Friday, 1 October 2010 - Monthly Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC23R0

South Australia in September 2010

Coldest and wettest September since 1992

• Above average rainfall across South Australia.
• The Pastoral Districts received 2 to 6 times their September mean rainfall, with the first half of the month being particularly wet.
• 40 locations set new highest daily rainfall records for September, most of those on September the 4th.
• A handful of sites set new monthly rainfall records for September.
• Maximum temperatures were well below average, with some sites setting new lowest mean daily maximum temperature records for September.
• Maximum temperatures were the second coldest on record for September for the State as a whole.

Details Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Rainfall

The first week of September saw a rainfall event that extended over central Australia, combined with an intense low pressure system that developed over southern Australia. This produced widespread rainfall through this period over central and southern Australia. This is the main contributor to September 2010 being the wettest September since 1992 for the State as a whole. The wettest September across the whole State was in 1979, September 2010 being the 3rd wettest September on record.

For the year as a whole, SA has already exceeded its average annual rainfall, making 2010 the first above-normal year for rainfall since 2003.

Pastoral Districts

Rainfall totals were well above average across the Pastoral Districts, with most areas receiving 2 to 6 times their monthly September average. Several locations also had new daily rainfall records for September. Rainfall totals ranged from about 20 mm to 80 mm. Leigh Creek received 112.8 mm for the month, with is almost 6 times its monthly September average of 19.7 mm.

Agricultural Districts

Rainfall totals were above average across the Agricultural areas, with locations receiving 1 to 3 times the monthly average for September. About 30 locations set new daily rainfall records for the month, with most set on the 4th.

Rainfall totals were generally between 40 and 100 mm across south-eastern parts of the agricultural districts, increasing up to 70 to 200 mm in the Mount Lofty Ranges. West Central districts had totals around 80 mm to 120 mm, and the Western Agricultural District had totals ranging from 30 mm up to 100 mm.

Across the longer term, rainfall totals for the growing season to date (April to September) are generally average to above average across all of the Agricultural Districts. Year to date rainfall totals are generally average to above average, increasing to well above average across the northeast half of South Australia, and in the southwest.

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

Temperature

The monthly mean September temperature (the average of the maximum and minimum temperatures) was 15.1°C, which is 1.1°C below the long-term average for South Australia.

Maximum

The area-averaged mean maximum temperature of 21.0°C was 2.7°C below the long-term September average for South Australia. This is the second coldest mean maximum temperature recorded for South Australia in September. The coldest September on record was in 1958. This month is also the first September since 1992 to record a below average mean maximum temperature. All September's since 1992 had been warmer than average for South Australia until this year.

Mean maximum temperatures at individual locations varied, but were well below average for September, with temperatures up to 3°C below average in the east, grading to more than 4°C below average in the west. Kyancutta, Ceduna and Whyalla on the northern Eyre Peninsula recorded coldest on record mean maximum temperatures for September.

In the Pastoral districts mean maximum temperatures ranged from 18.0°C at Yunta Airstrip to 23.9°C at Moomba Airport and Marree Comparison. The highest recorded maximum temperature in the Pastorals for September was 33.4°C at Marla Police Station on the 1st. The lowest was 11°C at Ernabella (Pukatja) on the 18th. Marla Police Station recorded its lowest September maximum temperature on record with 14.2°C on the 15th.

Mean maximum temperatures over the Agricultural districts ranged from 10.9°C at Mount Lofty to 19.8°C at Port Augusta Aero. The highest maximum recorded during September was 27.0°C at Hawker on the 1st. The lowest was 8.3°C at Mount Lofty on the 5th.

Some sites had their coldest September day (lowest maximum temperature) on record.
Some sites had their lowest September mean daily maximum temperature on record.
Some sites had their lowest September mean daily maximum temperature for at least 25 years.

Minimum

Mean minimum temperatures were generally within 1°C of the long-term average this September.

Mean minimum temperatures in the pastoral areas ranged from 6.7°C at Nonning and Yunta Airstrip to 11.8°C at Moomba Airport. The lowest minimum temperature recorded in the Pastorals was -0.5°C at Gluepot on the 30th. The highest minimum temperature was 19.1°C at Moomba Airport on the 3rd.

Over the Agricultural districts mean monthly minimum temperatures ranged from 4.2°C at Yongala to 11.2°C at Neptune Island. The lowest minimum temperature recorded during September was -1.4°C at Murray Bridge (Pallamana Aerodrome) on the 30th. The highest minimum temperature was 14.2°C at Whyalla Aero on the 13th.

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Extremes in September 2010
Hottest day	33.4 °C at Marla Police Station on the 1st
Warmest days on average	23.9 °C at Marree Comparison 23.9 °C at Moomba Airport
Coolest days on average	10.9 °C at Mount Lofty
Coldest day	8.3 °C at Mount Lofty on the 5th
Coldest night	-1.4 °C at Murray Bridge (Pallamana Aerodrome) on the 30th
Coolest nights on average	4.2 °C at Yongala
Warmest nights on average	11.8 °C at Moomba Airport
Warmest night	19.1 °C at Moomba Airport on the 3rd
Wettest overall	200.2 mm at Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS)
Highest wind gust	117 km/h at Cape Willoughby on the 4th

Details Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Record highest September daily rainfall
	Highest daily rainfall in September 2010 (mm)		Previous highest for September		Years of record
Blinman	117.0	on the 4th	86.1	on the 6th in 1892	128
Curnomona (Curnamona)	51.0	on the 4th	47.5	on the 10th in 1881	128
Hamley Bridge	56.6	on the 4th	35.6	on the 19th in 1913	127
Hawker	53.8	on the 4th	46.7	on the 6th in 1892	127
Milang	36.0	on the 4th	34.2	on the 23rd in 1998	127
Port Broughton	35.0	on the 4th	34.4	on the 27th in 1979	127
Port Wakefield	45.2	on the 4th	35.3	on the 27th in 1906	127
Warooka	64.0	on the 4th	44.0	on the 24th in 1995	127
Adelaide (Salisbury Bowling Club)	45.0	on the 4th	41.7	on the 22nd in 1923	126
Callington	39.2	on the 4th	35.3	on the 10th in 1884	126
Gumeracha	53.6	on the 4th	52.6	on the 7th in 1886	126
Wallaroo	51.2	on the 4th	36.8	on the 2nd in 1997	126
Two Wells	50.2	on the 4th	34.2	on the 23rd in 1998	125
Corny Point	44.2	on the 4th	34.0	on the 19th in 1997	120
Manna Hill	48.4	on the 4th	33.8	on the 17th in 1903	120
Paskeville	43.0	on the 4th	36.6	on the 12th in 1917	120
Koonamore	62.0	on the 4th	42.4	on the 23rd in 1916	118
Palmer	41.2	on the 4th	40.1	on the 14th in 1960	110
American River	45.2	on the 4th	42.7	on the 24th in 1884	106
Erudina	57.8	on the 4th	38.1	on the 25th in 1926	98
Mount Hope (Fairview)	37.6	on the 4th	32.2	on the 25th in 1979	98
Cudlee Creek (Millbrook)	58.8	on the 4th	52.6	on the 9th in 1941	97
Finniss	37.4	on the 4th	33.0	on the 18th in 1921	95
Adelaide (Torrens Island)	34.6	on the 4th	33.0	on the 30th in 1928	82
Rosedale (Turretfield Research Centre)	44.6	on the 4th	40.0	on the 2nd in 1997	78
Parafield Airport	37.0	on the 4th	26.7	on the 3rd in 1931	63
Mount Bold Reservoir	42.2	on the 4th	35.6	on the 12th in 1988	60
Nullarbor	25.8	on the 3rd	23.0	on the 27th in 1974	58
Stockport (Clifton)	55.0	on the 4th	48.4	on the 24th in 1995	52
Williamstown (South Para Reservoir)	52.2	on the 4th	35.0	on the 8th in 2004	43
Parachilna (Motpena)	39.0	on the 4th	35.0	on the 3rd in 2005	42
Cowell (Winter Springs)	59.6	on the 4th	41.0	on the 28th in 1979	41
Bolivar Treatment Works	31.0	on the 4th	30.1	on the 23rd in 1998	38
Edinburgh RAAF	53.4	on the 4th	25.8	on the 23rd in 1998	38
Kensington Upper (Burnside)	36.8	on the 4th	35.6	on the 12th in 1917	33
Parndana	33.2	on the 4th	32.0	on the 10th in 1985	31
Loxton Research Centre	50.6	on the 4th	32.8	on the 2nd in 1997	27
Beltana Roadhouse	66.2	on the 4th	33.0	on the 3rd in 2005	25
Leigh Creek Airport	97.6	on the 4th	33.8	on the 3rd in 2005	25
Mungeranie (Kalamurina)	20.8	on the 9th	15.5	on the 15th in 1998	25

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Record highest total September rainfall
	Total rainfall for September 2010 (mm)	Previous highest for September		Years of record	Average for September
Port Wakefield	105.4	91.0	in 1992	137	33.4
Ardrossan	95.4	87.4	in 1997	131	36.4
Callington	99.4	87.9	in 1903	128	41.4
Cowell	99.9	78.0	in 1979	124	28.7
Price	96.9	93.8	in 1992	67	34.7
Beltana Roadhouse	78.8	55.2	in 2005	25	18.9
Leigh Creek Airport	112.8	55.8	in 2005	25	19.7

Highest total September rainfall for at least 25 years
	Total rainfall for September 2010 (mm)	Most recent higher for September		Years since higher	Average for September
Blinman	137.4	158.3	in 1892	118	26.8
Langhorne Creek	86.6	103.5	in 1893	117	39.6
Murray Bridge Comparison	88.3	93.0	in 1893	117	36.8
Marree Comparison	71.5	83.7	in 1904	106	10.7
Finniss	110.8	110.9	in 1917	78	53.6
Curnomona (Curnamona)	58.5	69.9	in 1964	46	13.3
Erudina	59.6	64.7	in 1964	46	11.5
Koonamore	70.4	94.9	in 1964	46	16.6
Oodnadatta Airport	52.4	66.5	in 1964	36	10.2
Todmorden	45.4	53.0	in 1975	35	10.8
Mount Dare	49.2	73.2	in 1975	32	7.4
Arkaroola	41.7	96.3	in 1979	31	15.6
Cleve Aerodrome	89.6	110.0	in 1979	31	37.5
Cowell (Winter Springs)	108.2	128.0	in 1979	31	38.5
Warooka	121.1	122.5	in 1979	31	46.3
Maitland	95.6	97.4	in 1958	29	51.5
Tumby Bay	100.0	101.0	in 1979	29	36.4
Sutherlands	89.0	116.4	in 1979	28	30.5
Tarcoola (Mobella)	40.4	110.8	in 1979	28	14.6
Nullarbor	60.2	71.2	in 1974	27	17.9

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Record lowest September daily maximum temperature
	Lowest daily maximum temperature in September 2010 (°C)		Previous lowest for September		Years of record	Average for September
Marla Police Station	14.2	on the 15th	15.1	on the 1st in 1995	25	26.9

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Record lowest September mean daily maximum temperature
	Mean daily maximum temperature for September 2010 (°C)	Previous lowest for September		Years of record	Average for September
Streaky Bay	17.5	= 17.5	in 1956	83	20.2
Kyancutta	17.9	18.1	in 1956	80	21.8
Ceduna AMO	17.9	18.1	in 1992	69	21.4
Kimba	16.0	16.2	in 1984	42	20.3
Whyalla Aero	17.5	18.1	in 1984	25	21.6

Lowest September mean daily maximum temperature for at least 25 years
	Mean daily maximum temperature for September 2010 (°C)	Most recent lower for September		Years since lower	Average for September
Cleve	16.0	15.8	in 1958	51	19.4
Warooka	15.5	15.4	in 1970	40	17.8
Oodnadatta Airport	23.4	23.2	in 1969	31	26.6

Details Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Summary statistics for September 2010
	Maximum temperatures for September (°C)				Minimum temperatures for September (°C)				Rainfall for September (millimetres)
	Mean for September 2010	Diff from average	Highest for September 2010		Mean for September 2010	Diff from average	Lowest for September 2010		Total for September 2010	Average for September	Rank of September 2010	Fraction of September average
Northwest (district 16)
Andamooka	22.1	-2.5	30.8	1st	10.5	+0.1	6.5	30th	32.8	13.4	v high	245%
Coober Pedy Airport	21.3		29.5	1st	10.3		6.0	5th	16.2
Ernabella (Pukatja)	20.9		31.5	2nd	9.0		4.7	5th	76.4
Marla Police Station	22.6	-4.3	33.4	1st	9.5	-1.3	4.7	6th	50.9	11.2	v high	454%
Nonning	18.6	-3.0	24.4	24th	6.7	-0.2	3.2	24th	43.2	24.8	high	174%
Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome)	21.7		29.5	1st	9.0		1.8	30th	31.0
Tarcoola Aero	21.9		28.6	25th	7.9		2.9	11th	2.8
Woomera Aerodrome	20.5	-2.1	27.3	1st	9.3	-0.1	5.8	6th	23.6	15.1	high	156%
Far North (district 17)
Arkaroola	20.4	-2.9	28.1	1st	8.7	+0.6	3.0	7th	41.7	15.6	v high	267%
Leigh Creek Airport	20.7	-2.5	28.8	1st	9.1	-0.2	2.6	30th	112.8	19.7	highest	573%
Marree Aero	22.8		30.5	2nd	10.5		4.5	30th	64.6
Marree Comparison	23.9	-1.7	31.7	1st	10.9	+1.2	7.5	18th	71.5	10.7	v high	668%
Moomba Airport	23.9		32.5	1st	11.8		7.6	6th	75.2
Oodnadatta Airport	23.4	-3.2	33.1	1st	11.3	-0.1	7.2	21st	52.4	10.2	v high	514%
Western Agricultural (district 18)
Ceduna AMO	17.9	-3.5	26.5	8th	7.5	-0.3	1.6	24th	27.2	27.9	average	97%
Cleve	16.0	-3.4	22.0	24th	8.5	0.0	5.0	6th	101.0	42.8	v high	236%
Cleve Aerodrome	15.8		21.1	24th	8.1		4.4	30th	89.6	37.5	v high	239%
Coulta (Coles Point)	15.5		20.2	8th	8.5		3.4	24th	78.6
Cummins Aero	16.1		21.2	8th	7.0		1.3	24th	69.6
Elliston	16.9	-2.3	24.2	8th	9.3	-0.1	5.6	26th	68.7	39.8	v high	173%
Kimba	16.0	-4.3	23.0	24th	6.4	-0.6	3.0	6th	100.2	37.4	v high	268%
Kyancutta	17.9	-3.9	23.8	24th	7.0	+0.7	1.8	24th	56.8	31.8	high	179%
Minnipa DPI	17.1		23.4	24th	6.9		2.7	18th	44.2
Neptune Island	14.9	-1.3	17.3	8th	11.2	-0.3	9.1	10th	125.0	46.5	v high	269%
North Shields (Port Lincoln AWS)	16.3		21.8	8th	8.4		3.5	30th	87.8
Nullarbor	17.3	-5.3	25.4	24th	8.3	+0.4	3.3	26th	60.2	17.9	v high	336%
Port Augusta Aero	19.8		26.4	24th	8.7		3.1	30th	40.6
Streaky Bay	17.5	-2.7	22.8	12th	9.7	-0.2	6.0	17th	44.6	35.5	high	126%
Whyalla Aero	17.5	-4.1	23.0	9th	8.8	+0.7	2.9	30th	70.2	28.8	v high	244%
Wudinna Aero	17.9		24.0	24th	6.5		0.3	29th	56.2
Upper North (district 19)
Hawker	18.2	-3.4	27.0	1st	6.4	-0.4	1.3	30th	75.0	28.1	v high	267%
Yongala	15.2	-2.7	20.5	24th	4.2	+0.2	-1.2	18th	49.5	38.6	high	128%
Northeast (district 20)
Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot)	18.9		24.9	24th	7.2		-0.5	30th	72.3
Yunta Airstrip	18.0		25.0	1st	6.7		0.9	7th	52.0
Lower North (district 21)
Clare High School	14.3		18.1	13th	6.2		0.6	29th	101.8
Port Pirie Aerodrome	18.2		23.4	24th	7.1		1.2	24th	42.1
Port Pirie Nyrstar Comparison	18.5	-2.9	24.0	24th	9.2	-0.6	5.0	7th	51.9	35.6	high	146%
Snowtown (Rayville Park)	16.4		20.0	24th	6.0		-0.1	7th	60.2
Yorke Peninsula (district 22A)
Edithburgh	15.5		18.8	12th	8.5		3.2	7th	92.0
Kadina AWS	16.6		19.6	12th	6.4		-0.1	7th	80.4
Maitland	15.4	-2.6	19.2	12th	8.3	-0.1	5.2	29th	95.6	51.5	v high	186%
Minlaton Aero	15.8		19.2	13th	7.3		1.9	29th	93.6
Stenhouse Bay	15.5		19.2	12th	9.8		5.1	30th	92.8
Warooka	15.5	-2.3	19.1	25th	8.3	-0.3	5.4	6th	121.1	46.3	v high	262%
Kangaroo Island (district 22B)
Cape Borda	14.1		17.7	13th	8.7		5.8	30th	92.8
Cape Willoughby	14.2	-1.7	17.3	25th	10.0	-0.3	7.4	28th	92.2	56.4	v high	163%
Kingscote Aero	16.2		20.4	25th	7.2		1.5	24th	88.4
Adelaide Plains (district 23A)
Adelaide (Kent Town)	16.9	-2.1	20.5	13th	9.2	-0.5	4.1	7th	72.2	60.3	high	120%
Adelaide Airport	16.0	-2.1	19.2	12th	9.0	+0.1	3.7	30th	55.4	46.2	average	120%
Edinburgh RAAF	16.5	-2.4	21.0	13th	7.8	-0.3	2.3	29th	94.2	48.8	v high	193%
Parafield Airport	17.3	-1.5	21.1	13th	7.4	-0.8	1.7	29th	67.4	44.3	high	152%
Roseworthy AWS	16.4		20.5	13th	5.7		0.2	24th	81.4
County Light (district 23B)
Nuriootpa Viticultural	14.6		18.1	13th	6.5		2.1	24th	89.6
Rosedale (Turretfield Research Centre)	16.0	-2.3	19.9	13th	6.4	-0.2	-0.4	29th	96.4	53.7	v high	180%
Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23C)
Hindmarsh Island AWS	15.4		19.5	12th	9.7		6.2	30th	91.4
Kuitpo Forest Reserve	13.1		16.8	13th	7.0		4.0	30th	108.2
Mount Barker	15.1	-1.4	20.0	13th	6.1	+0.3	0.5	30th	129.6	85.5	high	152%
Mount Crawford (Mt Crawford AWS)	12.3		16.8	13th	6.0		2.9	30th	125.6
Mount Lofty	10.9		16.3	13th	5.0		2.3	7th	141.2
Noarlunga	15.6		19.2	3rd	9.2		5.2	29th	71.8
Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS)	12.2		15.4	25th	7.3		4.7	30th	200.2
Victor Harbor (Encounter Bay)	15.6		19.2	12th	8.8		3.0	30th	86.6
Upper Murray Valley (district 24A)
Loxton Research Centre	17.8	-2.9	21.8	27th	6.4	+0.1	0.9	24th	60.0	27.4	v high	219%
Renmark Aero	18.2		22.8	27th	6.6		0.5	24th	46.6
Lower Murray Valley (district 24B)
Eudunda	14.6	-2.4	18.8	12th	5.9	-0.5	1.7	30th	100.4	49.0	v high	205%
Meningie	16.1	-2.0	20.3	13th	8.4	+0.1	3.8	30th	81.5	48.4	v high	168%
Murray Bridge (Pallamana Aerodrome)	16.2		20.7	26th	6.4		-1.4	30th	71.8
Murray Bridge Comparison	17.3	-2.5	21.8	26th	7.7	+0.5	1.5	30th	88.3	36.8	v high	240%
Strathalbyn Racecourse	15.5		18.9	24th	8.0		3.4	30th	87.8
Murray Mallee (district 25A)
Karoonda	16.4		20.8	13th	6.2		0.0	29th	60.7	35.6	high	171%
Upper Southeast (district 25B)
Keith	16.1	-2.5	20.0	9th	7.1	+0.1	1.0	30th	57.0	51.0	average	112%
Keith (Munkora)	15.7		19.5	9th	5.6		-1.0	30th	56.6
Lameroo (Austin Plains)	16.2		20.4	9th	5.4		-0.3	30th	34.6
Lameroo Comparison	16.9	-2.5	21.0	13th	6.6	+0.6	1.6	30th	48.9	42.1	average	116%
Lower Southeast (district 26)
Cape Jaffa (The Limestone)	14.5		17.2	25th	8.8		5.0	14th	61.6
Coonawarra	15.2	-1.6	19.5	25th	6.5	+0.1	1.1	29th	63.8	63.8	average	100%
Mount Gambier Aero	14.4	-1.4	17.8	25th	7.0	+0.7	1.7	14th	77.4	73.0	average	106%
Naracoorte Aerodrome	15.4		18.8	9th	6.4		0.5	3rd	56.8
Padthaway South	15.5		18.8	9th	6.9		1.1	30th	56.2
Robe Airfield	14.8		17.0	25th	8.5		2.0	2nd	70.4
Robe Comparison	14.7	-1.0	17.0	9th	9.6	+0.4	5.6	14th	73.8	59.3	high	124%

Details Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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