Monday, 31 October 2011 - Monthly Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC13R0

South Australia in October 2011: Warm nights, Cool days with above average Rainfall.

• Minimum temperatures up to 2°C above average over the western agricultural and pastorals, with record warmest October minimum temperatures at Nonning and Elliston, but within 1°C of average elsewhere.
• Maximum temperatures up to 2°C below average on the Eyre Peninsula.
• Whilst the rainfall across most of the agricultural areas was above average for October, the growing season (April to October) rainfall has been below average in many locations.

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Rainfall

Rainfall in South Australia was mostly above average during October. Averaged across the state as a whole, rainfall was 54% higher than the long term October average of 18.4 mm. Most of the month's rainfall was associated with the passage of upper level troughs and weak cold fronts that crossed the State during the first and second week of October. An upper level prefrontal trough brought high rainfall totals for much of the northwest and central districts at the end of the month.

South Australian average total rainfall for 2011 (January to October) is ranked as fourth wettest on record. The years where similar rainfall totals are higher than 2011, all occurred during the La Nina years of 2010 and 1973-74. Despite a wet first 3 months of 2011, growing season rainfall (April to October) was below average, particularly in relation with a dry spell during late August through September that resulted in low accumulations for many locations through this period.

Pastoral Districts

Rainfall totals for October 2011 over the pastoral districts were mostly above average to very much above average in the far northwest, with the wettest periods being between the 4th and 6th of October following the passage of a low pressure trough. Yardea recorded 45.6 mm of rain in the 24 hours to 9am on the 5th of October. Another trough that developed over the Northwest of the State at the end of the month resulted in Marla recording a record highest 35.2 mm of rain in the 24hrs to 9am on the 29th. Monthly totals generally ranged from about 20 to 50 mm, with some locations receiving greater than 60 mm. The wettest overall was Marla Police Station with 71.6 mm for the month.

Agricultural Districts

Western agricultural and parts of the upper north saw mainly above average rainfall totals during October, although a large part of north-eastern Eyre Peninsula received very much above average rainfall. Below average totals were recorded over the lower southeast district, while the central districts and the Murray Valley regions received near average totals.

The Murray Valley, Southeast districts, Kangaroo Island, Yorke Peninsula, and the Adelaide Plains generally received between 20 to 50 mm of rainfall while the Mount Lofty Ranges received rainfall totals of between 40 to 60 mm. Rainfall totals of more than 70 mm were recorded over parts of the Western agricultural area. The wettest overall was at Kimba where 81.2 mm was recorded for the month.

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

Temperature

The mean temperature (the average of the daily maximum and daily minimum temperatures) for South Australia as a whole in October 2011 was 20.8 °C, which is 0.9 °C warmer than the long-term average.

Maximum

The area-averaged mean maximum temperature of 28.1°C was 0.4°C above the long-term October average for South Australia as a whole.

Mean maximum temperatures averaged over South Australia were up to 2°C below average across parts of the central Eyre Peninsula and up to 1°C below the long-term average over the rest of the western agricultural and northwest pastoral districts when averaged across the whole month. Temperatures across parts of the far northeast were up to 1°C warmer than average.

The coldest period was between the 1st though to the 10th of October when conditions were cloudy and wet following the passage of a low pressure trough and weak cold fronts which then cleared under a high pressure system in the Great Australian Bight. Mount Lofty recorded the coldest day of the month in these conditions when its maximum temperature only reached 10.7°C on the 10th.

The warmest period was from the 19th to the 23rd of October in the northerly air stream ahead of trough that crossed the State on the 20th. Maximum temperatures reached 37.7 °C at Marree (Comparison) on the 23rd of October.

Average daily maximum temperatures ranged from 16.2 °C at Mount Lofty to 31.7°C at Moomba Airport in the Far North district. The highest recorded maximum temperature for October was 38.8°C at Moomba Airport on the 28th of the month.

Minimum

The area-averaged mean minimum temperature of 13.6°C was 1.4°C above the long-term October average for South Australia as a whole.

Mean minimum temperatures were up to 2°C above average across much of the western agricultural district, and above 1°C average across most of the northwest pastoral districts when averaged across the whole of October. Nonning and Elliston on the Eyre Peninsula both had record warmest October minimum temperatures. Average minimum temperatures across the State ranged from 6.9°C at Keith (Munkora) in the State's southeast to 16.6 °C at Oodnadatta airport in the Northeast District.

The coldest nights were between the 1st and 3rd, when winds were generally light as a high pressure system moved across the south of the State. Another cold period, under the influence of another high pressure system, brought minimum temperatures down across southeast districts on the 17th when the coldest night was recorded at Keith (Munkora) with a minimum of -1.6 °C

The warmest nights were around the 19th and 20th of October associated with warmer northerly winds. Oodnadatta Airport recorded the warmest night of the month on the 20th with 25.5°C.

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

 

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Extremes in October 2011
Hottest day	38.8 °C at Moomba Airport on the 28th
Warmest days on average	31.7 °C at Moomba Airport
Coolest days on average	16.2 °C at Mount Lofty
Coldest day	10.7 °C at Mount Lofty on the 10th
Coldest night	-1.6 °C at Keith (Munkora) on the 17th
Coolest nights on average	6.9 °C at Keith (Munkora)
Warmest nights on average	16.6 °C at Oodnadatta Airport
Warmest night	25.5 °C at Oodnadatta Airport on the 20th
Warmest on average overall	23.5 °C at Moomba Airport
Coolest on average overall	12.3 °C at Mount Lofty
Wettest overall	81.2 mm at Kimba
Highest wind gust	89 km/h at Parafield Airport on the 14th 89 km/h at Port Augusta Aero on the 20th

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Record highest October daily rainfall
	Highest daily rainfall in October 2011 (mm)		Previous wettest for October		Years of record
Marla Police Station	35.2	on the 29th	33.0	on the 2nd in 1992	27

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Highest total October rainfall for at least 25 years
	Total rainfall for October 2011 (mm)	Most recent October at least this wet		Years since wetter	Average for October
Cowell (Winter Springs)	78.0	80.6	in 1974	37	30.4

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Record highest October mean daily minimum temperature
	Mean daily minimum temperature for October 2011 (°C)	Previous warmest for October		Years of record	Average for October
Adelaide Airport	12.5	= 12.5	in 1999	56	10.6
Elliston	12.7	12.4	in 1977	49	11.1
Nonning	11.4	11.0	in 2008	40	9.5
Edinburgh RAAF	11.7	11.5	in 1977	38	10.0
Adelaide (Kent Town)	13.0	12.8	in 1999	34	11.4

Highest October mean daily minimum temperature for at least 25 years
	Mean daily minimum temperature for October 2011 (°C)	Most recent October at least this warm		Years since warmer	Average for October
Yongala	8.0	8.1	in 1957	52	6.0
Ceduna AMO	12.2	12.4	in 1965	46	9.9
Kyancutta	10.3	10.6	in 1965	46	8.2
Lameroo Comparison	9.5	=9.5	in 1973	38	7.8
Mount Gambier Aero	8.6	8.9	in 1975	36	7.1
Eudunda	9.2	9.3	in 1977	34	8.0

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Summary statistics for October 2011
	Maximum temperatures for October (°C)				Minimum temperatures for October (°C)				Rainfall for October (millimetres)
	Mean for October 2011	Diff from average	Highest for October 2011		Mean for October 2011	Diff from average	Lowest for October 2011		Total for October 2011	Average for October	Rank of October 2011	Fraction of October average
Northwest (district 16)
Andamooka	27.9	-0.1	36.0	23rd	14.7	+1.3	7.0	3rd	11.4	19.6	average	58%
Coober Pedy Airport	27.5		36.1	19th	14.6		6.5	1st	17.0
Ernabella (Pukatja)	28.0		35.8	9th	13.9		7.9	1st	42.8
Marla Police Station	29.0	-0.8	38.5	9th	15.2	+0.9	8.0	1st	71.6	21.1	high	339%
Nonning	23.7	-1.3	34.4	19th	11.4	+1.9	4.8	2nd	65.4	23.3	v high	281%
Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome)	27.6		36.4	23rd	13.4		3.5	3rd	14.6
Tarcoola Aero	26.4		36.7	19th	13.2		2.5	1st	25.4
Woomera Aerodrome	26.2	0.0	37.1	23rd	13.4	+1.1	5.5	1st	16.2	16.0	average	101%
Far North (district 17)
Arkaroola	26.5	0.0	35.2	23rd	12.1	+0.5	2.6	3rd	28.2	19.6	high	144%
Leigh Creek Airport	27.5	+0.9	35.9	23rd	13.6	+1.2	5.4	3rd	17.0	19.2	average	89%
Marree Aero	29.7		37.0	23rd	14.5		5.2	3rd	9.2
Marree Comparison	30.4	+1.0	37.7	23rd	14.1	+0.7	5.7	4th	9.5	13.3	average	71%
Moomba Airport	31.7		38.8	28th	15.4		7.4	3rd	5.2
Oodnadatta Airport	29.5	-0.8	37.0	27th	16.6	+1.5	9.6	1st	20.4	14.1	high	145%
Western Agricultural (district 18)
Ceduna AMO	23.4	-0.4	37.3	19th	12.2	+2.3	5.3	8th	25.6	25.6	average	100%
Cleve	20.9	-1.3	33.6	19th	11.4	+1.3	5.7	1st	61.4	36.7	high	167%
Cleve Aerodrome	20.9		34.1	19th	10.7		5.2	3rd	49.8	29.8	high	167%
Coulta (Coles Point)	20.3		33.9	19th	11.0		5.1	2nd	46.4
Cummins Aero	21.0		34.8	19th	9.6		2.6	1st	33.6
Elliston	21.2	-0.3	34.7	19th	12.7	+1.6	7.0	8th	43.4	30.5	high	142%
Kimba	22.1	-1.6	33.0	19th	10.1	+1.0	3.5	1st	81.2	31.3	v high	259%
Kyancutta	23.6	-1.6	35.0	19th	10.3	+2.1	3.9	2nd	40.8	26.8	high	152%
Minnipa Pirsa	23.0		35.9	19th	11.0		4.0	1st	41.0
Neptune Island	17.6	+0.2	24.6	19th	13.3	+1.0	10.9	1st	41.4	27.2	high	152%
North Shields (Port Lincoln AWS)	19.7		35.3	19th	11.0		6.1	18th	27.2
Nullarbor	24.0	-0.3	36.6	18th	12.1	+2.0	4.5	7th	21.8	18.4	average	118%
Port Augusta Aero	26.4		38.1	23rd	12.6		4.2	2nd	25.4
Streaky Bay	22.9	+0.1	32.8	19th	12.8	+1.4	6.7	2nd	32.9	26.5	high	124%
Whyalla Aero	22.9	-0.9	36.6	19th	11.9	+1.4	3.6	3rd	39.2	24.9	high	157%
Wudinna Aero	24.0		35.5	19th	10.6		4.4	2nd	37.2
Upper North (district 19)
Hawker	26.0	+0.4	36.8	23rd	10.9	+1.2	2.2	2nd	32.4	24.7	high	131%
Yongala	22.7	+1.0	33.5	23rd	8.0	+2.0	0.4	11th	33.6	33.9	average	99%
Northeast (district 20)
Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot)	25.2		35.2	23rd	9.3		-1.0	5th	46.9
Yunta Airstrip	24.7		34.6	23rd	10.1		2.1	3rd	17.4
Lower North (district 21)
Clare High School	20.5		31.4	23rd	9.7		4.8	1st	61.6
Port Pirie Aerodrome	24.3		35.5	23rd	11.2		2.6	1st	49.3
Port Pirie Nyrstar Comparison	24.5	0.0	35.0	23rd	12.7	+0.8	6.5	2nd	50.5	33.3	high	152%
Snowtown (Rayville Park)	23.8		35.4	19th	8.4		1.4	3rd	31.2
Yorke Peninsula (district 22A)
Edithburgh	19.5		35.5	19th	12.1		5.3	27th	29.8
Kadina AWS	22.9		35.0	19th	8.7		1.3	2nd	43.4
Maitland	21.1	-0.2	33.5	19th	11.2	+1.3	6.3	2nd	51.0	42.5	high	120%
Minlaton Aero	21.3		34.6	19th	10.3		4.1	2nd	38.4
Stenhouse Bay	19.2		34.0	19th	12.5		8.7	17th	35.0
Warooka	20.3	-0.3	31.8	19th	11.1	+1.0	6.8	2nd	34.8	35.7	average	97%
Kangaroo Island (district 22B)
Cape Borda	17.3		26.4	19th	10.5		6.5	2nd	46.0
Cape Willoughby	17.0	-0.6	29.0	19th	12.3	+0.9	7.6	1st	38.2	42.4	average	90%
Kingscote Aero	20.1		31.6	19th	8.0		0.4	17th	26.6
Parndana Cfs AWS	17.7		28.4	19th	8.7		3.7	10th	37.4
Adelaide Plains (district 23A)
Adelaide (Kent Town)	22.2	+0.4	34.5	19th	13.0	+1.6	7.1	1st	42.6	43.8	average	97%
Adelaide Airport	21.2	+0.3	33.6	19th	12.5	+1.9	5.3	2nd	23.2	37.8	average	61%
Edinburgh RAAF	22.3	+0.3	35.2	19th	11.7	+1.7	4.4	2nd	35.0	39.6	average	88%
Parafield Airport	22.9	+1.2	34.3	19th	11.8	+1.7	4.8	12th	32.0	42.1	average	76%
Roseworthy AWS	22.6		34.5	23rd	8.7		1.1	2nd	43.4
County Light (district 23B)
Nuriootpa Viticultural	20.6		31.1	23rd	9.6		1.7	2nd	16.0
Rosedale (Turretfield Research Centre)			33.2	19th	9.5	+1.2	3.0	12th	39.0	44.2	average	88%
Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23C)
Hindmarsh Island AWS	20.2		34.7	19th	11.3		5.8	3rd	21.4
Kuitpo Forest Reserve	18.0		29.9	19th	9.9		5.1	2nd	45.6
Mount Barker	19.4	0.0	31.2	19th	8.8	+1.6	1.7	3rd	41.8	66.7	low	63%
Mount Crawford (Mt Crawford AWS)	17.9		28.0	19th	9.0		3.3	2nd	48.2
Mount Lofty	16.2		27.2	19th	8.3		2.6	2nd	61.0
Noarlunga	20.8		33.3	19th	12.4		6.5	2nd	27.8
Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS)	16.8		28.8	19th	9.5		4.8	2nd	55.2
Victor Harbor (Encounter Bay)	19.4		33.4	19th	9.7		1.9	3rd	32.8
Upper Murray Valley (district 24A)
Loxton Research Centre	24.4	+0.4	34.9	23rd	9.9	+1.6	3.5	10th	28.0	26.7	average	105%
Renmark Aero	25.5		36.5	23rd	10.3		2.5	3rd	40.2
Lower Murray Valley (district 24B)
Eudunda	20.8	+0.3	31.9	23rd	9.2	+1.2	3.6	12th	43.2	40.6	average	106%
Meningie	20.5	0.0	31.7	19th	10.2	+0.8	3.4	2nd	33.7	39.2	average	86%
Murray Bridge (Pallamana Aerodrome)	21.8		34.5	19th	8.5		0.8	17th	33.6
Murray Bridge Comparison	22.4	-0.3	35.1	19th	9.9	+0.9	3.8	3rd	36.5	34.0	average	107%
Strathalbyn Racecourse	20.2		33.5	19th	9.8		2.8	2nd	36.4
Murray Mallee (district 25A)
Karoonda	23.2		34.6	19th	9.2		2.6	3rd	46.9	32.8	high	143%
Upper Southeast (district 25B)
Keith	22.1	+0.6	34.3	19th	9.3	+1.1	1.3	2nd	22.0	42.2	low	52%
Keith (Munkora)	22.9		35.3	19th	6.9		-1.6	17th	19.2
Lameroo (Austin Plains)	23.3		34.4	19th	8.4		2.2	2nd	35.4
Lameroo Comparison	23.4	+0.9	34.1	19th	9.5	+1.7	3.0	2nd
Lower Southeast (district 26)
Cape Jaffa (The Limestone)	19.2		30.6	19th	10.0		5.2	26th	30.6
Coonawarra	20.2	+0.9	32.2	19th	8.6	+1.5	0.8	2nd	28.8	45.7	low	63%
Mount Gambier Aero	19.1	+1.2	31.4	19th	8.6	+1.5	1.3	3rd	42.8	61.4	low	70%
Naracoorte Aerodrome	20.3		31.8	19th	8.5		0.6	3rd	22.6
Padthaway South	20.8		33.2	19th	8.7		0.4	2nd	25.8
Robe Airfield	19.1		31.3	19th	9.3		4.2	3rd	26.6
Robe Comparison	18.5	+0.9	25.6	18th	11.1	+0.9	5.5	3rd	31.4	44.2	average	71%

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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