Monday, 1 March 2010 - Monthly Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC23R0

South Australia in February 2010

Well above average temperatures, despite above average rainfall in parts.

• Generally near average rainfall in agricultural areas, tending above average in the northeast, with some February record totals in that area.
• Well above average temperatures, apart from the far north.
• Generally twice as many hot and very hot days than on average for the month.

Details Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Rainfall

The highlight this month has been the rainfall events in the far northeast of South Australia. The month saw bursts of widespread thunderstorm activity in the north and northeast, with localised heavy falls producing significant totals at many locations. The month finished with a low pressure system moving down over the northeast bringing some widespread rain along the northern border.

Further south, strong high pressure systems in the bight kept cold frontal activity south of the state.

Pastoral Districts

For February, rainfall was near average tending slightly below average in the south of the northwest pastoral district around Tarcoola, but tended above average in the northern Flinders Ranges and in the northeast pastoral district, with some record February rainfall totals in the far northeast of the state. Rainfall totals were highly variable across the districts, but generally ranged from 20 to 50mm. The highest monthly total was 239.6mm at Moomba Airport, a record February rainfall total for Moomba, and second highest monthly rainfall total for any time of year at Moomba, after 439mm recorded in January 1974.

Agricultural Districts

Rainfall over the agricultural districts was generally near to slightly above average, though northern Eyre Peninsula and the Mount Lofty Ranges and southern Flinders Ranges tended below average.

Rainfall totals were highly variable. Some locations in the southern Flinders Ranges, equalled their lowest recorded rainfall for February with no recorded rainfall. The majority of rainfall amounts were in the range 5 to 15mm, with eastern districts tending to have totals of 15 to 30mm for the month. The highest total in the agricultural districts was 45.0mm at Mount Gambier Aerodrome in the South East district.

Some sites had their highest total February rainfall for at least 25 years.
Some sites had their lowest total February rainfall on record.
See a map of rainfall deciles.

Temperature

Temperatures were generally well above average for most of the state, apart from the far north and northeast where temperatures were generally cooler than average in the cloudy conditions associated with the above average rainfall in those areas.

Maximum

Maximum temperatures were generally 1.5 to 2.5 degrees above average across the state, apart from the northeast, which tended up to 3°C below average. Some locations in the Adelaide region were over 3°C warmer than average. The numbers of hot (days with maximum temperatures > 35°C) and very hot days (days with maximum temperatures > 40°C) was about twice the average for this month in many locations not impacted by cloudy conditions and rainfall.

Mean maximum temperatures over the pastoral districts of the state ranged from 31.7°C at Yunta in the North East district to 36.7°C at Tarcoola in the Northwest district. The highest recorded maximum temperature in the pastoral districts for February was 42.7°C at the Tarcoola on the 9th of the month.

Mean maximum temperatures over the agricultural districts of the state ranged from 22.5°C at Cape Willoughby on Kangaroo Island to 34.8°C at Port Augusta Aerodrome in the Western Agricultural district. The highest recorded maximum temperature for February in the agricultural areas was 43.2°C at Kyancutta on the 9th of the month.

Minimum

Mean monthly overnight minimum temperatures were generally 1.5 to 2.5 degrees above average across the state.

In the pastoral districts these ranged from 17.1°C at Gluepot Reserve in the North East district to 23.8°C at Moomba Airport in the Far North district. The lowest recorded minimum temperature for February in the pastoral districts was 10.6°C at the Gluepot Reserve in the North East district on the 10th of the month, with the highest being 28.8°C at Oodnadatta Airport on the 21st .

Across the agricultural areas the mean minimum temperatures this month ranged from 12.6°C at Naracoorte in the Lower Southeast district to 20.3°C at Port Augusta Aerdrome. The lowest recorded daily minimum temperature for February was 3.5°C at Keith on the 23rd.

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Extremes in February 2010
Hottest day	43.2 °C at Kyancutta on the 9th
Warmest days on average	36.7 °C at Tarcoola Aero
Coolest days on average	22.5 °C at Cape Willoughby
Coldest day	16.3 °C at Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS) on the 28th
Coldest night	3.5 °C at Keith (Munkora) on the 23rd
Coolest nights on average	12.6 °C at Naracoorte Aerodrome
Warmest nights on average	23.8 °C at Oodnadatta Airport
Warmest night	30.0 °C at Port Pirie Nyrstar Comparison on the 9th
Wettest overall	219.2 mm at Moomba Airport
Highest wind gust	100 km/h at Nullarbor on the 7th

Details Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Highest total February rainfall for at least 25 years
	Total rainfall for February 2010 (mm)	Most recent higher for February		Years since higher	Average for February
Blinman	102.6	112.6	in 1979	30	25.0
Mount Dare	117.8	345.2	in 1976	29	27.0

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Record lowest total February rainfall
	Total rainfall for February 2010 (mm)	Previous lowest for February		Years of record	Average for February
Price	0.0	= 0.0	in 2009	66	19.4

Details Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Summary statistics for February 2010
	Maximum temperatures for February (°C)				Minimum temperatures for February (°C)				Rainfall for February (millimetres)
	Mean for February 2010	Diff from average	Highest for February 2010		Mean for February 2010	Diff from average	Lowest for February 2010		Total for February 2010	Average for February	Rank of February 2010	Fraction of February average
Northwest (district 16)
Andamooka	35.9	+0.3	40.0	21st	22.3	+1.1	17.2	5th	63.5	23.0	high	276%
Coober Pedy Airport	35.7		40.4	21st	22.6		17.6	5th	5.8
Ernabella (Pukatja)	34.2		39.1	21st	20.7		16.9	28th	45.0
Marla Police Station	35.5	-0.7	40.2	21st	22.1	+0.7	18.0	16th	32.8	25.7	average	128%
Nonning	34.3	+1.4	40.5	9th	18.3	+1.4	12.0	6th	7.0	16.5	average	42%
Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome)	36.1		40.3	21st	21.6		15.5	7th	12.6
Tarcoola Aero	36.7		42.7	9th	19.9		13.8	5th	16.0
Woomera Aerodrome	35.0	+1.3	40.4	21st	20.8	+1.5	15.5	6th	34.0	19.3	high	176%
Far North (district 17)
Arkaroola	30.4	-2.9	37.0	21st	19.5	+0.2	11.0	4th	131.6	35.8	v high	368%
Leigh Creek Airport	33.8	-0.7	38.2	26th	21.2	+0.8	15.5	6th	41.0	22.8	high	180%
Marree Aero	34.8		40.2	21st	22.6		17.4	6th	68.4
Marree Comparison	35.4	-1.4	40.5	21st	22.9	+1.9	17.5	6th	55.2	20.8	high	265%
Moomba Airport	32.0		36.9	11th	22.8		18.2	2nd	239.6
Oodnadatta Airport	35.9	-0.7	41.1	21st	23.8	+1.5	19.8	3rd	29.6	31.2	average	95%
Western Agricultural (district 18)
Ceduna AMO	30.3	+2.1	40.8	7th	16.0	+1.0	10.4	25th	0.2	12.7	v low	2%
Cleve	29.2	+1.5	39.3	9th	17.7	+1.7	14.3	6th	8.4	21.9	average	38%
Cleve Aerodrome	29.6		39.7	9th	16.9		12.8	6th	6.6	18.0	average	37%
Coulta (Coles Point)	28.1		37.2	9th	16.5		12.8	23rd	22.6
Cummins Aero	30.4		41.1	9th	16.2		11.2	5th	10.8
Elliston	25.9	+0.3	36.2	7th	16.6	+0.8	12.0	6th	14.4	13.2	high	109%
Kimba	32.2	+1.1	40.0	9th	17.2	+1.1	12.0	5th	9.2	19.9	average	46%
Kyancutta	34.2	+1.8	43.2	9th	15.9	+1.6	8.8	6th	2.4	14.6	low	16%
Minnipa DPI	33.5		41.6	9th	16.6		9.5	5th	14.8
Neptune Island	23.4	+1.2	31.1	8th	17.7	+1.1	15.5	1st	3.6	13.1	low	27%
North Shields (Port Lincoln AWS)	26.4		34.3	20th	17.1		13.6	26th	20.0
Nullarbor	28.1	+0.2	42.6	7th	16.5	+0.5	11.7	2nd	33.0	12.4	high	266%
Port Augusta Aero	34.8		41.5	9th	20.3		14.7	6th	4.8
Streaky Bay	31.2	+2.2	40.2	7th	17.7	+1.7	13.0	5th	1.5	13.5	low	11%
Whyalla Aero	30.6	+1.0	40.0	9th	19.0	+1.3	10.4	7th	0.2	23.6	v low	1%
Wudinna Aero	34.3		42.5	9th	15.5		9.4	6th	1.8
Upper North (district 19)
Hawker	33.8	+0.4	38.0	21st	19.5	+1.5	13.3	6th	18.0	20.3	average	89%
Yongala	32.6	+2.5	37.2	9th	15.3	+2.0	7.8	15th	5.2	19.8	average	26%
Northeast (district 20)
Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot)	33.3		39.7	10th	17.1		10.6	24th	37.3
Yunta Airstrip	31.7		38.1	21st	17.5		11.2	6th	20.8
Lower North (district 21)
Clare High School	31.5		38.1	10th	16.3		10.7	5th	1.0
Port Pirie Aerodrome	33.7		40.4	9th	18.1		11.8	5th	0.8
Port Pirie Nyrstar Comparison	33.4	+1.6	40.5	9th	19.8	+2.0	14.0	5th	1.4	17.6	low	8%
Snowtown (Rayville Park)	33.1		41.7	9th	15.3		8.3	24th	29.0
Yorke Peninsula (district 22A)
Edithburgh	25.8		36.5	20th	17.8		12.3	7th	12.6
Kadina AWS	33.1		40.1	9th	15.5		9.1	6th	0.2
Maitland	30.3	+2.0	38.8	9th	17.4	+1.7	12.4	6th	1.8	20.0	low	9%
Minlaton Aero	30.1		39.6	8th	16.0		10.4	23rd	11.2
Stenhouse Bay	25.3		32.1	9th	17.7		15.6	1st	11.6
Warooka	28.1	+1.0	38.8	9th	17.3	+1.4	14.2	22nd	14.2	16.6	average	86%
Kangaroo Island (district 22B)
Cape Borda	25.7		36.2	9th	15.1		11.4	23rd	4.0
Cape Willoughby	22.5	+0.7	34.6	9th	17.3	+1.1	15.1	28th	15.6	17.7	average	88%
Kingscote Aero	27.9		38.6	9th	14.0		7.4	7th	5.8
Adelaide Plains (district 23A)
Adelaide (Kent Town)	31.4	+2.1	39.0	9th	19.0	+1.9	13.6	6th	5.6	12.4	average	45%
Adelaide Airport	29.7	+1.6	36.9	9th	18.1	+2.1	12.9	7th	3.0	17.8	average	17%
Edinburgh RAAF	31.6	+1.6	39.7	9th	17.8	+1.3	11.4	24th	0.6	15.3	low	4%
Parafield Airport	32.3	+3.1	40.8	9th	17.5	+1.2	11.7	7th	1.2	17.8	low	7%
Roseworthy AWS	32.7		40.7	9th	15.9		8.3	5th	0
County Light (district 23B)
Nuriootpa Viticultural	30.8		38.2	9th	15.8		10.2	7th	2.6
Rosedale (Turretfield Research Centre)	32.2	+1.7	40.2	9th	16.8	+1.3	10.5	5th	12.7	17.8	average	71%
Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23C)
Hindmarsh Island AWS	25.9		39.3	9th	16.6		10.4	6th	8.8
Kuitpo Forest Reserve	27.0		36.6	8th	15.1		9.8	6th	6.6
Mount Barker	30.6	+3.9	40.6	9th	13.1	+1.3	7.9	6th	7.0	25.1	low	28%
Mount Crawford (Mt Crawford AWS)	28.7		37.2	9th	15.0		8.4	6th	8.2
Noarlunga	29.0		37.8	9th	18.3		12.9	6th	3.4
Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS)	24.9		35.8	9th	14.8		11.8	7th	17.6
Victor Harbor (Encounter Bay)	25.3		36.8	9th	15.2		8.7	7th	13.2
Upper Murray Valley (district 24A)
Loxton Research Centre	33.1	+1.8	38.7	10th	17.2	+3.0	10.1	23rd	25.0	16.6	high	151%
Renmark Aero	33.9		39.6	10th	18.3		11.7	24th	9.2
Lower Murray Valley (district 24B)
Eudunda	31.2	+2.2	38.0	9th	16.4	+2.2	10.0	23rd	1.8	21.7	low	8%
Meningie	27.9	+1.6	39.9	9th	14.8	+1.0	10.1	24th	12.8	16.7	average	77%
Murray Bridge (Pallamana Aerodrome)	31.1		41.0	9th	15.3		9.8	7th	10.0
Murray Bridge Comparison	31.5	+2.2	41.2	9th	15.9	+1.3	11.3	7th	11.7	18.0	average	65%
Strathalbyn Racecourse	28.7		40.6	9th	15.0		9.1	24th	7.2
Murray Mallee (district 25A)
Karoonda	32.0		39.8	9th	15.7		9.0	23rd	16.2	19.0	average	85%
Upper Southeast (district 25B)
Keith	31.4	+1.6	39.6	9th	14.9	+1.8	7.6	23rd	31.3	20.0	high	157%
Keith (Munkora)	31.8		39.8	9th	13.5		3.5	23rd	29.0
Lameroo (Austin Plains)	32.5		38.9	10th	15.7		7.4	23rd	24.2
Lameroo Comparison	32.0	+1.5	39.1	9th	16.5	+3.0	8.6	23rd	24.6	22.1	high	111%
Lower Southeast (district 26)
Cape Jaffa (The Limestone)	25.4		33.4	3rd	14.2		9.6	23rd	11.0
Coonawarra	29.0	+1.6	38.3	10th	13.0	+1.4	5.4	23rd	12.2	17.1	average	71%
Mount Gambier Aero	27.7	+2.6	37.7	2nd	12.9	+1.3	8.4	24th	45.0	25.9	high	174%
Naracoorte Aerodrome	30.9		39.5	10th	12.6		4.4	23rd	26.4
Padthaway South	30.2		39.1	9th	13.6		5.3	23rd	32.2
Robe Airfield	25.9		35.9	2nd	13.1		6.3	23rd	15.6
Robe Comparison	23.8	+1.2	32.2	2nd	14.6	+0.9	10.1	23rd	15.4	18.5	average	83%

Details Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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