and the warmest October nights on record for SA in 2008.
  • Warmest October for several South Australian locations.

Climate statement

A South Australian climate statement on the September/October 2008 period is avaialable at
http://www.bom.gov.au/announcements/media_releases/sa/20081031drywarmsepoct.shtml.

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

Most rainfall stations in South Australia have, for October 2008, had rainfall in the lowest 10% of October rainfall. These widespread rainfall deficits mean that October 2008 has been the driest October for South Australia since area averaged rainfall statistics started in 1900.

Pastoral Districts

October rainfall, over the pastoral districts, was between below and very much below average with some locations recording rainfall amounts bordering on their lowest ever recorded.

The majority of rainfall recording locations received between no rainfall up to 5 mm with very few locations receiving more than 5 mm, these were in the far west of the state. Blinman in the Far North district recorded the highest rainfall total of 4.8 mm. The long-term average rainfall over the pastoral districts for October is approximately 20 mm.

Agricultural Districts

The rainfall during October over the entire agricultural districts was mostly very much below average with the Murray Mallee district only marginally better with generally in the below average range of rainfall amounts.

Rainfall totals over entire agricultural districts were 10 mm or less with isolated places in the Mount Lofty Ranges and the southern parts of the Lower Southeast district receiving up to 25 mm.

The highest total was recorded at Crafers in the Mount Lofty Ranges, receiving 36.8 mm for the month.

Some sites had their lowest total October rainfall on record.

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

Temperature

Maximum

Over most of the state the mean monthly maximum temperatures for October was between 2°C and 3°C above average with the western parts of the Western Agricultural district more than 3°C above the long term average.

In the pastoral districts the mean monthly maximum temperatures ranged from 27.0°C at Yunta to 32.3°C at Oodnadatta.

Over the agricultural districts the mean monthly maximum temperatures ranged from 18.3°C at Parawa in the Mount Lofty Ranges to 27.8°C at Kyancutta in the Western Agricultural district. Some locations exceeded their previous highest monthly mean maximum temperatures.

The highest maximum temperature recorded during October was 42.4°C at Marree on the 30th, the coldest being 10.2°C Mount Crawford Fire Tower on the 7th.

Leigh Creek Airport was the only location that recorded a new highest daily maximum temperature for October of 41.1°C.

Minimum

The mean monthly minimum temperatures for October graded from just above average in the southern parts of the state up to about 2°C above average in the north of the state and parts of the Western Agricultural district.

In the pastoral districts the mean minima ranged from 8.4°C at the Gluepot Reserve in the Northeast Pastoral district to 16.7°C at Oodnadatta in the Far North district.

Over the agricultural districts the mean monthly minimum temperatures ranged from 5.4°C at Keith (Munkora) in the Upper Southeast to 13.4°C at Neptune Island.

The lowest minimum temperature recorded during October was −2.9°C at Yongala in the Upper North district on the 7th, whilst the warmest overnight minimum occurred at Arkaroola in the Far North district on the 25th with 28.0°C.

Some sites had their highest October temperature on record.

Some sites had their highest October 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 October temperature on record.

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.

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		 42.4°C at Marree Comparison on the 30th
Warmest days on average
Highest mean daily maximum temperature		 32.4°C at Oodnadatta Airport
Coolest days on average
Lowest mean daily maximum temperature		 18.3°C at Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS)
Coldest day
Lowest daily maximum temperature		 10.2°C at Mount Crawford Fire Tower on the 7th
Coldest night
Lowest temperature		 −2.9°C at Yongala on the 7th
Coolest nights on average
Lowest mean daily minimum temperature		 5.4°C at Keith (Munkora)
Warmest nights on average
Highest mean daily minimum temperature		 16.7°C at Oodnadatta Airport
Warmest night
Highest daily minimum temperature		 28.0°C at Arkaroola on the 25th
Wettest overall
Highest total rainfall		 36.8 mm at Crafers
Highest wind gust
 100 km/h at Snowtown (Rayville Park) on the 1st

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Records

Record lowest total October rainfall
Total rainfall
for October 2008 (mm) 		Previous lowest
for October		 Years of
record		 Average for
October
Millicent 2.6 9.8 in 1991 132 54.4
Kyancutta 0.0 = 0.0 in 2006 79 26.2
Arkaroola 0.0 = 0.0 in 2002 70 19.2
Parndana 1.6 2.5 in 2006 28 48.8


Record highest October temperature
Highest temperature
in October 2008 (°C) 		Previous highest
for October		 Years of
record		 Average for
October
Leigh Creek Airport 41.1 on the 30th 40.7 on the 20th in 1988 25 25.4


Record highest October mean daily maximum temperature
Mean daily maximum
temperature
for October 2008 (°C) 		Previous highest
for October		 Years of
record		 Average for
October
Streaky Bay 25.8 25.6 in 2004 82 22.5
Ceduna AMO 27.2 26.6 in 1988 68 23.4
Murray Bridge Comparison 26.2 25.9 in 2004 43 22.1
Loxton Research Centre 26.7 26.5 in 1991 25 23.0


Record highest October daily minimum temperature
Highest daily minimum
temperature
in October 2008 (°C) 		Previous highest
for October		 Years of
record		 Average for
October
Loxton Research Centre 24.8 on the 26th 21.1 on the 9th in 1999 26 7.9


Record lowest October temperature
Lowest temperature
in October 2008 (°C) 		Previous lowest
for October		 Years of
record		 Average for
October
Arkaroola 0.0 on the 20th 1.0 on the 3rd in 1988 32 11.2


Record highest October mean daily minimum temperature
Mean daily minimum
temperature
for October 2008 (°C) 		Previous highest
for October		 Years of
record		 Average for
October
Streaky Bay 13.0 12.9 in 1999 83 11.2
Nonning 11.0 10.9 in 1999 39 9.2
Maitland 11.7 11.4 in 2004 30 9.5
Whyalla Aero 12.0 11.8 in 1998 25 9.9


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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 October 2008
Maximum temperatures
for October
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
for October
(°C)		 Rainfall
for October
(millimetres)
Mean for
October
2008		 Diff
from
average		 Highest for
October
2008		 Mean for
October
2008		 Diff
from
average		 Lowest for
October
2008		 Total for
October
2008		 Average
for
October		 Rank of
October
2008		 Fraction of
October
average
Northwest (district 16)
Andamooka 30.0 +2.6 39.0 30th 14.4 +1.3 9.0 7th 1.2 19.8 low 6%
Coober Pedy Airport 29.9   38.6 25th 14.8   9.2 8th 0.4
Marla Police Station 31.7 +3.0 39.5 3rd 15.8 +2.1 7.0 9th 0.2 17.5 very low 1%
Nonning 27.3 +3.0 36.1 25th 11.0 +1.9 4.0 8th 1.2 22.5 very low 5%
Roxby Downs 29.7   39.0 30th 13.3   7.4 10th 0
Tarcoola Aero 29.8   40.4 25th 12.6   4.7 8th 0.2
Woomera Aerodrome 28.7 +3.0 37.1 25th 13.6 +1.5 7.8 7th 0.4 15.7 very low 3%
Far North (district 17)
Leigh Creek Airport 29.7 +4.3 41.1 30th 13.7 +1.9 5.6 7th 0.4 18.2 low 2%
Marree Aero 31.7   42.2 30th 14.6   8.9 9th 1.2
Marree Comparison 32.1 +3.2 42.4 30th 14.9 +1.7 8.6 9th 0.6 13.3 low 5%
Oodnadatta Airport 32.4 +2.6 40.9 3rd 16.7 +1.9 10.1 9th 0.4 13.7 low 3%
Western Agricultural (district 18)
Ceduna AMO 26.9 +3.6 39.4 24th 11.8 +2.1 1.2 5th 3.0 25.7 very low 12%
Cleve 24.4 +2.5 36.0 18th 11.6 +1.6 5.2 1st 5.6 36.2 very low 15%
Cleve Aerodrome 24.8   37.0 18th 10.7   4.8 5th 2.6 28.8 very low 9%
Coulta 22.4   33.2 25th 10.9   3.4 5th 3.8
Cummins Aero 24.8   37.1 25th 8.3   −0.8 5th 4.2
Elliston 24.0 +3.0 33.2 18th 12.2 +1.3 6.5 9th 4.0 30.2 very low 13%
Kimba 25.8 +2.6 35.5 24th 10.2 +1.4 4.5 4th 1.8 30.6 very low 6%
Kyancutta 27.8 +2.9 37.8 18th 8.5 +0.3 0.8 5th 0 26.2 lowest 0%
Minnipa DPI 26.7   37.5 25th 12.2   5.4 14th 0.2
Neptune Island 18.7 +1.7 24.9 25th 13.4 +1.4 10.8 8th 6.6 27.1 very low 24%
North Shields 22.7   38.2 25th 10.1   3.6 5th 4.0
Nullarbor 25.5 +2.3 41.6 24th 11.0 +1.4 2.2 9th 3.2 18.3 low 17%
Port Augusta Aero 28.2   38.7 30th 13.0   7.9 10th 0.8
Streaky Bay 25.6 +3.1 36.2 24th 13.0 +1.8 5.4 5th 3.8 26.1 very low 15%
Whyalla Aero 25.7 +2.9 37.2 25th 12.0 +2.1 5.7 5th 1.0 23.5 very low 4%
Wudinna Aero 27.5   38.1 18th 9.3   0.8 5th 1.0
Upper North (district 19)
Hawker 27.5 +2.6 37.0 30th 10.9 +1.5 3.3 8th 1.2 24.5 very low 5%
Yongala 24.8 +3.4 33.9 30th 6.4 +0.5 −2.9 7th 5.3 33.4 very low 16%
Northeast (district 20)
Gluepot Reserve 27.1   39.0 30th 8.4   0.0 7th 4.1
Yunta Airstrip 26.9   37.9 30th 9.2   0.9 7th 1.8
Lower North (district 21)
Clare High School 23.4   33.2 25th 7.8   0.1 7th 3.6
Port Pirie Aerodrome 26.7   35.6 25th 10.0   3.2 7th 4.8
Port Pirie Nyrstar Comparison 26.5 +2.4 35.0 30th 13.2 +1.4 7.0 20th 5.0 32.9 low 15%
Snowtown 26.3   36.0 25th 6.8   0.8 5th 4.0
Yorke Peninsula (district 22A)
Edithburgh 22.0   36.2 25th 11.4   2.9 5th 3.2
Kadina AWS 25.6   36.4 18th 7.8   1.5 9th 6.8
Maitland 23.7 +3.2 34.5 18th 11.7 +2.2 6.4 4th 3.2 42.4 very low 8%
Minlaton Aero 23.4   34.9 25th 9.6   2.6 4th 1.8
Stenhouse Bay 21.3   34.8 25th 12.5   6.4 5th 6.0
Warooka 22.4 +2.3 32.0 18th 11.3 +1.5 5.8 4th 4.6 35.9 very low 13%
Kangaroo Island (district 22B)
Cape Borda 18.5   26.0 18th 11.2   6.7 21st 7.8
Cape Willoughby 19.2 +2.1 28.5 18th 12.5 +1.4 8.9 8th 12.0 42.5 very low 28%
Kingscote Aero 22.3   32.3 18th 6.9   −0.2 5th 5.0
Adelaide Plains (district 23A)
Adelaide 24.1 +3.0 34.7 25th 12.0 +1.0 6.6 5th 8.0 45.0 very low 18%
Adelaide Airport 23.0 +2.5 34.2 18th 11.3 +0.9 5.1 5th 2.4 38.5 very low 6%
Edinburgh RAAF 24.5 +3.2 36.2 25th 9.9 +0.2 3.9 5th 4.2 40.5 very low 10%
Parafield Airport 24.9 +3.7 36.1 25th 9.6 −0.3 3.8 21st 3.8 42.8 very low 9%
Roseworthy AWS 25.2   36.4 25th 7.5   0.5 21st 7.4
County Light (district 23B)
Nuriootpa Viticultural 23.1   33.6 25th 8.2   1.6 7th 13.2
Rosedale 24.6 +3.3 36.1 25th 7.8 −0.3 0.7 21st 13.6 44.5 low 31%
Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23°C)
Hindmarsh Island AWS 22.5   34.4 18th 11.1   5.4 5th 3.4
Kuitpo Forest Reserve 20.3   31.0 25th 9.7   5.6 5th 20.4
Mount Barker 22.2 +3.0 31.5 25th 7.3 +0.2 1.0 5th 10.4 67.1 very low 15%
Mount Crawford Fire Tower 19.7   33.8 17th 7.2   −2.2 14th 16.2
Noarlunga 22.6   33.1 18th 11.7   7.0 21st 4.0
Parawa 18.3   29.0 25th 9.9   5.9 5th 14.8
Victor Harbor 21.8   34.1 18th 9.1   2.3 5th 13.0
Upper Murray Valley (district 24A)
Loxton Research Centre 26.6 +3.6 38.2 30th 8.8 +0.9 1.3 7th 4.4 26.2 low 17%
Renmark Aero 27.0   39.4 30th 8.9   1.2 7th 2.6
Lower Murray Valley (district 24B)
Eudunda 23.7 +3.7 33.1 25th 8.7 +0.9 2.2 7th 8.4 40.5 low 21%
Meningie 22.4 +2.4 34.2 18th 9.9 +0.7 3.2 5th 10.8 39.3 very low 27%
Murray Bridge 25.3   36.7 25th 7.6   −0.4 5th 4.2
Murray Bridge Comparison 25.9 +3.8 36.8 25th 9.3 +0.6 2.6 6th 4.5 33.9 very low 13%
Strathalbyn Racecourse 23.2   33.9 18th 9.1   3.7 5th 3.2
Murray Mallee (district 25A)
Karoonda 25.1   36.9 25th 8.6   1.2 5th 5.4 32.7 very low 17%
Upper Southeast (district 25B)
Keith 23.8 +2.7 36.1 25th 7.9 −0.1 0.8 22nd 9.0 42.9 very low 21%
Keith 24.3   36.4 25th 5.4   −2.8 22nd 8.2
Lameroo 25.1   36.6 25th 7.7   1.5 21st 8.8
Lameroo Comparison 25.8 +3.5 36.6 25th 9.0 +1.4 3.0 22nd 10.4 37.4 low 28%
Lower Southeast (district 26)
Cape Jaffa 19.8   30.5 25th 9.6   3.9 5th 9.4
Coonawarra 22.0 +3.6 33.2 25th 7.5 +0.7 0.3 23rd 5.0 46.4 very low 11%
Mount Gambier Aero 20.2 +2.6 32.9 25th 7.7 +0.7 1.4 23rd 14.6 61.5 very low 24%
Naracoorte Aerodrome 22.7   34.2 25th 6.1   −2.1 22nd 6.6
Padthaway South 22.9   34.6 25th 7.8   1.0 5th 7.6
Robe Airfield 19.7   31.1 25th 8.5   2.4 5th 10.0
Robe Comparison 18.9 +1.5 25.1 17th 10.9 +0.7 6.0 23rd 9.8 44.4 very low 22%

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Notes

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 11 am on Friday 31 October 2008. Some checks have been made on the data, but it is possible that results will change as new information becomes available.

Averages 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 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, average in decile 4 to 7, high in decile 8 or 9 and very high is in decile 10).
The Fraction of average 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