Monday, 1 November 2010 - Monthly Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC13R0

South Australia in October 2010

The wet continues in northern South Australia.

• Rainfall was generally above average, tending well above average in the north. Rainfall in southern areas tended to be below average, particularly in the southeast.
• The Pastoral Districts received 2 to 4 times their average October rainfall, with the middle of the month being particularly wet.
• 3 locations set new highest daily rainfall records for October.
• 4 sites set new monthly rainfall records for October.
• Temperatures in the pastoral areas were below average, with maximum temperatures well below average in the north.
• Some sites set new record lowest mean daily maximum temperature records for October, while the southeast tended have warmer than average maximum temperatures.

Details Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Rainfall

It was a dry start to the month in southern areas, though wetter in the north. A low pressure trough crossed SA mid month, producing widespread rainfall over central and southern Australia.

Pastoral Districts

Rainfall totals were well above average across the Pastoral Districts, with most areas receiving up to 4 times their monthly October average. Two new October daily rainfall records were set at Mount Dare of 53.8mm & Mount Barry Stn of 44.0mm both on the 15th. Rainfall totals ranged from about 30 mm to 90 mm. Oodnadatta received 46.4mm for the month, with is more than 3 times its monthly October average of 14.0 mm.

Agricultural Districts

Rainfall totals were above average across Eyre Peninsula and the Flinders Ranges and Riverland, but remaining areas were near average. Some parts of the Mount Lofty Ranges and much of the south-east had below average rainfall. Wirrulla in the Western Agricultural set a new daily rainfall record for the month, of 39.0mm on the 28th.

Rainfall totals were generally between 20 and 50mm across the agricultural districts, near 50mm in the Mount Lofty Ranges. A large area of Eyre Peninsula, the mid north & the Riverland near the eastern border recorded above 50mm.

For the growing season as a whole (April to October) rainfall was generally average to above average across all of the Agricultural Districts. Year to date rainfall totals are generally average to above average, increasing to an area of highest on record in the far northeast of South Australia. The rest of the northern areas had very much above average falls.

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

Temperature

The monthly mean October temperature for South Australia as a whole (the average of the maximum and minimum temperatures) was 17.4°C, which is 1.3°C below the long-term average for South Australia.

Maximum

The area-averaged mean maximum temperature of 24.1°C was 1.9°C below the long-term October average for South Australia as a whole.

The coldest October on record was in 1975. This month is also the first October since 2003 to record a below average mean maximum temperature. All October's since 2003 had been warmer than average for South Australia until this year.

Mean maximum temperatures at individual locations varied, but were well below average for October, with temperatures from 1°C below average in the lower south east, grading to more than 3°C below average in the north west.

In the Pastoral districts mean maximum temperatures ranged from 23.1°C at Yunta Airstrip to 27.6°C at Moomba Airport . The highest recorded maximum temperature in the Pastorals for October was 37.4°C at Moomba Airport on the 29th. Leigh Creek Airport recorded its lowest October maximum temperature on record with 14.1°C on the 15th.

Mean maximum temperatures over the Agricultural districts ranged from 15.8°C at Mount Lofty to 24.9°C at Port Augusta Aero. The highest maximum recorded during October was 36.3°C at Ceduna on the 28th. The lowest was 7.1°C at Mount Lofty on the 15th.

Loxton Research Centre recorded its lowest October maximum temperature on record with 12.4C on the 15th

Minimum

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

Mean minimum temperatures in the pastoral areas ranged from 8.8°C at Gluepot to 14.5°C at Oodnadatta Airport. The lowest minimum temperature recorded in the Pastorals was 1.0°C at Marree on the 16th. The highest minimum temperature was 21.5°C at Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome on the 29th.

Over the Agricultural districts mean monthly minimum temperatures ranged from 5.5°C at Yongala to 12.4C°C at Neptune Island. The lowest minimum temperature recorded during October was -1.8°C at Keith (Munkora) on the 25th.

The highest minimum temperature was 22.9°C at Port Pirie Aerodrome on the 29th.

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

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Extremes in October 2010
Hottest day	37.4 °C at Moomba Airport on the 29th
Warmest days on average	27.6 °C at Moomba Airport
Coolest days on average	15.8 °C at Mount Lofty
Coldest day	7.1 °C at Mount Lofty on the 15th
Coldest night	-1.8 °C at Keith (Munkora) on the 25th
Coolest nights on average	5.5 °C at Yongala
Warmest nights on average	14.5 °C at Oodnadatta Airport
Warmest night	22.9 °C at Port Pirie Aerodrome on the 29th
Wettest overall	117.4 mm at Melrose
Highest wind gust	102 km/h at Marree Aero on the 15th

Details Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Record highest October daily rainfall
	Highest daily rainfall in October 2010 (mm)		Previous highest for October		Years of record
Wirrulla	39.0	on the 28th	36.3	on the 19th in 1962	87
Mount Dare	53.8	on the 15th	47.0	on the 3rd in 1974	58
Mount Barry Station	44.0	on the 15th	29.0	on the 14th in 1985	27

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Record highest total October rainfall
	Total rainfall for October 2010 (mm)	Previous highest for October		Years of record	Average for October
Whyalla Aero	59.0	58.8	in 1980	31	24.3
Mount Barry Station	87.0	56.4	in 2005	27	17.4
Beltana Roadhouse	74.2	57.8	in 1986	25	21.2
Leigh Creek Airport	60.2	48.2	in 1986	25	19.3

Highest total October rainfall for at least 25 years
	Total rainfall for October 2010 (mm)	Most recent higher for October		Years since higher	Average for October
Wharminda	70.7	107.9	in 1924	52	28.0
Cleve	84.0	95.7	in 1975	35	36.5
Orroroo (Black Rock)	80.6	104.3	in 1976	34	28.4
Port Neill	54.7	66.0	in 1974	34	28.4
Yunta (Panaramitee)	74.0	89.0	in 1976	34	22.4
Cleve Aerodrome	82.2	99.2	in 1975	33	29.3
Mount Dare	79.4	88.6	in 1974	33	17.5
Whyte Yarcowie	84.4	144.5	in 1976	33	33.5
Booleroo Centre (Willowie)	71.7	100.2	in 1976	32	29.7
Koonamore	63.4	100.4	in 1976	31	20.4
Poochera	60.6	69.9	in 1975	30	24.6

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Record lowest October daily maximum temperature
	Lowest daily maximum temperature in October 2010 (°C)		Previous lowest for October		Years of record	Average for October
Leigh Creek Airport	14.1	on the 15th	14.5	on the 22nd in 1995	27	26.6
Loxton Research Centre	12.4	on the 15th	12.5	on the 21st in 1995	27	24.0

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Record lowest October temperature
	Lowest temperature in October 2010 (°C)		Previous lowest for October		Years of record	Average for October
Marree Comparison	1.0	on the 16th	3.6	on the 3rd in 1957	71	13.4
Parafield Airport	1.6	on the 7th	= 1.6	on the 11th in 2000	54	10.1

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Lowest October mean daily minimum temperature for at least 25 years
	Mean daily minimum temperature for October 2010 (°C)	Most recent lower for October		Years since lower	Average for October
Marree Comparison	11.0	10.7	in 1946	63	13.4
Streaky Bay	10.0	9.6	in 1966	43	11.4

Details Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Summary statistics for October 2010
	Maximum temperatures for October (°C)				Minimum temperatures for October (°C)				Rainfall for October (millimetres)
	Mean for October 2010	Diff from average	Highest for October 2010		Mean for October 2010	Diff from average	Lowest for October 2010		Total for October 2010	Average for October	Rank of October 2010	Fraction of October average
Northwest (district 16)
Andamooka	25.7	-2.4	34.4	22nd	13.2	-0.2	7.8	31st	38.2	19.8	high	193%
Coober Pedy Airport	25.3		36.9	3rd	13.4		7.1	31st	45.8
Ernabella (Pukatja)	25.0		35.1	3rd	12.0		4.7	17th	93.8
Nonning	23.8	-1.2	32.4	28th	10.1	+0.6	3.7	17th	54.6	22.9	v high	238%
Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome)	25.7		34.1	22nd	11.8		5.5	9th	33.6
Tarcoola Aero	26.2		34.7	22nd	11.9		5.7	7th	41.2
Woomera Aerodrome	25.0	-1.2	34.4	22nd	12.4	+0.1	6.5	31st	37.2	16.0	high	233%
Far North (district 17)
Arkaroola	24.4	-2.2	31.2	4th	11.8	+0.2	4.9	2nd	61.3	19.6	v high	313%
Leigh Creek Airport	24.6	-2.0	32.2	22nd	12.2	-0.2	4.9	17th	60.2	19.3	highest	312%
Marree Aero	26.8		33.8	22nd	13.5		7.1	17th	29.4
Marree Comparison	27.5	-1.9	35.0	4th	11.0	-2.4	1.0	16th	33.2	13.4	high	248%
Moomba Airport	27.6		37.4	29th	14.2		7.9	16th	47.4
Oodnadatta Airport	26.7	-3.6	37.0	3rd	14.5	-0.6	8.4	8th	46.4	14.0	v high	331%
Western Agricultural (district 18)
Ceduna AMO	23.4	-0.4	36.3	28th	9.2	-0.7	2.6	19th	41.6	25.6	high	163%
Cleve	21.3	-1.0	31.7	28th	10.3	+0.2	4.9	7th	84.0	36.5	v high	230%
Cleve Aerodrome	21.0		31.9	28th	9.4		5.0	7th	82.2	29.3	v high	281%
Coulta (Coles Point)	20.3		31.4	28th	8.9		4.7	24th	37.4
Cummins Aero	21.3		32.6	28th	7.1		1.0	7th	48.0
Elliston	20.8	-0.7	32.8	28th	10.5	-0.6	5.8	6th	64.5	30.4	v high	212%
Kimba	21.9	-1.9	31.5	28th	8.9	-0.2	2.2	31st	48.3	30.7	high	157%
Kyancutta	24.0	-1.2	33.6	28th	7.4	-0.8	0.4	7th	68.4	26.6	v high	257%
Minnipa DPI	23.3		33.3	28th	9.2		1.4	7th	68.6
Neptune Island	17.3	-0.1	21.9	28th	12.4	+0.1	8.4	15th	31.2	27.0	average	116%
North Shields (Port Lincoln AWS)	20.0		33.4	28th	8.3		4.6	7th	28.4
Nullarbor	22.8	-1.6	35.5	21st	9.5	-0.6	2.8	18th	40.0	18.3	v high	219%
Port Augusta Aero	24.9		35.8	22nd	10.9		5.9	2nd	68.8
Streaky Bay	22.8	0.0	32.5	11th	10.0	-1.4	6.0	8th	83.6	26.5	v high	315%
Whyalla Aero	22.3	-1.5	32.8	28th	10.2	-0.3	4.7	2nd	59.0	24.3	highest	243%
Wudinna Aero	24.2		34.1	28th	7.3		-1.4	7th	67.0
Upper North (district 19)
Hawker	23.7	-1.9	31.3	22nd	9.3	-0.4	3.2	17th	49.0	24.7	high	198%
Yongala	21.5	-0.2	29.5	22nd	5.5	-0.5	-0.2	7th	66.2	33.9	v high	195%
Northeast (district 20)
Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot)	24.1		33.0	22nd	8.8		1.5	7th	56.7
Yunta Airstrip	23.1		31.9	22nd	9.9		3.9	16th	32.8
Lower North (district 21)
Clare High School	19.4		27.7	22nd	7.9		3.2	19th	87.4
Port Pirie Aerodrome	23.3		31.5	22nd	9.7		1.2	7th	47.5
Port Pirie Nyrstar Comparison	23.5	-1.0	31.0	22nd	11.8	-0.1	6.0	7th	64.5	33.2	high	194%
Snowtown (Rayville Park)	22.7		31.9	22nd	6.1		0.2	7th	40.0
Yorke Peninsula (district 22A)
Edithburgh	19.3		30.1	11th	10.8		5.1	26th	27.6
Kadina AWS	22.2		30.8	28th	6.7		0.6	8th	48.0
Maitland	20.8	-0.5	29.0	11th	10.3	+0.4	5.4	7th	49.6	42.4	average	117%
Minlaton Aero	21.0		31.6	28th	8.4		2.4	7th	52.0
Stenhouse Bay	19.5		30.0	11th	11.5		7.3	14th	24.0
Warooka	20.4	-0.2	27.8	28th	9.9	-0.2	4.8	7th	30.6	35.8	average	85%
Kangaroo Island (district 22B)
Cape Borda	17.2		24.1	11th	9.5		6.1	31st	35.8
Cape Willoughby	17.4	-0.2	25.4	21st	11.7	+0.3	8.0	15th	34.2	42.4	average	81%
Kingscote Aero	19.9		28.6	11th	5.8		-0.3	25th	28.4
Adelaide Plains (district 23A)
Adelaide (Kent Town)	21.4	-0.4	30.0	11th	11.7	+0.3	6.3	7th	29.2	43.8	average	67%
Adelaide Airport	20.5	-0.5	31.1	11th	10.6	0.0	6.0	7th	34.0	38.1	average	89%
Edinburgh RAAF	21.7	-0.3	30.7	28th	10.0	0.0	3.1	7th	35.4	39.7	average	89%
Parafield Airport	22.5	+0.8	31.1	11th	9.7	-0.4	1.6	7th	31.0	42.3	average	73%
Roseworthy AWS	21.9		30.3	28th	7.0		0.2	7th	30.4
County Light (district 23B)
Nuriootpa Viticultural	20.0		27.7	11th	7.9		0.6	7th	31.6
Rosedale (Turretfield Research Centre)	21.5	-0.3	29.1	11th	7.5	-0.8	-0.1	7th	33.7	44.3	average	76%
Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23C)
Hindmarsh Island AWS	20.2		29.6	11th	10.8		5.6	14th	39.6
Kuitpo Forest Reserve	18.1		27.1	11th	9.1		4.6	16th	42.0
Mount Barker	20.0	+0.6	27.2	11th	7.0	-0.2	2.0	25th	43.8	66.9	low	65%
Mount Crawford (Mt Crawford AWS)	17.7		24.5	28th	8.4		3.4	16th	37.4
Mount Lofty	15.8		23.7	11th	7.7		2.5	16th	46.0
Noarlunga	20.5		30.1	28th	11.3		6.9	7th	36.6
Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS)	16.4		25.4	11th	8.8		5.1	25th	74.4
Victor Harbor (Encounter Bay)	19.8		29.7	11th	8.4		2.2	25th	44.8
Upper Murray Valley (district 24A)
Loxton Research Centre	23.4	-0.6	31.9	29th	8.6	+0.3	3.5	8th	52.2	26.7	high	196%
Renmark Aero	23.8		32.6	29th	9.3		3.2	7th	67.0
Lower Murray Valley (district 24B)
Eudunda	19.9	-0.7	26.9	11th	7.8	-0.2	1.8	7th	44.0	40.5	average	109%
Meningie	20.6	+0.1	28.4	28th	9.3	-0.1	3.7	25th	33.1	39.2	average	84%
Murray Bridge (Pallamana Aerodrome)	21.9		30.7	11th	6.1		0.1	2nd	51.4
Murray Bridge Comparison	22.8	+0.1	30.5	11th	8.7	-0.3	3.8	2nd	59.4	34.0	high	175%
Strathalbyn Racecourse	20.3		29.6	11th	8.3		3.2	2nd	41.6
Murray Mallee (district 25A)
Karoonda	22.3		30.2	22nd	7.5		1.4	7th	43.1	32.7	high	132%
Upper Southeast (district 25B)
Keith	21.7	+0.2	30.5	29th	8.2	0.0	1.0	24th	18.8	42.4	low	44%
Keith (Munkora)	21.7		31.2	29th	6.0		-1.8	25th	20.2
Lameroo (Austin Plains)	22.5		31.5	29th	7.1		0.5	7th	33.4
Lameroo Comparison	22.3	-0.2	30.4	29th	8.3	+0.5	2.2	7th	35.2	37.2	average	95%
Lower Southeast (district 26)
Cape Jaffa (The Limestone)	18.8		26.6	11th	8.9		4.5	25th	33.2
Coonawarra	19.9	+0.6	29.0	29th	7.3	+0.2	0.4	24th	19.8	45.5	low	44%
Mount Gambier Aero	18.8	+0.9	28.7	29th	6.9	-0.2	1.2	25th	57.4	61.7	average	93%
Naracoorte Aerodrome	20.4		28.7	29th	7.0		-0.1	24th	37.0
Padthaway South	20.7		29.8	22nd	7.9		1.3	24th	32.8
Robe Airfield	18.7		28.1	11th	8.0		0.8	25th	36.6
Robe Comparison	18.1	+0.5	23.5	11th	9.9	-0.4	6.0	6th	38.8	44.3	average	88%

Details Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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