Monday, 2 February 2009 - Monthly Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC13R0

South Australia in January 2009
Very High Temperatures and Extremely Dry.

Summary

  • Record lowest January rainfall experienced in many locations.
  • Widespread heat wave conditions ended the month.
  • Highest ever maximum and minimum temperatures at several places.

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

Northeast of a line from Broken Hill to Tieyon (on the Northern Territory border) the rainfall was above average for January with some localised falls over 25 mm. For the remainder of the state the rainfall was mostly very much below average with many locations recording their lowest or equal lowest rainfall amounts for January. Many of these locations recorded no rainfall at all.

Pastoral Districts

Rainfall over the pastoral districts was mostly very much below the January average with localised pockets of above average readings. Rainfall totals were mostly less than 2 mm with large areas receiving no rain, but in the far northeastern areas there were rainfall recordings of between 5 and 20 mm.

The highest total was 28.0 mm at Arkaroola in the Northeast Pastoral district, which was also the highest for the state.

Agricultural Districts

Rainfalls over the agricultural districts were predominantly very much below average with many places recording no rainfall, equalling their lowest recorded rainfall for January. The majority of rainfall amounts were less than 2 mm with only a small number of places with between 5 and 10 mm, which mostly resulted from thunderstorms in the Lower North and Lower Southeast districts.

Some sites had their lowest total January rainfall on record.

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

Temperature

Maximum and minimum temperatures were, on the whole, above average with some agricultural areas recording average minimum temperatures just below average for January. The month started with mild conditions but most of the state, during the last week of the month, endured a heatwave, with maximum temperatures above 45°C being recorded at many locations. Several places recorded their highest January daily maximum temperature on record during this event: Mount Gambier (43.6°C), Murray Bridge (46.6°C), and Mount Barker (44.5°C).

Murray Bridge, Mount Barker and Ceduna also recorded their highest daily overnight minimum temperature for January. Adelaide's overnight minimum of 33.9°C on the 29th January is the highest for any month since comparable temperature records began in Adelaide in 1887.

Maximum

Mean maximum temperatures over the pastoral districts of the state were 1.5 to 2.5°C above average, with mean maximum temperatures ranging from 35.3°C at Yunta in the North East district to 40.3°C at Marree in the Far North district. The highest recorded maximum temperature in the pastoral districts for January was 46.6°C at Marree on the 27th of the month.

Mean maximum temperatures over the agricultural districts of the state were mostly 2 to 3°C above average with some localities exceeding 3°C above the month's long-term average, and ranged from 23.1°C at Neptune Island to 35.8°C at Port Augusta Airport in the Western Agricultural district. The highest recorded maximum temperature for January in the agricultural areas was 48.2°C at Kyancutta on the 28th January closely followed by Murray Bridge with 48.0°C.

Minimum

Mean minimum temperatures over the pastoral districts were typically between 1 and 2°C above the long-term average, ranging from 15.1°C at Gluepot in the North East district to 25.1°C at Moomba Airport in the Far North district. The lowest recorded minimum temperature for January in the pastoral districts was 7.8°C at Gluepot in the North East district on the 2nd.

Across the agricultural areas the mean minimum temperatures this month were generally within 1°C of average, and ranged from 10.1°C at Coonawarra in the Lower Southeast district to 19.1°C at Port Pirie. The lowest recorded daily minimum temperature for January was 2.6°C at Coonawarra on the 2nd.

Some sites had their highest January temperature on record.

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

Some sites had their warmest January 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		 48.2°C at Kyancutta on the 28th
Warmest days on average
Highest mean daily maximum temperature		 40.3°C at Marree Comparison
Coolest days on average
Lowest mean daily maximum temperature		 23.1°C at Neptune Island
Coldest day
Lowest daily maximum temperature		 17.0°C at Mount Gambier Aero on the 1st
Coldest night
Lowest temperature		 2.6°C at Coonawarra on the 2nd
Coolest nights on average
Lowest mean daily minimum temperature		 10.1°C at Coonawarra
Warmest nights on average
Highest mean daily minimum temperature		 25.1°C at Moomba Airport
Warmest night
Highest daily minimum temperature		 33.9°C at Adelaide (Kent Town) on the 29th
Wettest overall
Highest total rainfall		 28.0 mm at Arkaroola
Highest wind gust
 96 km/h at Cape Borda on the 31st

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Records

Record lowest total January rainfall
Total rainfall
for January 2009 (mm) 		Previous lowest
for January		 Years of
record		 Average for
January
Auburn 0.0 = 0.0 in 1965 144 25.5
Port Pirie Nyrstar Comparison 0.0 = 0.0 in 2008 133 18.7
Eudunda 0.0 = 0.0 in 1957 129 21.9
Elliston 0.0 = 0.0 in 1961 128 10.0
Hawker 0.0 = 0.0 in 1989 128 20.0
Marree Comparison 0.0 = 0.0 in 2008 124 17.4
Lyndoch 0.0 = 0.0 in 1992 122 18.9
Keith 0.0 = 0.0 in 1955 103 18.6
Kimba 0.0 = 0.0 in 1980 89 16.8
Alawoona 0.0 = 0.0 in 1971 88 18.5
Oodla Wirra 0.0 = 0.0 in 2008 84 25.1
Yankalilla (Inman Valley) 0.4 1.6 in 1957 77 25.9
Ceduna AMO 0.0 = 0.0 in 1986 70 11.6
Price 0.0 = 0.0 in 1989 65 13.8
Woomera Aerodrome 0.0 = 0.0 in 2000 60 15.2
Adelaide Airport 0.0 0.3 in 1957 54 17.7
Andamooka 0.0 = 0.0 in 1999 44 18.8
Williamstown (South Para Reservoir) 0.4 1.8 in 2008 42 24.8
Cowell (Winter Springs) 0.0 = 0.0 in 1985 40 22.9
Edinburgh RAAF 0.2 = 0.2 in 1992 37 20.7
Whyalla Aero 0.0 = 0.0 in 1986 31 17.1
Adelaide (Hope Valley Reservoir) 0.4 1.0 in 1992 30 19.8
Loxton Research Centre 0.2 0.6 in 1994 25 16.3


Record highest January temperature
Highest temperature
in January 2009 (°C) 		Previous highest
for January		 Years of
record		 Average for
January
Mount Gambier Aero 43.6 on the 29th 43.5 on the 23rd in 1982 67 25.1
Adelaide Airport 44.0 on the 28th = 44.0 on the 30th in 1968 54 27.9
Yongala 43.5 on the 28th 43.4 on the 25th in 2003 53 30.7
Mount Barker 44.5 on the 28th 43.0 on the 23rd in 1982 52 27.1
Keith 45.5 on the 28th 45.4 on the 25th in 2003 48 29.8
Eudunda 43.5 on the 28th = 43.5 on the 31st in 1968 45 29.0
Meningie 45.1 on the 28th 43.2 on the 11th in 1982 43 25.9
Murray Bridge Comparison 46.6 on the 28th 45.6 on the 31st in 1968 43 28.9
Adelaide (Kent Town) 45.7 on the 28th 44.2 on the 23rd in 1982 32 29.0
Maitland 45.0 on the 28th 43.9 on the 21st in 2006 27 29.0


Record highest January daily minimum temperature
Highest daily minimum
temperature
in January 2009 (°C) 		Previous highest
for January		 Years of
record		 Average for
January
Ceduna AMO 32.7 on the 29th 32.6 on the 27th in 1961 67 15.1
Mount Barker 28.0 on the 29th 27.3 on the 21st in 1997 52 11.8
Murray Bridge Comparison 29.1 on the 29th 28.2 on the 24th in 1982 43 14.5
Kimba 31.5 on the 29th 30.6 on the 22nd in 2006 42 15.6
Adelaide (Kent Town) 33.9 on the 29th 33.5 on the 24th in 1982 32 17.0
Whyalla Aero 32.5 on the 29th 31.9 on the 22nd in 2006 25 17.5


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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 January 2009
Maximum temperatures
for January
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
for January
(°C)		 Rainfall
for January
(millimetres)
Mean for
January
2009		 Diff
from
average		 Highest for
January
2009		 Mean for
January
2009		 Diff
from
average		 Lowest for
January
2009		 Total for
January
2009		 Average
for
January		 Rank of
January
2009		 Fraction of
January
average
Northwest (district 16)
Andamooka 38.4 +2.1 44.3 27th 22.0 +0.9 15.6 2nd 0 18.8 lowest 0%
Coober Pedy Airport 37.8   43.9 27th 21.8   17.0 11th 0
Ernabella 36.4   41.4 23rd 22.2   16.9 4th 0
Nonning 35.6 +2.4 44.5 28th 17.2 +0.7 11.0 2nd 1.2 15.7 low 8%
Roxby Downs 37.9   44.0 28th 20.5   11.5 3rd 0
Tarcoola Aero 38.0   45.5 27th 19.1   14.1 16th 0
Woomera Aerodrome 36.9 +2.5 44.6 28th 20.0 +0.6 13.3 2nd 0 15.2 lowest 0%
Far North (district 17)
Arkaroola 35.6 +1.5 42.0 27th 20.6 +0.7 13.0 4th 28.0 33.5 average 84%
Leigh Creek Airport 37.9 +2.7 45.0 27th 21.6 +1.1 16.2 2nd 0 22.0 very low 0%
Marree Aero 39.6   45.6 27th 22.7   16.8 3rd 0
Marree Comparison 40.3 +2.5 46.6 27th 23.5 +2.2 18.0 3rd 0 17.4 lowest 0%
Moomba Airport 38.8   43.6 27th 25.1   19.5 3rd 1.6
Oodnadatta Airport 39.8 +2.1 44.3 27th 24.8 +2.0 17.8 18th 0.2 23.8 low 1%
Western Agricultural (district 18)
Ceduna AMO 30.7 +2.2 47.5 28th 15.2 +0.1 10.3 22nd 0 11.6 lowest 0%
Cleve 30.5 +2.3 45.0 28th 16.6 +1.1 11.0 23rd 0.4 15.6 very low 3%
Cleve Aerodrome 31.1   46.0 28th 15.5   10.1 3rd 0.2 14.5 very low 1%
Coulta 28.7   40.9 27th 14.7   9.1 6th 0.6
Cummins Aero 31.8   45.3 28th 14.3   7.9 21st 0
Elliston 28.2 +2.6 42.4 27th 15.5 −0.1 10.2 17th 0 10.0 lowest 0%
Kimba 34.2 +2.9 44.6 28th 16.0 +0.4 10.4 2nd 0 16.8 lowest 0%
Kyancutta 35.9 +3.0 48.2 28th 13.9 −0.4 7.8 3rd 0.6 13.9 low 4%
Minnipa DPI 34.4   45.9 28th 15.8   9.4 2nd 0
Neptune Island 23.1 +1.2 32.3 13th 16.7 +0.7 13.6 2nd 0.4 12.9 very low 3%
North Shields 27.6   44.7 13th 15.1   11.0 23rd 0.8
Nullarbor 29.0 +1.3 46.9 28th 15.9 +0.4 10.9 3rd 0.2 11.0 low 2%
Port Augusta Aero 35.8   46.3 28th 19.0   13.5 2nd 0
Streaky Bay 30.9 +1.7 43.1 27th 16.6 +0.6 12.3 2nd 0.2 10.7 low 2%
Whyalla Aero 32.0 +2.1 45.8 28th 17.4 −0.1 9.9 3rd 0 17.1 lowest 0%
Wudinna Aero 35.3   46.7 28th 14.4   7.7 3rd 0
Upper North (district 19)
Hawker 36.2 +2.2 43.0 28th 18.4 +0.5 11.3 2nd 0 20.0 lowest 0%
Yongala 33.7 +3.0 43.5 28th 13.9 +0.6 7.4 2nd 8.2 22.4 average 37%
Northeast (district 20)
Gluepot Reserve 35.6   45.6 28th 15.1   7.8 2nd 0
Yunta Airstrip 35.3   43.5 14th 16.1   8.4 3rd 2.0
Lower North (district 21)
Clare High School 31.8   43.7 28th 14.1   7.2 2nd 0
Port Pirie Aerodrome 34.2   44.9 28th 16.6   8.8 2nd 0
Port Pirie Nyrstar Comparison 34.4 +2.5 44.5 28th 19.1 +1.5 11.0 2nd 0 18.7 lowest 0%
Snowtown 34.6   45.8 28th 13.1   6.0 3rd 0
Yorke Peninsula (district 22A)
Edithburgh 26.9   44.9 29th 16.6   10.6 23rd 0.6
Kadina AWS 33.5   47.0 28th 13.8   9.0 2nd 0
Maitland 31.5 +2.4 45.0 28th 16.4 +0.8 10.9 2nd 0.6 17.4 very low 3%
Minlaton Aero 31.1   45.6 28th 14.8   9.3 17th 0
Stenhouse Bay 26.3   42.7 29th 16.6   11.3 23rd 0.6
Warooka 29.0 +1.9 41.5 29th 16.2 +0.9 12.4 17th 0.4 14.5 very low 3%
Kangaroo Island (district 22B)
Cape Borda 24.9   40.0 28th 14.4   10.2 3rd 2.4
Cape Willoughby 23.3 +1.8 39.0 29th 16.6 +0.9 13.6 2nd 0.6 18.6 very low 3%
Kingscote Aero 28.9   43.8 29th 11.5   5.4 3rd 3.0
Adelaide Plains (district 23A)
Adelaide 32.0 +2.9 45.7 28th 17.9 +0.9 13.3 10th 1.2 19.6 very low 5%
Adelaide Airport 29.8 +1.9 44.0 28th 16.4 +0.5 10.8 3rd 0 17.7 lowest 0%
Edinburgh RAAF 32.2 +2.4 45.8 28th 16.1 −0.3 11.1 10th 0.2 20.7 lowest 1%
Parafield Airport 32.4 +3.0 45.6 28th 16.0 −0.3 11.0 17th 0.4 21.6 very low 2%
Roseworthy AWS 33.1   46.7 28th 14.2   7.6 16th 0.6
County Light (district 23B)
Nuriootpa Viticultural 32.1   44.1 28th 13.5   7.0 2nd 1.0
Rosedale 33.1 +2.8 46.2 28th 14.7 −0.4 7.8 2nd 0.2 18.6 low 1%
Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23°C)
Hindmarsh Island AWS 26.6   45.1 28th 15.4   8.3 3rd 0.2
Kuitpo Forest Reserve 28.3   42.7 28th 14.4   8.6 9th 1.0
Mount Barker 31.6 +4.4 44.5 28th 12.0 +0.2 5.5 3rd 0.4 25.9 very low 2%
Mount Crawford Fire Tower 30.1   43.3 28th 14.3   7.0 9th 0
Noarlunga 30.1   44.6 28th 17.1   11.9 9th 0.4
Parawa 25.4   42.5 28th 13.9   9.4 9th 2.4
Victor Harbor 26.5   45.6 28th 13.6   7.8 25th 1.2
Upper Murray Valley (district 24A)
Loxton Research Centre 34.5 +3.0 44.2 31st 13.9 −0.6 8.2 2nd 0.2 16.3 lowest 1%
Renmark Aero 35.6   45.3 28th 15.5   9.7 2nd 0
Lower Murray Valley (district 24B)
Eudunda 32.5 +3.5 43.5 28th 14.5 +0.7 8.0 2nd 0 21.9 lowest 0%
Meningie 28.3 +2.4 45.1 28th 14.2 +0.3 6.5 3rd 1.0 18.3 very low 5%
Murray Bridge 32.4   48.0 28th 13.5   6.9 3rd 0
Murray Bridge Comparison 32.7 +3.8 46.6 28th 14.8 +0.3 8.7 3rd 0.9 16.4 low 5%
Strathalbyn Racecourse 29.6   46.3 28th 13.8   6.6 3rd 1.0
Murray Mallee (district 25A)
Karoonda 33.0   45.2 28th 13.5   8.1 3rd 2.0 17.4 low 11%
Upper Southeast (district 25B)
Keith 31.7 +1.9 45.5 28th 12.9 −0.2 6.0 2nd 0 18.6 lowest 0%
Keith 32.4   46.7 28th 10.7   4.2 2nd 0.2
Lameroo 33.5   45.5 28th 13.1   6.0 2nd 0
Lameroo Comparison 33.0 +2.1 45.2 28th 14.3 +1.0 7.0 2nd 0.2 19.3 very low 1%
Lower Southeast (district 26)
Cape Jaffa 25.0   38.6 27th 13.2   7.1 3rd 1.4
Coonawarra 28.8 +1.9 44.5 28th 10.1 −1.4 2.6 2nd 2.4 26.4 very low 9%
Mount Gambier Aero 26.7 +1.6 43.6 29th 11.2 +0.1 4.0 3rd 4.8 26.3 very low 18%
Naracoorte Aerodrome 30.5   45.7 28th 10.3   2.9 9th 2.2
Padthaway South 30.3   45.1 28th 11.6   5.9 2nd 1.8
Robe Airfield 24.7   39.9 28th 11.7   4.7 5th 3.0
Robe Comparison 23.3 +0.9 36.7 28th 14.3 +0.7 8.2 3rd 5.2 20.2 low 26%

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Notes

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 9 am on Monday 2 February 2009. 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