Thursday, 1 April 2010 - Monthly Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC13R0

South Australia in March 2010

Warmer in the south and above average rainfall.

• Above average rainfall along all border areas, and over the Yorke and Eyre Peninsulas, close to average elsewhere.
• Average to warmer than average temperatures, apart from the far north and northeast.

Details Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Rainfall

A low moving down from the Northern Territory brought widespread rain to northern and eastern parts of the state in the first week of March, with heavy rain in the far northeast. As a result, rainfall values were above average across the north and well above average in the far northeast and eastern border areas. Heavy rain also fell over Yorke, Eastern Eyre and Lower Eyre Peninsulas associated with the passage of a low pressure system in the first week of March. Some stations set new daily and monthly rainfall records for March as a result (see daily records and monthly records). Rainfall was also above average in the west. Elsewhere, rainfall was generally close to average, with pockets of below average rainfall over central parts.
So far this year, rainfall totals have been above average along border areas, parts of the Eyre Peninsula and across the northeast, with pockets of below average rainfall over central parts. Year to date rainfall totals exceed 200mm in the northeast, with heavy rainfall in February and March associated with the low pressure system approaching from the Northern Territory.

Pastoral Districts

The majority of rainfall totals recorded in the pastoral districts were average to above average, and generally ranged from 5 to 20mm. The highest monthly total of 45.2mm was recorded at Ernabella (Pukatja). In contrast, there were some isolated areas of below average rainfall in central parts, with the lowest monthly total of 0.0mm recorded at Woomera Aerodrome. This equals the lowest monthly rainfall record for March at Woomera Aerodrome, which was previously set in March 2003.

Agricultural Districts

Rainfall over the agricultural districts was generally above average. Rainfall totals were highly variable. The majority of rainfall amounts in the eastern Eyre and northern Yorke Peninsulas ranged from 20 to 70mm, the Mount Lofty ranges between 20 to 40mm, and parts of the Upper Southeast and the Murray Mallee had rainfall totals ranging from 40 to 80mm. The highest total of 125.8mm was recorded at Cleve on the Eyre Peninsula, which is the new highest total rainfall record for March at Cleve (see monthly records). The lowest of 4.5mm was recorded at Palmer in the Lower Murray Valley.

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

Temperature

Temperatures were generally average to above average across the state, apart from the far north and northeast where temperatures were slightly cooler than average in the cloudy conditions associated with the above average rainfall in those areas.

Maximum

Mean maximum temperatures were slightly below average in the north, but generally 1 to 2°C warmer than average over southern parts. Mount Barker was close to 3°C warmer than average.
Mean maximum temperatures over the pastoral districts were slightly below average in the north, grading to average in the south, and ranged from 28.8°C at Yunta Airstrip in the Northeast District to 33.7°C at Maree Comparison in the Far North District. The highest recorded maximum temperature in the pastoral districts for March was 39.0°C at Marla Police Station on the 25th of the month, with the lowest 18.1°C at Yunta Airstrip on the 6th.
Mean maximum temperatures over the agricultural districts were generally warmer than average, and ranged from 21.0°C at Cape Willoughby on Kangaroo Island to 31.1°C at Port Augusta Aero in the Western Agricultural District. The highest recorded daily maximum temperature for March in the agricultural areas was 38.0°C at Murray Bridge Comparison on the 18th of the month, with the lowest 13.7°C at Mount Lofty on the 8th.

Minimum

Mean monthly overnight minimum temperatures were generally between 1 and 2°C warmer than average across southern parts of the state, and up to 1°C warmer in the north.
In the pastoral districts these ranged from 13.1°C at Gluepot Reserve in the Northeast District to 19.5°C at Oodnadatta in the Far North District. The lowest recorded daily minimum temperature for March in the pastoral districts was 5.8°C at the Gluepot Reserve in the Northeast district on the 10th of the month, with the highest being 26.0°C at Oodnadatta Airport on the 17th .
Across the agricultural areas the mean minimum temperatures this month ranged from 10.3°C at Naracoorte Aerodrome in the Lower Southeast District to 16.9°C at Port Pirie in the Lower North District. The lowest recorded daily minimum temperature for March was 2.3°C at Keith (Munkora) on the 23rd, the highest being 25°C at Port Pirie on the 18th.

Details Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Details Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Details Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top