Thursday, 1 September 2011 - Monthly Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC13R0

South Australia in August 2011: Warm and generally dry.

• Warmer than average this August by 1°C to 3°C.
• New warmest August temperatures records at some locations in the south of the state.
• Near average rainfall though tending below average in many locations.

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Rainfall

Rainfall totals were below average across the Pastoral districts with totals generally ranging from 2 to 20mm, in what is typically a low rainfall time of the year in these areas. The highest August rainfall total recorded in the Pastoral Districts was 39.8 mm at Yardea in the Northwest Pastoral district with the majority of that total occurring with some isolated thunderstorm activity in that district in the first week of the month. Oodnadatta and Marla both recorded no rainfall this month, against average August rainfall of 8.2mm, though this has happened previously at these stations.

August rainfall totals across the Agricultural districts were quite mixed, with many areas tending below average for rainfall, though parts of the western and northern Eyre Peninsula, the Mount Lofty Ranges, the Adelaide Plains, and the Murraylands and the Upper South-east tended slightly above average.

Rainfall totals generally ranged from 30 to 80 mm, tending to the upper end of that range in the south-east and the Mount Lofty Ranges, and with several locations recording in excess of 100m in the Mount Lofty Ranges. The highest August rainfall total recorded in the Agricultural districts was 149.6mm at Crafers (Mount Lofty).

This year to date, rainfall totals have been 30 to 40% above average across most districts, apart from the southern agricultural districts where rainfall has been close to average for the year to the end of August. Much of the above average year to date rainfall is due to very wet conditions January to March, with rainfall tending below average since then. The recent drier conditions have led to growing season (April to October ) rainfall to the end of August being 30 to 80 mm below average in many locations in the agricultural areas, though this is very mixed from location to location across different regions.

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

Temperature

The weather patterns in August 2011 were dominated by blocking high pressure systems centred in the Tasman Sea leading to more northerly winds, and warmer temperatures across South Australia. State-wide the monthly mean temperature (the average of the maximum and minimum temperatures) for August 2010 was 2.0 °C warmer than average this August, the fourth warmest in the area averaged record which goes back to 1950.

Mean maximum temperatures were generally between 1°C and 2°C above average across the Agricultural districts this August, and 2°C to 3°C across average across the Pastoral Districts. Some sites set new record warmest temperature records for August as a whole.

In the Pastoral districts mean maximum temperatures ranged from 19.3 °C at Yunta Airstrip to 25.2 °C at Oodnadatta Airport. The highest recorded maximum temperature in the Pastoral districts for August was 34.5 °C at Ernabella on the 25th. Mean maximum temperatures over the Agricultural districts ranged from 12.1 °C at Mount Lofty to 21.7 °C at Port Augusta Aero.

The highest maximum recorded in the Agricultural districts during August was 31.4 °C at Port Augusta on the 3rd. The lowest was 7.7 °C at Mount Lofty on the 8th of August.

Mean minimum temperatures were warmer than average by up to 2 degrees around the state. Some locations around southern coasts- Maitland, Lameroo, Cape Willoughby and Coonawarra, had record warmest August overnight minimum temperatures.

Mean minimum temperatures in the pastoral areas ranged from 5.7 °C at Gluepot to 8.8°C at Coober Pedy Airport. Over the Agricultural districts mean monthly minimum temperatures ranged from 3.7 °C at Yongala to 12.7 °C at Neptune Island. The lowest recorded minimum temperature this August was -5.0 °C at Yongala on the 28th .

Some sites had their highest August mean daily maximum temperature on record.
Some sites had their highest August mean daily maximum temperature for at least 25 years.

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Extremes in August 2011
Hottest day	34.5 °C at Ernabella (Pukatja) on the 25th
Warmest days on average	25.2 °C at Oodnadatta Airport
Coolest days on average	12.1 °C at Mount Lofty
Coldest day	7.7 °C at Mount Lofty on the 8th
Coldest night	-5.0 °C at Yongala on the 28th
Coolest nights on average	3.7 °C at Yongala
Warmest nights on average	12.7 °C at Neptune Island
Warmest night	15.7 °C at Neptune Island on the 1st
Warmest on average overall	16.7 °C at Oodnadatta Airport
Coolest on average overall	9.5 °C at Mount Lofty
Wettest overall	149.6 mm at Crafers (Mt Lofty)
Highest wind gust	96 km/h at Cape Willoughby on the 16th

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Highest total August rainfall for at least 25 years
	Total rainfall for August 2011 (mm)	Most recent August at least this wet		Years since wetter	Average for August
Moonta	59.8	75.6	in 1986	25	40.6

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Record lowest total August rainfall
	Total rainfall for August 2011 (mm)	Previous driest for August		Years of record	Average for August
Oodnadatta Airport	0.0	= 0.0	in 2006	63	8.2
Marla Police Station	0.0	= 0.0	in 1995	26	8.2

Lowest total August rainfall for at least 25 years
	Total rainfall for August 2011 (mm)	Most recent August at least this dry		Years since drier	Average for August
Angaston	6.2	5.9	in 1914	96	71.2

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Record highest August mean daily maximum temperature
	Mean daily maximum temperature for August 2011 (°C)	Previous warmest for August		Years of record	Average for August
Mount Gambier Aero	16.1	= 16.1	in 1993	69	14.1

Highest August mean daily maximum temperature for at least 25 years
	Mean daily maximum temperature for August 2011 (°C)	Most recent August at least this warm		Years since warmer	Average for August
Andamooka	23.1	24.3	in 1982	29	20.5

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Record highest August daily minimum temperature
	Highest daily minimum temperature in August 2011 (°C)		Previous warmest for August		Years of record	Average for August
Neptune Island	15.7	on the 1st	= 15.7	on the 15th in 2009	50	11.1

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Record highest August mean daily minimum temperature
	Mean daily minimum temperature for August 2011 (°C)	Previous warmest for August		Years of record	Average for August
Lameroo Comparison	7.1	6.7	in 1984	96	4.8
Neptune Island	12.7	12.4	in 2007	49	11.1
Cape Willoughby	11.4	11.1	in 1982	43	9.6
Maitland	9.1	8.8	in 2009	31	7.1
Loxton Research Centre	6.1	6.0	in 2009	27	4.3
Coonawarra	7.0	6.7	in 2009	25	5.3

Highest August mean daily minimum temperature for at least 25 years
	Mean daily minimum temperature for August 2011 (°C)	Most recent August at least this warm		Years since warmer	Average for August
Mount Barker	6.7	6.8	in 1945	66	4.9
Cleve	9.1	9.4	in 1977	33	7.4
Keith	7.4	7.7	in 1984	27	5.9

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Summary statistics for August 2011
	Maximum temperatures for August (°C)				Minimum temperatures for August (°C)				Rainfall for August (millimetres)
	Mean for August 2011	Diff from average	Highest for August 2011		Mean for August 2011	Diff from average	Lowest for August 2011		Total for August 2011	Average for August	Rank of August 2011	Fraction of August average
Northwest (district 16)
Andamooka	23.1	+2.6	30.4	2nd	8.6	+1.4	4.6	18th	10.8	13.3	average	81%
Coober Pedy Airport	23.3		30.5	3rd	8.8		2.3	8th	1.2
Ernabella (Pukatja)	23.8		34.5	25th	6.0		0.0	7th	0
Nonning	19.8	+1.6	28.8	3rd	5.7	+1.2	0.9	28th	19.6	25.0	average	78%
Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome)	22.8		30.0	2nd	6.7		0.4	28th	9.0
Tarcoola Aero	22.7		30.4	3rd	6.3		0.6	8th	4.2
Woomera Aerodrome	21.5	+2.7	29.7	3rd	8.4	+1.6	3.6	18th	6.4	13.7	average	47%
Far North (district 17)
Arkaroola	21.3	+2.3	27.0	25th	5.1	+0.5	0.0	9th	10.1	14.3	average	71%
Leigh Creek Airport	21.4	+2.4	27.8	2nd	7.4	+1.3	1.1	6th	10.6	16.1	average	66%
Marree Aero	23.7		29.3	3rd	7.4		1.9	9th	1.8
Marree Comparison	24.6	+3.2	29.8	3rd	7.8	+1.5	3.0	6th	1.3	9.2	low	14%
Moomba Airport	25.0		30.6	1st	7.7		3.2	9th	0
Oodnadatta Airport	25.2	+3.1	31.2	16th	8.2	+0.8	2.7	7th	0	8.2	lowest	0%
Western Agricultural (district 18)
Ceduna AMO	20.1	+1.5	27.3	3rd	6.8	+0.6	1.6	26th	38.0	34.7	average	110%
Cleve	18.1	+1.5	26.0	3rd	9.1	+1.7	5.1	9th	50.8	48.1	average	106%
Cleve Aerodrome	17.7		25.6	3rd	8.5		3.4	26th	38.6	44.1	average	88%
Coulta (Coles Point)	17.3		22.5	24th	8.0		3.4	30th	62.0
Cummins Aero	17.7		22.3	23rd	5.3		0.0	26th	44.2
Elliston	18.5	+1.4	24.6	24th	9.1	+0.8	3.5	30th	57.4	59.3	average	97%
Kimba	18.0	+1.0	26.0	3rd			2.2	9th	43.8	42.0	average	104%
Kyancutta	19.7	+1.1	27.0	3rd	5.7	+0.7	-1.1	30th	32.8	39.1	average	84%
Minnipa Pirsa	18.8		26.2	3rd	7.6		3.3	30th	58.0
Neptune Island	16.6	+1.3	21.0	24th	12.7	+1.6	10.4	17th	33.4	63.5	low	53%
North Shields (Port Lincoln AWS)	18.0		23.1	24th	7.8		4.1	26th	36.6
Nullarbor	20.8	+1.3	30.1	14th	6.8	+1.0	1.5	8th	24.6	24.7	average	100%
Port Augusta Aero	21.7		31.4	3rd	6.2		0.5	28th	24.4
Streaky Bay	19.8	+2.3	27.5	23rd	9.6	+0.8	4.5	30th	65.5	50.4	high	130%
Whyalla Aero	19.9	+1.5	30.6	3rd	6.6	+0.7	1.6	27th	19.2	21.5	average	89%
Wudinna Aero	19.8		27.7	3rd	6.3		-1.3	30th	39.4
Upper North (district 19)
Hawker	20.5	+2.8	27.5	2nd	5.3	+1.0	-0.2	28th	18.0	32.0	average	56%
Yongala	16.6	+2.2	24.6	3rd	3.7	+1.2	-5.0	28th	40.6	43.6	average	93%
Northeast (district 20)
Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot)	19.9		29.0	3rd	5.7		-1.2	31st	26.3
Yunta Airstrip	19.3		28.0	3rd	5.8		-1.3	28th	16.2
Lower North (district 21)
Clare High School	15.6		24.4	3rd	5.1		-0.7	28th	73.0
Port Pirie Aerodrome	19.7		27.9	3rd	6.9		0.9	28th	28.2
Port Pirie Nyrstar Comparison	20.1	+2.0	27.5	3rd	9.6	+1.4	4.1	27th	28.8	35.0	average	82%
Snowtown (Rayville Park)	17.7		26.1	3rd	5.3		-1.2	30th	43.8
Yorke Peninsula (district 22A)
Edithburgh	17.2	+1.5	24.3	3rd	7.9	+0.5	2.8	26th	21.8	46.1	low	47%
Kadina AWS	17.9		25.0	3rd	5.3		-0.4	28th	46.0
Maitland	17.3	+1.9	23.5	3rd	9.1	+2.0	4.8	30th	59.4	61.1	average	97%
Minlaton Aero	17.3		21.7	24th	7.4		3.3	30th	33.2
Stenhouse Bay	17.5		22.2	24th	10.2		7.4	6th	26.4
Warooka	17.3	+1.6	20.8	2nd	8.6	+0.9	5.4	9th	31.0	59.2	low	52%
Kangaroo Island (district 22B)
Cape Borda	15.7		19.1	24th	10.0		6.2	31st	49.6
Cape Willoughby	15.6	+1.2	19.4	2nd	11.4	+1.8	8.7	7th	43.4	73.4	low	59%
Kingscote Aero	17.7		21.7	3rd	5.5		0.4	30th	30.8
Adelaide Plains (district 23A)
Adelaide (Kent Town)	18.0	+1.4	24.6	3rd	9.2	+1.0	5.4	28th	95.2	68.9	high	138%
Adelaide Airport	17.3	+1.4	23.7	3rd	8.2	+0.7	4.0	31st	57.4	50.2	average	114%
Edinburgh RAAF	17.8	+1.3	25.8	3rd	7.1	+0.6	2.1	30th	62.4	50.0	average	125%
Parafield Airport	18.3	+2.1	25.6	3rd	7.4	+0.7	1.9	30th	55.6	54.0	average	103%
Roseworthy AWS	17.8		26.8	3rd	6.4		0.1	30th	43.8
County Light (district 23B)
Nuriootpa Viticultural	16.0		24.6	3rd	6.4		-0.6	27th	73.2
Rosedale (Turretfield Research Centre)	17.6	+1.8	26.0	3rd	6.5	+0.8	-0.5	30th	64.3	57.5	average	112%
Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23C)
Hindmarsh Island AWS	17.7		25.8	3rd	9.2		5.6	14th	31.2
Kuitpo Forest Reserve	14.7		21.6	3rd	8.1		3.4	30th	86.4
Mount Barker	15.5	+1.3	23.0	3rd	6.7	+1.8	1.2	31st	79.8	102.4	average	78%
Mount Crawford (Mt Crawford AWS)	13.7		21.2	3rd	7.7		3.8	30th	106.2
Mount Lofty	12.1		19.1	3rd	6.9		3.3	30th	124.8
Noarlunga	17.2		22.3	3rd	9.9		6.1	30th	28.8
Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS)	13.9		17.5	24th	8.2		5.2	30th	73.2
Victor Harbor (Encounter Bay)	17.6		24.4	3rd	7.1		2.4	31st	54.8
Upper Murray Valley (district 24A)
Loxton Research Centre	18.6	+1.1	27.8	3rd	6.1	+1.8	0.5	28th	38.0	27.8	high	137%
Renmark Aero	19.4		29.2	3rd	5.7		-1.1	28th	24.0
Lower Murray Valley (district 24B)
Eudunda	15.8	+1.4	24.9	3rd	6.7	+1.4	2.0	30th	62.2	56.0	average	111%
Meningie	17.6	+1.6	22.4	3rd	8.0	+0.8	3.2	31st	54.2	56.8	average	95%
Murray Bridge (Pallamana Aerodrome)	18.1		27.4	3rd	5.3		-0.7	31st	40.4
Murray Bridge Comparison	19.1	+1.6	27.1	3rd	6.8	+0.9	1.5	31st	37.3	37.0	average	101%
Strathalbyn Racecourse	17.4		24.9	3rd	7.8		3.9	31st	34.0
Murray Mallee (district 25A)
Karoonda	18.1		27.6	3rd	5.7		0.1	31st	56.6	38.4	high	147%
Upper Southeast (district 25B)
Keith	17.6	+1.5	26.0	3rd	7.4	+1.5	0.5	30th	54.0	58.2	average	93%
Keith (Munkora)	17.1		24.7	3rd	6.1		-0.6	30th	31.0
Lameroo (Austin Plains)	17.2		25.8	3rd	5.6		0.2	30th	45.8
Lameroo Comparison	17.9	+1.5	27.1	3rd	7.1	+2.3	2.3	30th
Lower Southeast (district 26)
Cape Jaffa (The Limestone)	15.6		19.8	3rd	8.1		4.0	14th	35.8
Coonawarra	16.3	+1.5	24.1	3rd	7.0	+1.7	0.0	12th	80.6	80.7	average	100%
Mount Gambier Aero	16.1	+2.0	22.8	3rd	6.9	+1.4	0.6	14th	93.6	95.0	average	99%
Naracoorte Aerodrome	16.5		24.2	3rd	7.0		0.8	12th	55.8
Padthaway South	16.8		24.8	3rd	7.3		1.5	12th	59.0
Robe Airfield	16.6		24.1	3rd	6.8		0.5	7th	52.0
Robe Comparison	15.5	+1.2	18.1	3rd	9.3	+0.8	3.1	9th	60.2	85.4	low	70%

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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