Tuesday, 1 February 2011 - Monthly Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC13R0

South Australia in January 2011: Record rainfall in parts of the east. Record heat in central parts in the last week.

• Above average rainfall was recorded across eastern border areas of South Australia, largely due to extremely moist northeasterly flow and heavy rainfall in the 24 hours to 9am on the 14th.
• Maximum temperatures were above average across the state, with temperatures reaching 2 to 4 degrees above average in northern and central parts.
• Record breaking heat in the last week of January saw highest daily maximum temperature records broken in central parts of the State, including Woomera, Andamooka and Leigh Creek. At Woomera and Leigh Creek, these were the hottest temperatures recorded for any time of year.
• Minimum temperatures 1 to 2 degrees above average, reaching 3 to 4 degrees above average in the north.
• Oodnadatta equalled its hottest minimum temperature on record with 34.2°C on the 28th.

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Rainfall

Above average rainfall was recorded along eastern parts of South Australia in January. Tropical air was drawn into a trough near the eastern border of South Australia from the 12th to the 15th of January, placing eastern border areas of SA in an extremely moist air mass. A low formed on this trough on 12 January near Mount Gambier, before moving southwest and then southeast out of the State. Record January daily rainfall totals were recorded in the 24 hours to 9am on 14 January at seven locations along the southeastern border, with 5 of these locations recording their wettest January on record as a result, see highest January rainfall on records.

Elsewhere rainfall totals were average to below average for January 2011.

Pastoral Districts

Rainfall over the pastoral districts was above average in the east and parts of the west, tending average elsewhere. Rainfall totals varied significantly across the Pastoral Districts. Some locations received less than 10 mm, mainly in central parts, whilst elsewhere totals were generally from 30 to 60 mm. Ernabella was the wettest location with 70 mm recorded.

Agricultural Districts

Rainfall was above average in eastern agricultural areas, with record rainfall near the border associated with heavy rainfall around the middle of January as described above. Totals were average to below average over central districts and the Eyre Peninsula. Totals were largely less than 10 mm over western and central districts, with a few locations receiving up to 20 mm of rain for the month. Districts in the southeast received from around 20 mm, grading up to 100 mm or more near the eastern border. The highest January total was 163.2 mm at Alawoona in the Murray Mallee, also the highest in the state as a whole.

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

Temperature

The mean temperature (the average of the maximum and minimum temperatures) for South Australia as a whole in January 2011 was 29.5 °C, which is 2.7 °C above the long-term average.

Temperatures this January were generally above average across the state, due mainly to hot conditions in the last week of the month. The southeast however saw maximum temperatures just below average.

Maximum

The area-averaged mean maximum temperature of 37.2°C was 2.5°C above the long-term January average for South Australia as a whole. This is the 5th warmest January, on record. January 2001 is the warmest January on record with a mean maximum temperature of 38.9°C.

Mean maximum temperatures over the pastoral districts of the state were 2 to 4 degrees above average, ranging from 33.8°C at Gluepot in the Northeast district to 41.6°C at Oodnadatta Airport in the Far North district. The highest recorded maximum temperature for January was 48.5°C at Roxby Downs on the 25th of the month. This is the highest temperature ever recorded at Roxby Downs for any month of the year, though it is not included in the record table due to its short record period. Woomera, Andamooka and Leigh Creek all set new highest daily maximum temperature records for January on the 25th, see highest January temperatures on record. For Woomera and Leigh Creek, this was the hottest day on record for any time of year.

Over the agricultural areas mean maximum temperatures were generally up to 2 degrees above the long-term average, apart from the southeast where maximum temperatures were up to 1 degree below average. Maximum temperatures for the month as a whole across the agricultural areas ranged from 22.0°C at Robe in the Lower Southeast to 37.4°C at Hawker. The lowest recorded maximum temperature for January was 16.6°C at Mount Lofty on the 11th of the month, with the hottest day being recorded at Port Augusta with 47.9°C on the 25th.

Some sites had their highest January temperature on record.

Minimum

Mean minimum temperatures over the Pastoral Districts were between 2 to 4 degrees above average in January 2011, ranging from 16.7°C at Gluepot Reserve in the North East District to 27.0°C at Oodnadatta in the Far North District. The warmest overnight minimum temperature for January was 34.2°C recorded at Oodnadatta Airport in the Far North district on the 28th. This is equal to Oodnadatta's highest January minimum temperature on record, and is also the record highest minimum temperature for any time of the year at Oodnadatta, see warmest January night (highest daily minimum temperature) on record.

Over the agricultural areas overnight minimum temperatures were 1 to 2 degrees above average. The minimum temperatures in this area ranged from 12.1°C at Mount Gambier Aero and Naracoorte in the Lower South East to 20.7°C at Port Augusta Aero. The lowest recorded daily minimum temperature for January was 3.2°C recorded at Naracoorte on the 4th.

 

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Extremes in January 2011
Hottest day	48.5 °C at Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome) on the 25th
Warmest days on average	41.6 °C at Oodnadatta Airport
Coolest days on average	22.0 °C at Robe Comparison
Coldest day	16.6 °C at Mount Lofty on the 11th
Coldest night	3.2 °C at Naracoorte Aerodrome on the 4th
Coolest nights on average	12.1 °C at Mount Gambier Aero 12.1 °C at Naracoorte Aerodrome
Warmest nights on average	27.0 °C at Oodnadatta Airport
Warmest night	34.2 °C at Oodnadatta Airport on the 28th
Warmest on average overall	34.3 °C at Oodnadatta Airport
Coolest on average overall	18.1 °C at Robe Comparison
Wettest overall	163.0 mm at Alawoona
Highest wind gust	85 km/h at Woomera Aerodrome on the 25th

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Record highest January daily rainfall
	Highest daily rainfall in January 2011 (mm)		Previous wettest for January		Years of record
Millicent	59.8	on the 14th	45.2	on the 25th in 1941	128
Frances	104.0	on the 14th	56.0	on the 20th in 2007	121
Wolseley	86.2	on the 14th	61.4	on the 20th in 2007	120
Kalangadoo	74.0	on the 14th	59.7	on the 25th in 1941	96
Alawoona	132.0	on the 14th	61.0	on the 25th in 1941	90
Mount Gambier Aero	82.4	on the 14th	53.4	on the 15th in 1995	70
Loxton Research Centre	66.6	on the 14th	25.0	on the 20th in 2007	27

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Record highest total January rainfall
	Total rainfall for January 2011 (mm)	Previous wettest for January		Years of record	Average for January
Frances	124.8	93.2	in 2007	122	22.5
Wolseley	116.0	92.6	in 2007	121	20.7
Kalangadoo	106.6	104.2	in 1963	96	28.9
Alawoona	163.0	135.4	in 1941	90	19.9
Loxton Research Centre	97.6	59.6	in 2007	27	19.0

Highest total January rainfall for at least 25 years
	Total rainfall for January 2011 (mm)	Most recent January at least this wet		Years since wetter	Average for January
Keith	57.0	86.4	in 1963	48	19.0
Millicent	69.0	122.7	in 1963	48	25.7
Mount Gambier Aero	119.6	126.2	in 1963	48	27.4
Pinnaroo	111.0	130.4	in 1974	37	18.0
Parilla	145.8	196.4	in 1974	36	18.9
Peebinga	117.0	145.8	in 1974	35	22.4
Lameroo Comparison	74.9	82.2	in 1979	32	19.7

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Record highest January temperature
	Highest temperature in January 2011 (°C)		Previous warmest for January		Years of record	Average for January
Woomera Aerodrome	48.1	on the 25th	47.6	on the 2nd in 1960	62	34.4
Andamooka	47.8	on the 25th	47.6	on the 3rd in 1990	41	36.4
Leigh Creek Airport	46.1	on the 25th	45.6	on the 3rd in 1990	28	35.3

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Record highest January daily minimum temperature
	Highest daily minimum temperature in January 2011 (°C)		Previous warmest for January		Years of record	Average for January
Oodnadatta Airport	34.2	on the 28th	= 34.2	on the 4th in 2004	62	22.9

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Summary statistics for January 2011
	Maximum temperatures for January (°C)				Minimum temperatures for January (°C)				Rainfall for January (millimetres)
	Mean for January 2011	Diff from average	Highest for January 2011		Mean for January 2011	Diff from average	Lowest for January 2011		Total for January 2011	Average for January	Rank of January 2011	Fraction of January average
Northwest (district 16)
Andamooka	39.5	+3.1	47.8	25th	24.1	+2.9	17.3	3rd	2.6	18.1	low	14%
Coober Pedy Airport	39.3		47.1	25th	24.9		17.9	5th	11.6
Ernabella (Pukatja)	38.1		43.7	28th	23.1		17.8	5th	70.0
Nonning	36.1	+2.8	44.2	30th	18.6	+2.1	13.9	17th	2.0	15.6	low	13%
Tarcoola Aero	39.3		48.0	25th	21.1		14.9	5th	5.2
Woomera Aerodrome	38.2	+3.8	48.1	25th	22.0	+2.6	15.4	17th	0.4	14.8	low	3%
Far North (district 17)
Arkaroola	35.3	+1.1	43.3	25th	21.3	+1.3	15.8	13th	57.0	33.5	high	170%
Leigh Creek Airport	38.2	+2.9	46.1	25th	23.1	+2.5	15.1	5th	16.0	21.1	average	76%
Marree Aero	40.3		47.3	25th	24.3		17.5	5th	25.2
Marree Comparison	40.5	+2.7	47.0	27th	24.5	+3.2	18.3	5th	36.0	17.4	high	207%
Moomba Airport	39.1		45.9	27th	23.9		18.4	5th	37.8
Oodnadatta Airport	41.6	+3.9	47.5	27th	27.0	+4.1	19.7	5th	0.6	23.3	low	3%
Western Agricultural (district 18)
Ceduna AMO	29.3	+0.7	47.2	30th	16.7	+1.6	8.6	14th	4.4	11.6	average	38%
Cleve	28.6	+0.3	44.5	30th	17.2	+1.7	12.5	17th	6.2	15.5	average	40%
Cleve Aerodrome	29.0		44.3	30th	16.4		12.1	4th	1.6	15.3	low	10%
Coulta (Coles Point)	27.9		40.3	29th	15.5		9.0	23rd	5.2
Cummins Aero	30.3		43.8	30th	15.5		8.0	23rd	3.6
Elliston	25.2	-0.5	41.1	29th	16.6	+1.0	10.5	18th	15.3	10.2	high	150%
Kimba	33.1	+1.7	44.0	30th	16.5	+0.8	11.2	17th	0.4	16.6	low	2%
Kyancutta	34.5	+1.5	46.7	30th	16.4	+2.1	8.3	18th	0.8	13.7	low	6%
Minnipa Pirsa	34.7		45.4	30th	16.3		9.5	18th	0.4
Neptune Island	22.6	+0.6	34.4	30th	16.5	+0.4	14.0	3rd	1.4	12.8	low	11%
North Shields (Port Lincoln AWS)	27.2		44.3	30th	16.4		12.6	23rd	4.2
Nullarbor	28.2	+0.3	47.0	30th	17.7	+2.2	11.4	14th	20.2	11.2	high	180%
Port Augusta Aero	35.4		47.9	25th	20.7		14.9	6th	3.4
Streaky Bay	30.8	+1.6	44.5	29th	17.4	+1.4	13.5	18th	4.6	10.6	average	43%
Whyalla Aero	30.7	+0.7	44.5	30th	18.6	+1.1	13.9	6th	3.0	16.2	low	19%
Wudinna Aero	35.3		46.8	30th	15.8		7.1	18th	0.4
Upper North (district 19)
Hawker	37.4	+3.3	45.5	25th	20.5	+2.6	14.0	5th	9.2	19.8	average	46%
Wirrabara Forest	33.4		42.6	30th	14.8		9.0	18th	15.2	27.2	average	56%
Yongala	33.6	+2.9	43.0	25th	15.5	+2.2	8.7	18th	9.0	22.2	average	41%
Northeast (district 20)
Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot)	33.5		44.7	30th	16.7		9.6	4th	41.8
Yunta Airstrip	34.6		43.5	25th	17.8		12.4	4th	33.6
Lower North (district 21)
Clare High School	31.0		40.8	30th	15.9		8.5	18th	12.4
Port Pirie Aerodrome	33.2		44.4	30th	18.9		12.0	18th	9.5
Port Pirie Nyrstar Comparison	33.6	+1.6	44.5	30th	19.6	+2.0	14.8	18th	7.9	18.6	average	42%
Snowtown (Rayville Park)	32.7		43.4	30th	14.9		7.8	4th	8.2
Yorke Peninsula (district 22A)
Edithburgh	25.4		42.5	31st	17.1		11.5	15th	4.4
Kadina AWS	32.4		43.9	30th	15.8		8.2	18th	1.4
Maitland	29.6	+0.4	42.5	30th	16.7	+1.1	11.5	18th	3.2	17.3	low	18%
Minlaton Aero	29.6		42.2	30th	15.5		9.9	4th	0.8
Warooka	27.2	0.0	41.2	30th	16.5	+1.1	11.4	17th	3.0	14.4	low	21%
Kangaroo Island (district 22B)
Cape Borda	24.2		35.8	30th	14.3		10.1	2nd	2.8
Cape Willoughby	22.1	+0.5	36.0	30th	16.6	+0.9	14.7	4th	6.6	18.5	low	36%
Kingscote Aero	27.2		42.7	30th	14.1		7.6	20th	6.4
Adelaide Plains (district 23A)
Adelaide (Kent Town)	30.6	+1.4	42.9	31st	18.3	+1.3	13.2	19th	17.4	19.3	average	90%
Adelaide Airport	28.6	+0.6	41.0	30th	17.1	+1.2	11.6	4th	16.8	17.6	average	95%
Edinburgh RAAF	30.8	+0.9	43.0	31st	17.2	+0.8	11.5	18th	17.8	20.6	average	86%
Parafield Airport	30.9	+1.4	42.8	31st	16.8	+0.5	12.4	5th	17.2	20.9	average	82%
Roseworthy AWS	32.1		43.9	31st	14.8		6.8	18th	15.0
County Light (district 23B)
Nuriootpa Viticultural	30.5		41.3	30th	15.2		7.2	18th	3.8
Rosedale (Turretfield Research Centre)	31.4	+1.0	42.0	30th	16.2	+1.1	7.5	18th	9.1	18.4	average	49%
Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23C)
Hindmarsh Island AWS	24.9		41.2	30th	16.3		10.0	4th	18.4
Kuitpo Forest Reserve	25.4		39.4	31st	14.2		9.1	3rd	21.6
Mount Barker	28.3	+1.1	40.0	30th	13.2	+1.4	7.6	4th	17.4	25.8	average	67%
Mount Crawford (Mt Crawford AWS)	28.2		39.1	30th	14.1		7.7	3rd	7.6
Noarlunga	28.4		41.1	31st	17.1		12.4	3rd	14.6
Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS)	23.6		38.3	30th	14.1		9.9	4th	10.6
Victor Harbor (Encounter Bay)	24.3		42.2	30th	15.5		9.2	6th	20.4
Upper Murray Valley (district 24A)
Loxton Research Centre	31.9	+0.2	40.6	30th	15.7	+1.2	11.0	4th	97.6	19.0	highest	514%
Renmark Aero	32.6		42.5	31st	17.0		12.4	18th	99.2
Lower Murray Valley (district 24B)
Eudunda	31.4	+2.3	42.3	30th	15.1	+1.3	9.3	18th	13.4	21.7	average	62%
Meningie	26.4	+0.4	41.2	30th	14.9	+1.0	8.3	4th	31.0	18.4	high	168%
Murray Bridge (Pallamana Aerodrome)	29.1		44.3	30th	14.1		7.2	4th	12.6
Murray Bridge Comparison	29.6	+0.5	45.0	30th	15.6	+1.1	10.2	4th	14.4	16.4	average	88%
Strathalbyn Racecourse	27.3		42.2	30th	15.1		8.2	4th	19.2
Murray Mallee (district 25A)
Karoonda	30.9		43.5	30th	14.7		8.9	3rd	14.4	17.4	average	83%
Upper Southeast (district 25B)
Keith	28.9	-0.9	42.0	30th	14.1	+1.0	7.8	3rd	57.0	19.0	v high	300%
Keith (Munkora)	28.6		42.8	30th	12.4		6.2	4th	53.2
Lameroo (Austin Plains)	30.2		41.0	30th	14.3		9.1	3rd	74.4
Lameroo Comparison	30.3	-0.6	42.5	31st	15.4	+2.1	9.9	3rd	74.9	19.7	v high	380%
Lower Southeast (district 26)
Cape Jaffa (The Limestone)	23.3		35.3	30th	13.6		7.6	4th	27.6
Coonawarra	26.3	-0.8	39.3	30th	12.3	+0.9	3.7	3rd	96.8	28.8	v high	336%
Mount Gambier Aero	24.5	-0.7	39.6	30th	12.1	+1.0	4.9	4th	119.6	27.4	v high	436%
Naracoorte Aerodrome	27.8		40.0	30th	12.1		3.2	4th	78.0
Padthaway South	28.0		40.9	30th	12.8		5.6	4th	72.8
Robe Airfield	23.3		34.5	30th	13.0		6.3	27th	34.2
Robe Comparison	22.0	-0.5	29.9	30th	14.2	+0.6	9.5	4th	41.0	20.2	high	203%

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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