Tuesday, 4 January 2011 - Monthly Climate Summary for Adelaide Metro & Hills - Product code IDCKGC23R0
Adelaide Metro & Hills in December 2010: Well above average rainfall with several rainfall records broken
- The wettest December on record in Adelaide.
- Nine other locations in South Australia also had their wettest December on record.
- Fifteeen locations set new highest daily rainfall records for December, including Adelaide.
- Very high to highest December rainfall on record right across the Metro & Hills area.
- Above average thunderstorm activity in Adelaide.
- Maximum temperatures close to average, with minimum temperatures slightly above average.
The month started with high temperatures and humidity levels due to a sequence of low pressure troughs around the eastern border of the state, and a persistent blocking high pressure system centred in the Tasman Sea. Through this period a sustained burst of severe thunderstorm activity occurred on the 7th December producing severe winds and intense rainfall, with some stations in the Barossa Valley and hills seeing rainfall intensity exceeding 1 in 100 average recurrence levels. About mid-month this gave way to a milder south-westerly air-stream which was maintained through much of the remainder of the month.
Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top
Rainfall
Rainfall totals were well above average this month, with monthly totals up to five times the December average. Fifteen locations set new daily rainfall records for December. Most of these records were set during a prolonged period of severe thunderstorm activity on the afternoon and evening of the 7th December, with the rainfall totals being read to 9am on 8 December. Ten locations also had their wettest December on record.
Adelaide (Kent Town) rainfall for December 2010 was 87.0mm recorded on 12 days (this rainfall total is from the manually observed 203mm rain gauge which is used for the long term rainfall record. This may differ from totals on the Bureau's webpage which may be from the automatic tipping bucket rain gauge). This rainfall total is 59.0mm above the Kent Town average of 28.0mm on 8 days, while median December rainfall is 24.4mm. Last December's rainfall total recorded at Adelaide (Kent Town) was 18.2mm. This is the highest December rainfall since records began at Adelaide (Kent Town) in 1977. The previous highest was 72.8mm in 1993. Adelaide (Kent Town) also recorded it wettest single December day on record on the 8th, across both the Kent Town and West Terrace record. This is also the new highest daily rainfall record across all months of the year at Kent Town, but not at the West Terrace site where the wettest day on record saw 141.5mm fall on 07 February 1925.
Rainfall totals ranged from about 20mm to 130mm across the metropolitan area, increasing up to about 150mm in the Adelaide Hills. The highest reading was 207.0mm at South Para Reservoir.
For 2010 overall, Adelaide (Kent Town) recorded 592.6mm which is 43.5mm above the long-term average of 549.1mm. Last year 517.2mm was recorded. Rainfall totals were average to above average elsewhere across the Adelaide Hills and Metropolitan area for the whole of 2010. See the South Australia in 2010 annual summary for more information.
Temperatures
Mean maximum temperatures were mixed, but generally close to average across the Adelaide Hills and Metropolitan area. The mean maximum temperature at Adelaide (Kent Town) was 26.7°C which is 0.3°C below the long-term December average. Adelaide (Kent Town) had three days where the maximum temperature exceeded 35°C, which is equal to the long-term average for December of 3 days. In comparison, December last year there was a total of 7 days at or above 35°C, which included 2 days above 40°C.
The coldest day recorded at Adelaide (Kent Town) in December this year was 17.6°C on the 19th.
The highest daily maximum temperature in the Adelaide and Adelaide Hills region was 40.5°C recorded at Edinburgh RAAF on the 31st. The lowest daytime temperature was 11.3°C recorded at Mount Lofty on the 10th.
Minimum temperatures were close to 1.0°C above average this December. The mean minimum temperature at Adelaide (Kent Town) was 16.0°C, which is 0.5°C above the long-term December average of 15.5°C. In December last year Adelaide (Kent Town) recorded a mean minimum of 15.9°C.
The lowest daily minimum temperature in the Adelaide and Adelaide Hills region was 5.4°C recorded at Mount Barker on the morning of the 22nd, whilst the warmest night was 26.4°C at Adelaide (Kent Town) and at Parafield Airport on the 5th.
A sequence of low pressure troughs through eastern South Australia in the first half of December saw increased humidity levels, with Adelaide (Kent Town) recording an average 3pm relative humidity of 46% over the first 15 days of December, compared to the December average of 39%. For the month as a whole, the average 3pm relative humidity returned to normal with 39.6% recorded at Kent Town for December 2010.
Some sites had their highest total December rainfall on record. Some sites had their highest total December rainfall for at least 25 years. Some sites had their highest December daily rainfall on record.Further information
- Media
- media@bom.gov.au (03) 9669 4057
- Enquiries
- helpdesk.climate@bom.gov.au
| Extremes in December 2010 | |
|---|---|
| Hottest day | 40.5 °C at Edinburgh RAAF on the 31st |
| Warmest days on average | 27.7 °C at Parafield Airport |
| Coolest days on average | 20.8 °C at Mount Lofty |
| Coldest day | 11.3 °C at Mount Lofty on the 10th |
| Coldest night | 5.4 °C at Mount Barker on the 22nd |
| Coolest nights on average | 11.0 °C at Mount Lofty |
| Warmest nights on average | 16.0 °C at Adelaide (Kent Town) |
| Warmest night |
26.4 °C at Adelaide (Kent Town) on the 5th 26.4 °C at Parafield Airport on the 5th |
| Warmest on average overall | 21.6 °C at Parafield Airport |
| Coolest on average overall | 16.1 °C at Mount Lofty |
| Wettest overall | 207.0 mm at South Para Resv (Saw) |
| Highest wind gust |
80 km/h at Edinburgh RAAF on the 7th 80 km/h at Parafield Airport on the 19th |
Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top
| Record highest December daily rainfall | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Highest daily rainfall in December 2010 (mm) |
Previous wettest for December |
Years of record |
||||
| Gumeracha | 73.4 | on the 8th | 58.4 | on the 27th in 1920 | 127 | |
| Williamstown | 94.6 | on the 8th | 45.7 | on the 27th in 1920 | 126 | |
| Lyndoch | 86.4 | on the 8th | 39.9 | on the 25th in 1946 | 124 | |
| Adelaide (Glen Osmond) | 64.8 | on the 8th | 53.1 | on the 23rd in 1913 | 113 | |
| Smithfield | 68.8 | on the 8th | 45.7 | on the 27th in 1920 | 107 | |
| Gawler Council Depot | 72.8 | on the 8th | 35.6 | on the 19th in 1922 | 84 | |
| Parafield Airport | 51.2 | on the 8th | 47.0 | on the 28th in 1929 | 63 | |
| Williamstown (South Para Reservoir) | 59.6 | on the 2nd | 38.6 | on the 22nd in 2007 | 43 | |
| Adelaide (Magill Secure Care Centre) | 63.0 | on the 8th | 54.8 | on the 14th in 1993 | 42 | |
| Edinburgh RAAF | 58.8 | on the 8th | 35.4 | on the 14th in 1993 | 39 | |
| Bolivar Treatment Works | 43.4 | on the 8th | 28.2 | on the 14th in 1993 | 38 | |
| Adelaide (Kent Town) | 66.2 | on the 8th | 37.4 | on the 14th in 1993 | 34 | |
| Adelaide (Hope Valley Reservoir) | 49.2 | on the 8th | 47.2 | on the 14th in 1993 | 32 | |
| Blackwood (Wittunga) | 54.0 | on the 8th | 42.5 | on the 14th in 1993 | 32 | |
| Kensington Upper (Burnside) | 67.2 | on the 8th | 57.2 | on the 23rd in 1913 | 32 | |
| Record highest total December rainfall | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Total rainfall for December 2010 (mm) |
Previous wettest for December |
Years of record |
Average for December |
||
| Bridgewater | 160.5 | 148.6 | in 1992 | 135 | 42.0 |
| Williamstown | 167.0 | 115.4 | in 1992 | 131 | 30.0 |
| Lyndoch | 160.0 | 107.2 | in 1992 | 124 | 26.6 |
| Smithfield | 129.8 | 109.5 | in 1966 | 113 | 25.4 |
| Gawler Council Depot | 118.8 | 109.7 | in 1861 | 105 | 23.3 |
| Edinburgh RAAF | 127.0 | 76.4 | in 1992 | 39 | 25.1 |
| Bolivar Treatment Works | 70.0 | 65.5 | in 1992 | 38 | 24.8 |
| Adelaide (Kent Town) | 87.0 | 72.8 | in 1993 | 34 | 29.9 |
| Adelaide (Hope Valley Reservoir) | 87.0 | 84.2 | in 1993 | 32 | 32.1 |
| Kensington Upper (Burnside) | 100.6 | 76.3 | in 1913 | 32 | 29.9 |
| Highest total December rainfall for at least 25 years | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Total rainfall for December 2010 (mm) |
Most recent December at least this wet |
Years since wetter |
Average for December |
||
| Two Wells | 94.8 | 105.4 | in 1922 | 88 | 22.3 |
| Gumeracha | 145.2 | 149.2 | in 1922 | 84 | 34.8 |
| Adelaide (Glen Osmond) | 92.6 | 101.3 | in 1929 | 81 | 29.7 |
| Woodside | 113.2 | 130.0 | in 1929 | 68 | 32.7 |
| Parafield Airport | 81.4 | 99.3 | in 1929 | 62 | 25.2 |
| Adelaide (Pooraka) | 67.0 | 78.5 | in 1966 | 42 | 25.0 |
| Adelaide (Morphett Vale) | 63.2 | 64.2 | in 1966 | 25 | 25.8 |
Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top
| Summary statistics for December 2010 | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum temperatures for December (°C) |
Minimum temperatures for December (°C) |
Rainfall for December (millimetres) |
||||||||||
| Mean for December 2010 |
Diff from average |
Highest for December 2010 |
Mean for December 2010 |
Diff from average |
Lowest for December 2010 |
Total for December 2010 |
Average for December |
Rank of December 2010 |
Fraction of December average |
|||
| Adelaide (Kent Town) | 26.7 | -0.3 | 39.6 | 30th | 16.0 | +0.5 | 11.3 | 22nd | 87.0 | 28.0 | highest | 311% |
| Adelaide Airport | 25.9 | +0.2 | 39.2 | 30th | 15.5 | +1.0 | 9.9 | 22nd | 36.8 | 24.2 | high | 152% |
| Edinburgh RAAF | 27.0 | -0.8 | 40.5 | 31st | 15.5 | +0.8 | 9.7 | 22nd | 127.0 | 25.1 | highest | 506% |
| Mount Barker | 24.6 | -0.4 | 36.1 | 30th | 11.5 | +1.1 | 5.4 | 22nd | 108.6 | 35.0 | v high | 310% |
| Mount Lofty | 20.8 | 33.1 | 30th | 11.0 | 6.2 | 20th | 127.6 | |||||
| Noarlunga | 25.5 | 38.4 | 30th | 15.5 | 10.9 | 19th | 23.0 | |||||
| Parafield Airport | 27.7 | +0.1 | 39.8 | 30th | 15.5 | +0.7 | 10.3 | 20th | 81.4 | 25.2 | v high | 323% |
Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top
Notes
A Monthly Climate Summary is prepared to list the main features of the weather in Adelaide Metro & Hills using the most timely and accurate information available on the date of publication; it will generally not be updated. Later information, including data that has had greater opportunity for quality control, will be presented in the Monthly Weather Review, usually published in the fourth week of the month.
This statement has been prepared based on information available at 7 am on Tuesday 4 January 2011. Some checks have been made on the data, but it is possible that results will change as new information becomes available.
Averages are long-term means based on observations from
all available years of record, which vary widely from site to site.
They are not shown for sites with less than 20 years of record, as they cannot then be calculated reliably.
The median
is sometimes more representative than the
mean
of long-term average rain.
The Rank indicates how rainfall this time compares with the climate record for the site,
based on the
decile ranking
(very low rainfall is in decile 1, low in decile 2 or 3,
average in decile 4 to 7, high in decile 8 or 9
and very high is in decile 10).
The Fraction of average shows how much rain has fallen this time as a
percentage of the long-term mean.
Further information
- Media
- media@bom.gov.au (03) 9669 4057
- Enquiries
- helpdesk.climate@bom.gov.au
Unless otherwise noted, all maps, graphs and diagrams in this page are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence
