Monday, 2 May 2011 - Monthly Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC23R0

South Australia in April 2011: Average to below average rainfall

  • Average to below average rainfall across most of South Australia.
  • No rainfall was recorded in parts in the Pastoral Districts.
  • Second wettest year to date rainfall following the wettest January to March period on record.
  • Maximum temperatures within 1°C of average.
  • Minimum temperatures up to 2°C below average in parts of northern SA.

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Rainfall

South Australia has received about a quarter of the April rainfall average for the state as a whole. Most locations received below average April rainfall across the state, with a few areas seeing close to average rainfall (though still on the low side), predominantly in the southeast. Nullarbor was the only area to have above average rainfall for April with a total of 29.6 mm against the long-term April average of 22.2 mm.

South Australia has had its second wettest first four months of the year (January to April) on record. January to March this year was the wettest first 3 months of the year on record, but with below average rainfall in April 2011 the year to date state average has slipped to second place. The wettest first four months of the year was in 1974.

Pastoral Districts

Rainfall totals over the pastoral districts were below average; with totals ranging up to only about 7 mm. Zero rainfall was recorded at a number of locations. The wettest overall was Woomera Aerodrome with 6.6 mm.

Agricultural Districts

Rainfall totals were generally below average across the agricultural districts. In the Lower Southeast totals approached the April average, but were still slightly below. Rainfall totals were around 5mm in the Upper North, Upper Murray Valley and Murray Mallee districts, increasing to about 10 to 20 mm over most other agricultural districts, and up to 30 mm in the Mount Lofty Ranges and the Lower Southeast. The wettest overall was Mount Gambier Aero with 54.2 mm.

Some sites had their lowest total April rainfall on record.
Some sites had their lowest total April rainfall for at least 25 years.
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 April 2011 was 19.0 °C, which is 0.6 °C below the long-term average.

Maximum

The area-averaged mean maximum temperature of 26.3°C was 0.3°C below the long-term April average for South Australia as a whole.

Mean maximum temperatures over South Australia were generally within 1°C of the long-term average.

Average daily maximum temperatures over the pastoral districts ranged from 23.6°C at Yunta in the Northeast district to 28.8°C at Moomba Airport in the Far North district. The highest recorded maximum temperature for April was 34.7°C at Marree on the 7th of the month.

Average daily maximum temperatures across the agricultural areas ranged from 16.7°C at Mount Lofty to 26.3°C at Port Augusta Aero in the Western Agricultural District. The lowest recorded maximum temperature for April was 10.2°C at Mount Lofty on the 10th of the month, with the warmest day recorded at Ceduna with 34.8°C on the 8th.

Minimum

Mean minimum temperatures were up to 2 °C below average across parts of northern South Australia this April and generally within 1 °C of average elsewhere.

Over the Pastoral districts average minimum temperatures ranged from 8.0°C at Yunta in the Northeast District to 13.2°C at Oodnadatta Airport in the Far North District. The lowest overnight minimum temperature in the pastorals for April was 2.8°C at Yunta on the 12th and the 25th, whilst the highest was 19.5°C recorded at Marree Comparison on the 8th.

Over the agricultural areas average overnight minimum temperatures ranged from 6.6°C at Yongala to 15.2°C at Neptune Island. The lowest recorded daily minimum temperature for April in the Agricultural districts was 1.2°C at Robe on the 18th, whilst the highest was 21.7 °C at Noarlunga on the 8th.

Some sites had their lowest April mean daily minimum temperature for at least 25 years.

Further information

Media
(03) 9669 4057
Enquiries
Extremes in April 2011
Hottest day 34.8 °C at Ceduna AMO on the 8th
Warmest days on average 28.8 °C at Moomba Airport
Coolest days on average 16.7 °C at Mount Lofty
Coldest day 10.2 °C at Mount Lofty on the 10th
Coldest night 1.2 °C at Robe Airfield on the 18th
Coolest nights on average 6.6 °C at Yongala
Warmest nights on average 15.2 °C at Neptune Island
Warmest night 21.7 °C at Noarlunga on the 8th
Warmest on average overall 20.8 °C at Moomba Airport
Coolest on average overall 13.1 °C at Mount Lofty
Wettest overall 54.2 mm at Mount Gambier Aero
Highest wind gust 83 km/h at Cape Willoughby on the 8th

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Record lowest total April rainfall
Total rainfall
for April 2011 (mm) 		Previous driest
for April		 Years of
record		 Average for
April
Marree Comparison 0.0 = 0.0 in 2005 126 10.9
Bute 0.0 = 0.0 in 1910 125 30.4
Oodnadatta Airport 0.0 = 0.0 in 2008 63 11.3
Marla Police Station 0.0 = 0.0 in 1999 25 10.9

Lowest total April rainfall for at least 25 years
Total rainfall
for April 2011 (mm) 		Most recent April
at least this dry		 Years since
drier		 Average for
April
Greenock 0.8 0.3 in 1945 64 41.1


Lowest April mean daily minimum temperature for at least 25 years
Mean daily minimum
temperature
for April 2011 (°C) 		Most recent April
at least this cool		 Years since
cooler		 Average for
April
Hawker 9.0 8.7 in 1978 26 11.0


Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Summary statistics for April 2011
Maximum temperatures
for April
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
for April
(°C)		 Rainfall
for April
(millimetres)
Mean for
April
2011		 Diff
from
average		 Highest for
April
2011		 Mean for
April
2011		 Diff
from
average		 Lowest for
April
2011		 Total for
April
2011		 Average
for
April		 Rank of
April
2011		 Fraction of
April
average
Northwest (district 16)
Andamooka 27.0 -0.3 31.8 8th 13.1 -0.9 9.5 11th 1.0 15.4 average 6%
Coober Pedy Airport 26.3   31.7 8th 12.8   7.7 11th 0.2
Ernabella (Pukatja) 26.4   30.8 13th 11.5   5.0 11th 0
Marla Police Station 27.4 -1.3 32.5 13th 10.9 -2.8 6.5 12th 0 10.9 lowest 0%
Nonning 24.7 -0.3 31.1 8th 11.3 +0.5 6.0 23rd 2.0 14.7 low 14%
Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome) 27.0   32.0 8th 9.8   4.5 12th 0.6
Tarcoola Aero 26.6   33.2 8th 11.0   5.2 12th 3.8
Woomera Aerodrome 25.7 +0.2 32.0 8th 12.7 -0.4 8.3 11th 6.6 11.6 average 57%
Far North (district 17)
Arkaroola 24.3 -0.9 29.4 9th 9.2 -2.0 4.0 4th 5.8 14.6 average 40%
Leigh Creek Airport 26.0 -0.2 30.2 6th 12.1 -0.8 6.1 12th 1.0 14.0 low 7%
Marree Aero 27.8   32.7 6th 12.3   7.1 12th 0.8
Marree Comparison 28.6 +0.1 34.7 7th 13.0 -0.3 8.0 12th 0 10.9 lowest 0%
Moomba Airport 28.8   33.0 9th 13.1   8.0 12th 1.8
Oodnadatta Airport 28.1 -0.4 32.8 9th 13.2 -1.2 7.8 12th 0 11.3 lowest 0%
Western Agricultural (district 18)
Ceduna AMO 24.4 +0.2 34.8 8th 10.0 -0.7 3.6 5th 9.2 19.3 average 48%
Cleve 22.8 +0.1 30.9 8th 12.8 +0.5 7.4 12th 11.6 28.5 low 41%
Cleve Aerodrome 23.0   31.8 8th 12.4   7.6 12th 6.2 25.0 low 25%
Coulta (Coles Point) 22.7   32.1 8th 11.4   5.3 12th 22.8
Cummins Aero 23.8   34.0 8th 10.7   2.9 12th 13.6
Elliston 22.6 +0.3 32.7 8th 12.3 +0.1 4.9 12th 13.0 27.4 average 47%
Kimba 23.5 -0.5 30.6 7th 11.3 +0.1 6.2 12th 19.0 22.3 average 85%
Kyancutta 25.3 0.0 33.0 8th 9.2 -0.3 3.6 12th 8.2 19.3 average 42%
Minnipa Pirsa 24.5   32.3 8th 11.5   5.3 12th 12.2
Neptune Island 19.2 -0.3 21.7 8th 15.2 +0.3 12.4 10th 15.0 31.5 average 48%
North Shields (Port Lincoln AWS) 21.7   33.7 8th 11.8   6.8 12th 16.4
Nullarbor 24.1 -0.6 32.5 7th 11.3 -0.3 6.6 17th 29.6 22.2 high 133%
Port Augusta Aero 26.3   33.3 8th 10.9   5.9 18th 5.8
Streaky Bay 24.0 +0.3 29.9 27th     8.2 12th 18.7 24.0 average 78%
Whyalla Aero 23.5 -0.3 32.8 8th 11.1 -0.6 6.7 24th 8.6 18.6 average 46%
Wudinna Aero 25.4   33.6 8th 9.0   1.8 12th 9.2
Upper North (district 19)
Hawker 24.2 -1.3 30.3 8th 9.0 -2.0 2.2 12th 5.2 19.7 average 26%
Yongala 22.0 +0.1 27.9 8th 6.6 -0.6 1.6 23rd 3.3 24.7 low 13%
Northeast (district 20)
Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot) 24.5   31.5 8th 8.1   3.5 25th 5.5
Yunta Airstrip 23.6   29.4 8th 8.0   2.8 12th 1.6
Lower North (district 21)
Clare High School 21.0   28.2 8th 9.2   3.5 23rd 13.8
Port Pirie Aerodrome 24.9   31.3 8th 11.4   5.6 12th 12.1
Port Pirie Nyrstar Comparison 25.3 +0.5 32.0 7th 13.6 +0.4 9.0 11th 11.1 27.6 average 40%
Snowtown (Rayville Park) 24.4   32.3 8th 9.2   4.4 3rd 7.0
Yorke Peninsula (district 22A)
Edithburgh 20.7   31.5 8th 13.0   7.1 18th 13.2
Kadina AWS 23.8   31.4 8th 10.3   4.1 12th 10.4
Maitland 22.5 +0.1 30.0 8th 12.5 0.0 8.2 23rd 12.5 41.0 low 30%
Minlaton Aero 22.5   31.7 8th 11.4   6.8 12th 8.4
Stenhouse Bay 20.4   30.7 8th 13.9   9.3 18th 10.8
Warooka 21.9 -0.1 28.8 8th 12.6 +0.1 9.2 12th 8.8 32.8 low 27%
Kangaroo Island (district 22B)
Cape Borda 19.1   24.5 7th 12.2   8.7 1st 18.0
Cape Willoughby 18.4 -0.7 25.6 8th 14.3 +0.2 10.4 11th 22.8 39.6 average 58%
Kingscote Aero 20.8   28.0 8th 8.7   4.2 18th 17.8
Adelaide Plains (district 23A)
Adelaide (Kent Town) 22.8 +0.2 31.7 8th 12.3 -0.1 7.9 12th 13.6 40.9 low 33%
Adelaide Airport 22.3 +0.1 31.1 8th 11.5 -0.3 7.0 24th 18.0 35.3 average 51%
Edinburgh RAAF 23.0 0.0 32.0 8th 10.8 -0.9 6.1 12th 11.2 31.1 low 36%
Parafield Airport 23.3 +0.7 31.9 8th 10.6 -1.2 5.5 4th 17.8 39.6 low 45%
Roseworthy AWS 23.5   32.2 28th 9.1   2.8 4th 8.8
County Light (district 23B)
Nuriootpa Viticultural 20.9   27.8 8th 9.0   3.2 18th 2.4
Rosedale (Turretfield Research Centre) 22.8 -0.3 30.5 8th 9.9 -0.8 3.5 11th 11.5 36.5 low 32%
Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23C)
Hindmarsh Island AWS 21.3   31.6 8th 11.8   8.0 18th 16.6
Kuitpo Forest Reserve 19.1   28.3 8th 11.0   7.5 10th 29.2
Mount Barker 19.6 -0.9 27.8 8th 9.1 +0.8 4.8 6th 20.2 58.5 low 35%
Mount Crawford (Mt Crawford AWS) 18.3   25.7 8th 10.3   6.7 11th 12.0
Mount Lofty 16.7   25.1 8th 9.6   5.6 10th 28.8
Noarlunga 22.1   31.2 8th 13.2   9.4 3rd 6.8
Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS) 17.7   26.8 8th 11.0   8.2 11th 32.2
Victor Harbor (Encounter Bay) 20.7   31.2 8th 9.9   4.2 18th 19.2
Upper Murray Valley (district 24A)
Loxton Research Centre 24.1 +0.2 30.3 8th 8.7 +0.3 4.1 23rd 6.4 16.2 average 40%
Renmark Aero 24.4   30.8 8th 9.0   3.4 23rd 5.0
Lower Murray Valley (district 24B)
Eudunda 21.2 -0.2 28.0 8th 9.6 -0.2 6.1 11th 14.8 32.9 average 45%
Meningie 22.1 +0.4 28.9 7th 9.9 -0.9 5.8 17th 20.0 37.5 average 53%
Murray Bridge (Pallamana Aerodrome) 22.5   31.0 8th 8.1   3.0 25th 10.4
Murray Bridge Comparison 23.4 -0.1 31.0 8th 9.4 -0.9 5.5 24th 17.7 28.8 average 61%
Strathalbyn Racecourse 21.7   31.0 8th 10.2   6.2 5th 23.6
Murray Mallee (district 25A)
Karoonda 23.2   30.5 8th 8.6   4.0 6th 8.0 24.7 low 32%
Upper Southeast (district 25B)
Keith 22.2 -0.3 30.0 8th 8.4 -0.9 3.8 3rd 17.4 33.0 average 53%
Keith (Munkora) 22.7   30.1 8th 7.3   1.7 3rd 16.8
Lameroo (Austin Plains) 22.7   30.0 8th 7.9   3.8 3rd 9.0
Lameroo Comparison 23.3 +0.4 30.0 8th 9.3 +0.3 5.4 3rd
Lower Southeast (district 26)
Cape Jaffa (The Limestone) 19.5   28.1 8th 10.2   4.0 18th 23.0
Coonawarra 20.0 -1.0 28.4 8th 7.8 +0.1 2.4 18th 32.4 36.3 average 89%
Mount Gambier Aero 19.1 -0.3 27.9 8th 9.2 +0.5 2.8 18th 54.2 55.0 average 99%
Naracoorte Aerodrome 20.3   28.5 8th 8.0   2.1 18th 17.6
Padthaway South 21.0   28.9 8th 7.4   2.0 14th 25.4
Robe Airfield 19.9   29.2 8th 8.8   1.2 18th 30.6
Robe Comparison 19.0 +0.2 25.5 7th 11.4 -0.1 5.6 18th 34.2 46.2 average 74%

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Notes

A Monthly Climate Summary is prepared to list the main features of the weather in South Australia 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 9 am on Monday 2 May 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
(03) 9669 4057
Enquiries

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