Friday, 31 July 2009 - Monthly Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC23R0

South Australia in July 2009
Above average rainfall in the south, and warmer than average.

Summary

  • Despite some cold and frosty periods, temperatures were generally above average for the month, with parts of Eyre Peninsula and the west coast of the state seeing record warmest July nights.
  • Rainfall was generally above average across most of the agricultural areas this month, apart from the Riverland. Further inland rainfall tended to be average or below for the month.
  • July rainfall taken across the whole SA agricultural area, was the wettest July since 1996, and was 26% above average.
  • Rainfall totals for the year to date are near average across most of the agricultural areas, but eastern and northern areas of the state are still tending below average. This pattern is also the case for the April to end of July rainfall totals, as representing the growing season rainfall to date.

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

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

Rainfall totals were typically 5 to 15 mm, though Nonning, Blinman and Yardea all had totals exceeding 40 mm, with Yardea's total of 61.6 mm being the highest in the pastoral areas.

Buckleboo recorded it's wettest July in the 22 years of the record with 59.8 mm, beating the previous wettest in 1989.

Agricultural Districts

Rainfall totals were generally above average or well above average across the agricultural areas, apart from some parts of the eastern districts ending up slightly below average. The above average rainfall totals tended to be in areas more exposed to what was a predominately west to southwest air-stream through the month which saw a stronger than usual Southern Ocean influence.

July rainfall averaged across the SA agricultural areas has been the wettest since July 1996, and was 26% above the average.

Rainfall totals were generally in 60 to 100 mm range, tending to 30 to 50 mm in the Murray Valley and the Riverland. Higher totals were recorded generally exceeding 100 mm on Kangaroo Island, and the Lower Southeast and the Adelaide plains, with totals in the Mount Lofty ranges generally being 150 to 200 mm, with many locations exceeding 200 mm, the highest being Uraidla with 256.6 mm.

Port Vincent on the Yorke Peninsula had it's wettest July in the 108 year record with 104.2 mm well exceeding the previous july record of 93.0 mm in 1995. Warooka, also on the Yorke Peninsula, recorded it's highest daily July rainfall total of 40.2 mm in 24 hours. Many locations had totals in the top 10% of July totals in their records.

Across the longer term, rainfall for the growing season to date is generally near or above average across most of the agricultural districts, apart from the southeast. Some locations on the west coast of Eyre Peninsula are tracking in the wettest 10% of growing seasons on record, to the end of July.

The year to date rainfall is generally near average across most agricultural districts apart from in the east, while the remainder of the state is generally below average to the end of July.

Longer term rainfall deficiencies continue across 2 to 10 year rainfall averages for the South Australian agricultural areas and the Murray Darling Basin, which has seen below average rainfall continue through this year ( See http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/silo/rain_maps.cgi ).

Some sites had their highest 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 1.1°C above the average for the South Australian agricultural areas, and 1.3°C above average for South Australia as a whole, looking at the July records since 1950.

Maximum

Mean maximum temperatures for July were generally up to 1°C above average across the state, with no records evident.

In the Pastoral districts mean maximum temperatures ranged from 15.9°C at Yunta to 20.6°C at Marree. Mean maximum temperatures over the Agricultural districts ranged from 11.1°C at Mt Crawford in the Mount Lofty Ranges to 18.3°C at Port Augusta Aerodrome.

The highest maximum recorded during July was 28.3°C at Moomba Airport on the 21st of July. The lowest was 8.2°C at Mount Crawford on the 7th of July.

Minimum

Mean minimum temperatures for July were generally between 1 to 2°C above average across the state, with much of the western agricultural district up to 2.5°C above average. Several locations in the western agricultural areas recorded their warmest July nights on record (see the table below), while Adelaide had it's warmest July nights since 1975.

Mean minimum temperatures in the pastoral areas ranged from 5.0°C at Yunta Airport to 7.9°C at Oodnadatta Airport. Over the agricultural districts mean monthly minimum temperatures ranged from 3.9°C at Yongala to 11.9°C on Neptune Island.

The lowest minimum temperature recorded during July was −4.7°C at Yunta in the North East Pastoral district on the 7th. Moomba Airport recorded the warmest overnight temperature with 17.1°C on the 22nd of July.

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

Some sites had their highest July 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		 28.3°C at Moomba Airport on the 21st
Warmest days on average
Highest mean daily maximum temperature		 20.5°C at Marree Comparison
Coolest days on average
Lowest mean daily maximum temperature		 11.1°C at Mount Crawford Fire Tower
Coldest day
Lowest daily maximum temperature		 8.2°C at Mount Crawford Fire Tower on the 14th
Coldest night
Lowest temperature		 −4.7°C at Yunta Airstrip on the 7th
Coolest nights on average
Lowest mean daily minimum temperature		 3.9°C at Yongala
Warmest nights on average
Highest mean daily minimum temperature		 11.9°C at Neptune Island
Warmest night
Highest daily minimum temperature		 17.1°C at Moomba Airport on the 22nd
Wettest overall
Highest total rainfall		 256.6 mm at Uraidla
Highest wind gust
 96 km/h at Neptune Island on the 2nd
96 km/h at Cape Willoughby on the 10th

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Records

Record highest total July rainfall
Total rainfall
for July 2009 (mm) 		Previous highest
for July		 Years of
record		 Average for
July
Port Vincent 104.2 93.0 in 1995 108 46.9
Furner (Kennion Section 235) 170.6 143.2 in 2000 34 95.2



Record highest July mean daily minimum temperature
Mean daily minimum
temperature
for July 2009 (°C) 		Previous highest
for July		 Years of
record		 Average for
July
Streaky Bay 10.4 10.3 in 1946 82 8.4
Ceduna AMO 8.2 = 8.2 in 1963 68 5.7
Adelaide Airport 8.5 = 8.5 in 1993 54 7.0
Elliston 9.9 9.5 in 1972 47 7.8
Kimba 6.6 6.2 in 1999 41 4.9
Nonning 5.6 5.4 in 1973 38 3.8
Hawker 5.9 5.4 in 1973 35 3.7
Adelaide (Kent Town) 9.0 8.5 in 1995 32 7.4
Arkaroola 5.5 5.2 in 1998 31 3.3
Maitland 8.2 = 8.2 in 1974 29 6.9
Leigh Creek Airport 6.6 6.4 in 1996 25 4.7



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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 July 2009
Maximum temperatures
for July
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
for July
(°C)		 Rainfall
for July
(millimetres)
Mean for
July
2009		 Diff
from
average		 Highest for
July
2009		 Mean for
July
2009		 Diff
from
average		 Lowest for
July
2009		 Total for
July
2009		 Average
for
July		 Rank of
July
2009		 Fraction of
July
average
Northwest (district 16)
Andamooka 19.2 +0.8 25.6 21st 7.7 +1.8 1.8 9th 6.8 12.6 average 54%
Coober Pedy Airport 19.0   27.3 20th 7.1   3.8 16th 3.0
Ernabella 18.5   25.8 20th 6.2   −0.8 23rd 6.2
Nonning 16.5 +0.1 24.0 20th 5.6 +1.8 −1.0 24th 53.8 26.2 very high 205%
Roxby Downs 18.6   24.7 20th 6.9   1.0 9th 4.2
Tarcoola Aero 19.1   26.6 20th 6.8   2.1 23rd 17.8
Woomera Aerodrome 17.7 +0.8 24.0 20th 7.2 +1.4 3.7 24th 12.4 15.0 average 83%
Far North (district 17)
Arkaroola 17.7 +1.1 24.6 21st 5.5 +2.2 −1.3 24th 5.5 14.9 average 37%
Leigh Creek Airport 17.5 +1.0 24.9 21st 6.6 +1.9 1.2 24th 8.0 17.3 average 46%
Marree Aero 19.8   27.1 21st 6.4   1.7 9th 2.6
Marree Comparison 20.5 +1.5 27.5 21st 6.7 +1.8 1.6 8th 1.7 9.8 average 17%
Moomba Airport 20.0   28.3 21st 7.0   2.1 25th 1.2
Oodnadatta Airport 20.4 +0.8 28.1 20th 7.9 +2.1 3.3 23rd 1.0 9.9 average 10%
Western Agricultural (district 18)
Ceduna AMO 18.0 +0.7 25.7 20th 8.2 +2.5 1.4 24th 56.8 39.8 high 143%
Cleve 15.9 +0.6 21.2 20th 8.4 +1.3 4.5 23rd 70.4 46.4 high 152%
Cleve Aerodrome 15.7   20.7 20th 8.6   3.8 23rd 54.0 44.9 average 120%
Coulta 15.9   19.4 20th 9.1   4.5 25th 93.6
Cummins Aero 15.8   20.3 20th 6.6   1.3 23rd 115.4
Elliston 17.2 +0.8 22.6 20th 9.9 +2.1 4.8 25th 119.0 70.8 very high 168%
Kimba 15.4 −0.1 20.6 20th 6.6 +1.7 2.2 24th 58.6 41.5 high 141%
Kyancutta 17.0 −0.2 23.1 20th 7.0 +2.3 2.5 23rd 66.3 40.7 very high 163%
Minnipa DPI 15.7   21.4 20th 7.5   2.7 23rd 83.2
Neptune Island 15.9 +0.7 22.0 20th 11.9 +0.7 9.3 14th 103.6 76.6 high 135%
North Shields 16.6   21.3 20th 8.6   5.0 23rd 82.4
Nullarbor 18.2 −0.1 26.0 25th 6.8 +1.8 3.0 23rd 33.8 27.0 high 125%
Port Augusta Aero 18.3   24.0 20th 6.7   0.2 24th 20.6
Streaky Bay 17.3 +0.8 21.6 20th 10.4 +2.0 5.4 23rd 116.2 61.2 very high 196%
Whyalla Aero 17.8 +1.0 23.8 20th 6.9 +1.6 1.5 9th 27.6 23.2 average 119%
Wudinna Aero 16.5   21.9 20th 7.5   2.2 23rd 71.2
Upper North (district 19)
Hawker 15.9 0.0 21.8 21st 5.9 +2.2 0.8 24th 17.4 33.8 low 51%
Yongala 12.9 +0.1 18.0 21st 3.9 +1.7 −3.3 24th 42.9 39.5 average 109%
Northeast (district 20)
Gluepot Reserve 17.3   24.6 21st 5.1   −4.5 7th 15.0
Yunta Airstrip 15.9   23.6 21st 5.0   −4.7 7th 10.6
Lower North (district 21)
Clare High School 12.9   18.3 20th 5.9   −0.6 24th 69.6
Port Pirie Aerodrome 16.9   21.7 20th 7.1   0.4 24th 35.3
Port Pirie Nyrstar Comparison 17.4 +1.0 22.0 21st 9.7 +2.0 4.0 23rd 52.4 34.0 high 154%
Snowtown 15.5   19.2 20th 5.6   −0.9 7th 41.0
Yorke Peninsula (district 22A)
Edithburgh 15.4   19.2 20th 8.3   3.3 24th 66.4
Kadina AWS 15.9   19.7 21st 6.0   −0.8 23rd 22.0
Maitland 15.0 +0.7 19.1 20th 8.2 +1.3 4.2 7th 80.6 66.4 high 121%
Minlaton Aero 15.7   19.8 20th 7.9   1.6 7th 77.6
Stenhouse Bay 16.0   18.7 20th 9.9   5.0 7th 92.2
Warooka 15.5 +0.5 17.4 20th 8.4 +0.8 4.0 8th 126.0 65.9 very high 191%
Kangaroo Island (district 22B)
Cape Borda 14.6   17.0 20th 10.1   6.4 7th 122.4
Cape Willoughby 14.9 +0.7 18.0 20th 10.5 +0.8 7.8 14th 131.6 82.0 very high 160%
Kingscote Aero 16.2   18.7 21st 7.4   2.4 23rd 103.6
Adelaide Plains (district 23A)
Adelaide 15.8 +0.5 21.7 20th 9.0 +1.6 2.9 7th 109.0 75.8 high 144%
Adelaide Airport 15.5 +0.6 19.8 20th 8.5 +1.5 1.8 7th 65.2 59.6 average 109%
Edinburgh RAAF 15.6 +0.3 20.1 20th 7.0 +1.0 −0.1 7th 88.0 53.4 very high 165%
Parafield Airport 15.7 +0.7 20.8 20th 7.6 +1.3 0.1 7th 109.0 59.2 very high 184%
Roseworthy AWS 15.3   19.5 20th 6.4   −0.7 7th 59.0
County Light (district 23B)
Nuriootpa Viticultural 13.5   18.8 20th 6.1   0.5 24th 72.0
Rosedale 15.0 +0.3 19.9 20th 6.0 +0.4 −0.9 7th 86.7 59.1 high 147%
Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23°C)
Hindmarsh Island AWS 15.6   21.2 20th 8.4   2.5 9th 66.2
Kuitpo Forest Reserve 12.5   17.7 20th 7.4   3.8 7th 102.6
Mount Barker 13.8 +1.0 18.5 20th 6.2 +1.7 0.0 6th 195.4 106.1 very high 184%
Mount Crawford Fire Tower 11.1   16.6 20th 6.4   2.1 6th 180.2
Noarlunga 15.1   19.0 20th 9.4   4.4 7th 105.6
Parawa 12.2   14.9 21st 7.6   3.3 7th 200.8
Victor Harbor 15.9   20.2 20th 7.3   −0.1 9th 113.0
Upper Murray Valley (district 24A)
Loxton Research Centre 16.6 +0.9 23.3 20th 5.1 +1.3 −2.8 8th 25.0 28.5 average 88%
Renmark Aero 16.8   23.8 21st 4.8   −4.3 8th 19.8
Lower Murray Valley (district 24B)
Eudunda 13.2 +0.1 18.6 20th 6.2 +1.2 0.7 7th 49.0 51.4 average 95%
Meningie 15.5 +0.5 19.9 20th 8.0 +1.3 2.3 8th 95.0 61.3 high 155%
Murray Bridge 15.6   21.0 20th 5.2   −1.5 9th 38.8
Murray Bridge Comparison 16.6 +0.4 22.2 21st 6.0 +0.5 0.2 9th 54.4 35.3 high 154%
Strathalbyn Racecourse 15.3   20.0 20th 7.5   2.1 9th 93.4
Murray Mallee (district 25A)
Karoonda 16.0   22.6 20th 5.7   0.0 8th 32.6 34.5 average 94%
Upper Southeast (district 25B)
Keith 15.5 +0.5 21.8 20th 6.8 +1.3 1.0 8th 106.0 55.0 very high 193%
Keith 15.2   20.6 20th 6.1   0.9 8th 84.2
Lameroo 14.8   20.7 20th 4.9   −0.3 8th 39.4
Lameroo Comparison 15.6 +0.6 21.9 20th 5.5 +1.1 1.3 8th 39.4 41.5 average 95%
Lower Southeast (district 26)
Cape Jaffa 14.4   16.7 21st 8.2   1.5 8th 180.2
Coonawarra 14.2 +0.4 16.7 20th 5.3 +0.3 −0.6 7th 52.0 76.1 low 68%
Mount Gambier Aero 13.4 +0.3 15.9 21st 5.9 +0.8 −0.5 17th 150.8 99.5 very high 152%
Naracoorte Aerodrome 14.4   18.2 20th 5.8   −0.5 7th 92.2
Padthaway South 14.7   19.4 20th 6.5   0.7 15th 115.6
Robe Airfield 14.8   17.5 21st 7.2   0.0 7th 179.0
Robe Comparison 14.0 +0.4 15.8 28th 9.2 +1.1 4.8 7th 171.2 104.5 very high 164%

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Notes

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 3 pm on Friday 31 July 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