Tuesday, 1 June 2010 - Monthly Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC23R0

South Australia in May 2010

A warmer and wetter than average month for most.

• Above average rainfall over most parts with pockets of below average rainfall in the southeast.
• Warmer than average maximums in parts of the west and in the southeast, close to average elsewhere.
• Warmer than average maximums across the south for the year so far to the end of May.

Details Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Rainfall

Rainfall values were above average across central, western and northern parts of the State this May, whilst they were below average in parts of the southeast and in isolated pockets through central parts.

So far this year, rainfall totals have been average to greater than average across most of the State, with totals well above average in the northeast corner. Some isolated pockets of below average rainfall are evident over Kangaroo Island, on the southeast coast and in the Northwest Pastoral District. Year to date rainfall totals are between 50mm and 200mm across most of the State. In the northeast totals exceed 200mm, due to heavy rainfall in February and March associated with the low pressure system approaching from the Northern Territory.

Pastoral Districts

Most rainfall totals recorded in the pastoral districts were average to above average, and generally ranged between 20 and 30mm. The highest monthly total of 56.6mm was recorded at Yardea.

Agricultural Districts

Much of May saw persistent high pressure systems over southern Australia and the Tasman Sea. On the 23rd, a developing low pressure system moved into the Great Australian Bight, with an associated surface trough extending across the west of the State. This low generated heavy showers, areas of rain and thunderstorms over South Australian agricultural areas on the 24th. Point Victoria on the Yorke Peninsula experienced an isolated heavy fall (50mm) in the strong, localised convective activity in the area, with Port Victoria setting a new daily rainfall record for May as a result. Caliph also set a new daily rainfall record with this activity. Overall, rainfall over the agricultural districts was generally average to above average with a few stations in the southeast recording below average rainfall. Rainfall totals ranged from about 20 to 30mm over the Northeast District, 30 to 70mm in the Western Agricultural, West Central, Upper North, Murray Valley, Murray Mallee and Upper and Lower Southeast districts, and 50 to 130mm over the Lower North and East Central districts. The highest total of 133.6mm was recorded at Crafers (Mt Lofty).

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

Temperature

Maximum

Mean maximum temperatures were mixed across South Australia in May and generally within 1°C of the long-term mean. In the southeast, anomalies were close to 1°C warmer. The mean maximum temperature at Mount Barker was 1.8°C warmer than its long-term mean.

Over the pastoral districts, mean maximum temperatures ranged from 19.1°C at Yunta Airstrip to 23.8°C at Moomba Airport. The highest recorded maximum temperature in the pastoral districts for May was 31.3°C at Moomba Airport on the 3rd of the month, with the lowest being 13.1°C at Coober Pedy Airport on the 15th.

Over the agricultural districts mean maximum temperatures ranged from 13.8°C at Mount Lofty to 21.8°C at Ceduna AMO. The highest recorded daily maximum temperature for May in the agricultural areas was 30.4°C at Ceduna AMO on the 3rd of the month, with the lowest 9.9°C at Mount Lofty on the 12th.

Mean maximum temperatures have been above average across most of South Australia this year to date, apart from the northeast corner where temperatures grade from average to below. Across southern parts, these maximum temperatures were generally between 1°C and 2°C warmer than the long-term average for the January to May period.

Some sites have recorded their warmest mean maximum temperatures for the January to May period. Adelaide (Kent Town) recorded a mean maximum temperature of 26.9°C which equals the previous record set in 2007. Mount Barker recorded a mean maximum temperature of 25.8°C which just exceeds the previous record of 25.6°C set in 2007. Ceduna AMO recorded a mean maximum temperature of 27.3°C, which just exceeds the previous record of 27.1°C set in 2001. Rosedale (Turretfield Research Centre) recorded a mean maximum temperature of 27.5°C, which equals the previous record of set in 2001. Eudunda recorded a mean maximum of 26.2°C, exceeding its previous record January to May mean maximum of 26.0°C set in 2001. Loxton Research Centre recorded a mean maximum temperature of 28.2°C, which equals the previous record set in 2007.

Minimum

Mean monthly minimum temperatures were mixed across the State in May 2010, and generally within 1°C of the long-term mean.

In the pastoral districts these ranged from 5.8°C at Yunta Airstrip to 10.2°C at Coober Pedy Airport. The lowest recorded daily minimum temperature for May in the pastoral districts was -2.5°C at Gluepot Reserve on the 15th of the month, the warmest being 16.8°C at Oodnadatta Airport on the 23rd.

Across the agricultural areas the mean minimum temperatures this month ranged from 3.3°C at Yongala to 14.4°C at Neptune Island in the Western Agricultural. The lowest recorded daily minimum temperature for May was -3.0°C at Yongala on the 14th, whilst the warmest minimum was 17.0°C at Streaky Bay on the 4th.

Mean minimum temperatures have also been warmer than normal across South Australia this year so far, with temperatures generally between 1°C and 2°C warmer in the southwest and close to 1°C warmer elsewhere.

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Extremes in May 2010
Hottest day	31.3 °C at Moomba Airport on the 3rd
Warmest days on average	23.8 °C at Moomba Airport
Coolest days on average	13.8 °C at Mount Lofty
Coldest day	9.9 °C at Mount Lofty on the 12th
Coldest night	-3.0 °C at Yongala on the 14th
Coolest nights on average	3.3 °C at Yongala
Warmest nights on average	14.4 °C at Neptune Island
Warmest night	17.0 °C at Streaky Bay on the 4th
Wettest overall	133.6 mm at Crafers (Mt Lofty)
Highest wind gust	107 km/h at Neptune Island on the 29th

Details Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Record highest May daily rainfall
	Highest daily rainfall in May 2010 (mm)		Previous highest for May		Years of record
Port Victoria	50.0	on the 25th	46.7	on the 13th in 1884	125
Caliph	47.4	on the 25th	18.8	on the 24th in 2003	36

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Record highest total May rainfall
	Total rainfall for May 2010 (mm)	Previous highest for May		Years of record	Average for May
Caliph	65.6	49.0	in 1992	36	22.2

Highest total May rainfall for at least 25 years
	Total rainfall for May 2010 (mm)	Most recent higher for May		Years since higher	Average for May
Coober Pedy	49.0	86.8	in 1979	31	13.5
Kimba	74.2	93.2	in 1979	31	35.6
Melrose	114.0	132.8	in 1979	31	63.6
Nonning	51.2	87.2	in 1979	31	23.8
Yardea	56.6	96.2	in 1979	31	27.3
Bruce	64.4	96.4	in 1979	30	25.1
Wilmington	103.4	110.4	in 1979	30	46.5
Carrieton	70.4	109.0	in 1979	29	29.5
Wirrulla	62.8	68.2	in 1980	29	32.1

Details Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Summary statistics for May 2010
	Maximum temperatures for May (°C)				Minimum temperatures for May (°C)				Rainfall for May (millimetres)
	Mean for May 2010	Diff from average	Highest for May 2010		Mean for May 2010	Diff from average	Lowest for May 2010		Total for May 2010	Average for May	Rank of May 2010	Fraction of May average
Northwest (district 16)
Andamooka	21.3	-1.1	28.0	3rd	10.0	0.0	3.7	14th	18.6	15.9	high	117%
Coober Pedy Airport	21.2		27.8	3rd	10.2		5.2	31st	25.0
Ernabella (Pukatja)	21.5		27.4	1st	8.3		0.8	31st	23.0
Marla Police Station	22.9	-0.3	29.3	23rd	8.9	-0.3	1.7	31st	8.6	12.5	average	69%
Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome)	20.8		26.9	3rd	9.4		1.9	14th	14.6
Tarcoola Aero	22.0		29.1	3rd	8.7		4.7	12th	31.6
Woomera Aerodrome	20.4	-0.2	26.8	3rd	9.6	+0.2	3.9	14th	18.2	18.7	average	97%
Far North (district 17)
Arkaroola	20.2	0.0	27.4	4th	6.3	-0.9	-0.7	14th	10.8	17.4	average	62%
Leigh Creek Airport	20.2	-0.9	26.7	2nd	8.9	+0.1	4.3	14th	27.0	15.7	average	172%
Marree Aero	22.5		29.2	4th	9.3		4.9	13th	13.0
Marree Comparison	23.2	+0.1	30.4	3rd	9.6	+0.6	4.9	13th	7.0	13.5	average	52%
Moomba Airport	23.8		31.3	3rd	9.7		3.6	14th	28.4
Oodnadatta Airport	23.2	0.0	30.3	4th	10.1	+0.3	5.3	14th	34.8	13.0	high	268%
Western Agricultural (district 18)
Ceduna AMO	21.8	+0.9	30.4	3rd	9.7	+1.2	3.4	17th	37.8	32.4	average	117%
Cleve	19.6	+0.7	27.4	1st	10.5	+0.5	7.0	11th	37.4	40.4	average	93%
Cleve Aerodrome	19.6		27.5	1st	10.3		5.9	15th	30.4	37.4	average	81%
Coulta (Coles Point)	19.0		22.9	22nd	9.0		0.0	12th	41.4
Cummins Aero	20.1		26.8	1st	8.3		1.8	12th	39.6
Elliston	20.3	+0.9	25.3	1st	10.1	-0.2	5.5	9th	40.3	52.1	average	77%
Kimba	18.8	-0.7	26.5	1st	8.0	-0.3	2.0	14th	74.2	35.6	v high	208%
Kyancutta	21.1	0.0	28.9	3rd	7.8	+0.5	1.1	12th	44.8	32.2	high	139%
Minnipa DPI	20.5		28.7	1st	9.9		5.3	12th	60.2
Neptune Island	18.3	+0.6	22.1	1st	14.4	+0.7	10.2	29th	34.8	54.4	low	64%
North Shields (Port Lincoln AWS)	20.2		27.9	1st	9.5		5.9	13th	40.2
Nullarbor	21.7	+0.2	29.3	3rd	9.7	+0.8	4.8	12th	43.8	29.9	high	146%
Port Augusta Aero	21.1		28.8	3rd	8.7		1.0	14th	47.4
Streaky Bay	21.1	+1.0	27.9	1st	12.0	+1.2	7.4	21st	61.4	45.7	high	134%
Whyalla Aero	20.2	-0.4	28.5	3rd	8.9	+0.1	1.5	14th	51.4	23.3	v high	221%
Wudinna Aero	21.4		29.5	3rd	8.9		1.5	12th	47.8
Upper North (district 19)
Hawker	19.2	-0.9	25.5	3rd	7.8	+0.6	2.7	14th	55.2	30.8	high	179%
Yongala	17.8	+0.7	25.0	3rd	3.3	-1.3	-3.0	14th	54.4	35.0	high	155%
Northeast (district 20)
Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot)	20.9		26.8	1st	6.0		-2.5	15th	26.3
Yunta Airstrip	19.1		25.1	4th	5.8		-2.3	13th	27.8
Lower North (district 21)
Clare High School	17.5		24.4	3rd	5.8		-1.0	15th	104.8
Port Pirie Aerodrome	20.6		27.1	3rd	8.6		1.3	14th	52.3
Port Pirie Nyrstar Comparison	20.8	+0.4	27.0	3rd	11.2	+0.5	6.0	12th	67.4	38.2	high	176%
Snowtown (Rayville Park)	20.2		26.7	3rd	7.2		0.7	15th	74.2
Yorke Peninsula (district 22A)
Edithburgh	19.0		27.3	3rd	10.2		4.6	13th	47.6
Kadina AWS	20.0		26.9	3rd	7.9		1.7	15th	45.0
Maitland	19.0	+0.9	25.2	1st	10.6	+0.8	5.6	12th	43.6	60.2	average	72%
Minlaton Aero	19.7		26.2	3rd	10.0		4.7	12th	44.2
Stenhouse Bay	19.2		24.8	1st	11.7		7.0	13th	33.8
Warooka	19.0	+0.5	22.8	3rd	10.6	+0.2	7.4	14th	33.6	54.2	average	62%
Kangaroo Island (district 22B)
Cape Borda	17.2		20.8	1st	11.5		7.3	13th	41.4
Cape Willoughby	17.8	+0.9	21.8	3rd	13.2	+0.7	8.2	5th	72.8	61.6	average	118%
Kingscote Aero	19.7		25.4	1st	6.7		-0.6	15th	35.0
Adelaide Plains (district 23A)
Adelaide (Kent Town)	19.8	+0.8	26.3	3rd	10.5	+0.3	4.3	15th	56.8	60.0	average	95%
Adelaide Airport	19.5	+1.0	25.9	3rd	9.9	+0.4	3.7	15th	59.4	54.2	average	110%
Edinburgh RAAF	19.9	+0.8	28.2	3rd	9.5	+0.4	3.9	15th	58.6	43.5	high	135%
Parafield Airport	20.1	+1.2	28.3	3rd	9.0	-0.4	0.9	15th	22.2	47.2	low	47%
Roseworthy AWS	20.3		27.8	3rd	8.9		3.3	12th	52.8
County Light (district 23B)
Nuriootpa Viticultural	18.0		25.0	3rd	6.2		-1.7	15th	44.2
Rosedale (Turretfield Research Centre)	19.5	+0.8	27.6	3rd	7.9	-0.4	1.6	12th	59.5	52.8	average	113%
Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23C)
Hindmarsh Island AWS	19.2		25.9	3rd	9.8		3.9	15th	39.8
Kuitpo Forest Reserve	16.6		22.8	3rd	9.5		5.8	14th	81.0
Mount Barker	18.3	+1.8	24.5	3rd	7.0	+0.3	1.0	15th	79.6	87.7	average	91%
Mount Crawford (Mt Crawford AWS)	15.6		22.3	3rd	8.9		5.8	13th	55.2
Mount Lofty	13.8		19.9	3rd	8.3		5.4	12th	128.8
Noarlunga	19.1		25.0	3rd	11.5		7.4	13th	39.2
Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS)	15.7		20.0	3rd	9.9		5.7	14th	80.6
Victor Harbor (Encounter Bay)	19.3		25.4	3rd	8.1		0.0	14th	54.1
Upper Murray Valley (district 24A)
Loxton Research Centre	20.3	+0.8	25.7	1st	5.9	-0.5	-1.2	15th	45.4	23.5	high	193%
Renmark Aero	20.4		26.2	3rd	6.3		-1.5	15th	30.2
Lower Murray Valley (district 24B)
Eudunda	17.8	+0.9	25.1	3rd	7.8	+0.2	2.7	13th	50.6	45.2	average	112%
Meningie	19.2	+1.0	24.4	3rd	8.8	0.0	2.5	21st	66.3	54.5	high	122%
Murray Bridge (Pallamana Aerodrome)	20.1		28.1	3rd	6.2		-1.5	15th	37.8
Murray Bridge Comparison	20.5	+0.9	27.4	1st	7.5	-0.5	1.1	15th	46.8	35.0	high	134%
Strathalbyn Racecourse	19.3		26.5	3rd	8.7		1.4	15th	52.4
Murray Mallee (district 25A)
Karoonda	19.8		26.5	1st	6.9		0.5	15th	36.0	35.3	average	102%
Upper Southeast (district 25B)
Keith	18.8	+0.5	25.4	1st	7.9	+0.2	2.5	13th	32.4	52.3	low	62%
Keith (Munkora)	18.9		25.2	1st	6.7		0.7	22nd	34.0
Lameroo (Austin Plains)	19.2		25.6	3rd	7.0		1.7	22nd	30.4
Lameroo Comparison	19.7	+1.1	25.7	3rd	7.6	+0.6	2.7	15th	29.6	39.8	average	74%
Lower Southeast (district 26)
Cape Jaffa (The Limestone)	16.9		20.9	3rd	8.6		1.4	23rd	35.0
Coonawarra	17.2	0.0	22.9	1st	6.4	-0.4	0.6	15th	42.6	51.3	average	83%
Mount Gambier Aero	16.6	+0.5	22.5	1st	6.9	-0.4	1.2	15th	47.8	70.7	low	68%
Naracoorte Aerodrome	17.3		22.7	1st	7.0		1.0	22nd	23.4
Padthaway South	17.8		23.8	1st	6.3		0.5	13th	30.0
Robe Airfield	17.6		22.9	3rd	7.1		0.6	15th	40.2
Robe Comparison	16.9	+0.5	20.0	3rd	10.0	-0.2	3.7	23rd	36.4	73.0	low	50%

Details Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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