Thursday, 1 December 2011 - Monthly Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC23R0

South Australia in November 2011: Wetter than average in the north, and warmer than average across the State.

• Above average rainfall for the State as a whole, with most rainfall in northern and eastern districts.
• Near average to below average rainfall over southern coastal regions.
• Warmer than average temperatures by up to 2°C.

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Rainfall

South Australia received nearly twice the amount of the November rainfall average for the State as a whole. This is mostly accounted for by very much above average rainfall across the north and northeast of the State, whereas central coastal locations generally received below average rainfall. Large parts in the west and areas in the southeast received close to average rainfall.

See a map of rainfall deciles.

South Australian average year-to-date total rainfall for 2011 (January to November) is ranked as fourth wettest on record. Last year was slightly wetter over the State for the same 11-month period. The highest January through to November rainfall for the State have all occured during the La Nina years of 2010-11 and 1973-74.

Pastoral Districts

Rainfall totals for November 2011 over the pastoral districts were mostly above average to very much above average, apart from some areas on the western border where totals were mostly near average.

The wettest periods for the pastoral areas was between the 7th and 10th of November and again later in the month between the 21st and 26th. Arkaroola recorded 30.3 mm of rain in the 24 hours to 9am on the 9th. Kalamurina received a record highest daily total for the month of 48.4 mm of rain which occurred on the 22nd. Monthly totals in the pastoral districts generally ranged from about 20 to 50 mm, although some locations in the Far North and Northeast received up to 80 mm. The wettest location overall in the pastoral districts was Manna Hill with 89.8 mm for the month.

Agricultural Districts

Western agricultural districts, and parts of the Upper North district saw mainly average to below average rainfall totals during November. The Murray Mallee, The Upper Murray Valley and the Upper and Lower North districts generally received average to above average rainfall. Below average totals were recorded over Yorke Peninsula and southern parts of the Mount Lofty Ranges, while in other agricultural districts stations generally received near average totals.

Totals were in the range of 20 to 30mm in most locations but tending to higher totals, up to about 60mm, in many locations in the Mount Lofty and Flinders ranges, the southeast of the State, and the Murray Malley and Riverland. The wettest overall for the month in the agricultural districts was Parilla in the Murray Mallee, with 81.6 mm.

Some sites had their highest total November rainfall on record.
Some sites had their highest total November rainfall for at least 25 years.
Some sites had their lowest total November rainfall for at least 25 years.
Some sites had their highest November daily rainfall on record.

Temperature

The mean temperature (the average of the daily maximum and daily minimum temperatures) for South Australia as a whole in November 2011 was 1.0 °C warmer than the long-term November average. By contrast, November 2010 was 1.1°C cooler than average.

Maximum Temperature

The area-averaged mean maximum temperature for South Australia as a whole was 1.0°C above the long-term November average. By contrast November 2010 was 1.9°C cooler than average.

Mean maximum temperatures were up to 2°C above average across most of the south-eastern part of the State, but parts of the far northwest were 1 to 2°C cooler than average. See a map of maximum temperature anomalies. Average daily maximum temperatures ranged from 20.3 °C at Neptune Island to 35.1°C at Marree Comparison in the Northeast pastoral district.

The warmest period for many locations was between the 18th and 19th of November as northwesterly winds were directed over the State ahead of a low pressure trough. The hottest day of the month was recorded at Oodnadatta Airport on the 29th with the maximum temperature reaching 43.4 °C.

Minimum Temperature

The area-averaged mean minimum temperature for South Australia as a whole was 1.1°C above the long-term November average. By contrast, November 2010 was 0.3°C cooler than average.

Mean minimum temperatures were up to 2°C above average across parts of the eastern agricultural, central and western districts, and near average across most of the Yorke and Eyre Peninsulas. Parts of the far northwest of the State were cooler than average for November. See a map of minimum temperature anomalies. Average minimum temperatures across the State ranged from 9.1°C at Keith (Munkora) in the State's Southeast to 19.0 °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. The coldest night was recorded at Keith (Munkora) with a minimum of -0.6 °C on the 1st. Another cold period, under the influence of another high pressure system in the Great Australian Bight, brought minimum temperatures down across a number of locations in the northern pastoral districts from about the 24th through to the 27th.

The warmest nights for many locations were around the 18th and 19th of November which was associated with warm northerly winds being directed over much of the State. Oodnadatta Airport recorded the warmest night of the month on the 19th with 27.8°C.

 

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Extremes in November 2011
Hottest day	43.4 °C at Oodnadatta Airport on the 29th
Warmest days on average	35.1 °C at Marree Comparison
Coolest days on average	20.3 °C at Neptune Island
Coldest day	13.7 °C at Ernabella (Pukatja) on the 21st
Coldest night	-0.6 °C at Keith (Munkora) on the 1st
Coolest nights on average	9.1 °C at Keith (Munkora)
Warmest nights on average	19.0 °C at Oodnadatta Airport
Warmest night	27.8 °C at Oodnadatta Airport on the 19th
Warmest on average overall	26.9 °C at Oodnadatta Airport
Coolest on average overall	15.6 °C at Mount Lofty
Wettest overall	89.8 mm at Manna Hill
Highest wind gust	120 km/h at Marree Aero on the 8th

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Record highest November daily rainfall
	Highest daily rainfall in November 2011 (mm)		Previous wettest for November		Years of record
Kalamurina	48.4	on the 22nd	34.0	on the 25th in 2009	27

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Record highest total November rainfall
	Total rainfall for November 2011 (mm)	Previous wettest for November		Years of record	Average for November
Caliph	73.8	65.6	in 1998	38	25.1
Kalamurina	48.4	42.8	in 2009	27	14.4

Highest total November rainfall for at least 25 years
	Total rainfall for November 2011 (mm)	Most recent November at least this wet		Years since wetter	Average for November
Manna Hill	89.8	107.2	in 1933	76	18.6
Koonamore	89.4	109.1	in 1970	41	18.8
Parilla	81.6	83.9	in 1970	39	26.5
Peterborough	61.2	114.2	in 1977	34	26.2

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Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Summary statistics for November 2011
	Maximum temperatures for November (°C)				Minimum temperatures for November (°C)				Rainfall for November (millimetres)
	Mean for November 2011	Diff from average	Highest for November 2011		Mean for November 2011	Diff from average	Lowest for November 2011		Total for November 2011	Average for November	Rank of November 2011	Fraction of November average
Northwest (district 16)
Andamooka	33.3	+1.6	39.0	13th	18.5	+1.5	13.1	10th	12.8	14.8	average	86%
Coober Pedy Airport	33.2		40.5	7th	18.1		11.8	25th	12.6
Ernabella (Pukatja)	30.4		37.9	29th	15.6		9.0	26th	58.6
Marla Police Station	32.9	+0.1	41.2	29th	17.2	-0.4	10.1	24th	32.6	23.9	average	136%
Nonning	30.5	+1.8	37.4	18th	14.0	+1.2	8.6	20th	19.6	17.4	average	113%
Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome)	32.8		39.0	7th	17.4		11.2	27th	25.0
Tarcoola Aero	32.9		40.6	18th	16.0		7.5	26th	22.2
Woomera Aerodrome	31.7	+2.0	39.1	18th	16.9	+1.6	11.6	10th	16.0	17.1	average	94%
Far North (district 17)
Arkaroola	30.6	+0.6	38.9	29th	15.8	+0.4	9.4	26th	48.1	18.0	v high	267%
Leigh Creek Airport	32.6	+2.1	39.2	29th	17.1	+1.0	9.7	2nd	23.6	19.7	average	120%
Marree Aero	34.5		43.0	29th	18.0		10.4	2nd	21.4
Marree Comparison	35.1	+1.9	42.5	29th	18.4	+1.6	11.3	2nd	28.8	12.0	high	240%
Moomba Airport	33.8		43.0	29th	18.9		12.8	23rd	78.4
Oodnadatta Airport	34.7	+1.0	43.4	29th	19.0	+0.5	13.0	24th	29.6	13.2	high	224%
Western Agricultural (district 18)
Ceduna AMO	27.5	+1.6	39.1	17th	12.9	+0.6	6.1	26th	8.6	19.6	low	44%
Cleve	27.2	+2.4	35.5	17th	13.6	+1.4	9.0	20th	11.0	27.3	low	40%
Cleve Aerodrome	27.7		36.1	18th	12.8		8.4	21st	7.4	20.9	low	35%
Coulta (Coles Point)	25.0		34.1	5th	12.5		4.6	1st	12.4
Cummins Aero	27.6		36.6	18th			5.1	2nd	12.8
Elliston	24.5	+1.1	34.6	17th	14.0	+0.9	7.0	3rd	15.2	19.6	average	78%
Kimba	28.7	+1.7	34.8	18th	12.4	+0.4	7.5	26th	15.2	23.4	average	65%
Kyancutta	30.1	+1.5	37.7	18th	11.6	+0.8	4.3	2nd	8.6	21.5	low	40%
Minnipa Pirsa	29.7		38.3	18th	12.8		6.7	1st	5.6
Neptune Island	20.3	+1.2	24.0	17th	14.9	+1.4	11.5	1st	9.8	18.7	average	52%
North Shields (Port Lincoln AWS)	24.4		36.5	18th	12.4		8.2	21st	10.4
Nullarbor	27.6	+1.8	39.7	17th	13.6	+1.3	5.2	10th	6.2	16.8	average	37%
Port Augusta Aero	31.3		41.5	18th	15.3		10.3	27th	28.8
Streaky Bay	27.0	+1.4	37.2	17th	14.3	+1.0	8.6	2nd	13.8	18.8	average	73%
Whyalla Aero	28.6	+2.1	40.6	18th	14.6	+0.6	10.0	10th	27.4	21.1	average	130%
Wudinna Aero	30.6		40.1	18th	11.5		1.9	1st	8.2
Upper North (district 19)
Hawker	30.6	+1.4	37.5	18th	14.8	+1.3	8.2	2nd	21.0	23.2	average	91%
Yongala	27.7	+2.0	36.4	18th	10.6	+1.4	2.2	2nd	49.4	28.1	high	176%
Northeast (district 20)
Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot)	29.5		39.0	18th	13.0		4.5	24th	80.8
Yunta Airstrip	28.7		36.5	18th	13.5		7.7	2nd	62.2
Lower North (district 21)
Clare High School	26.1		35.3	18th	11.3		3.5	2nd	52.2
Port Pirie Aerodrome	29.3		38.8	18th	14.1		6.2	2nd	29.0
Port Pirie Nyrstar Comparison	29.2	+1.5	37.5	18th	16.1	+1.7	8.5	2nd	23.6	24.1	average	98%
Snowtown (Rayville Park)	29.3		39.1	18th	11.3		2.9	1st	55.4
Yorke Peninsula (district 22A)
Edithburgh	24.0		36.5	18th	13.3		7.3	27th	8.4
Kadina AWS	28.4		37.7	18th	11.9		4.8	27th	5.6
Maitland	26.6	+1.9	36.0	18th	13.8	+1.7	7.8	2nd	8.4	28.0	low	30%
Minlaton Aero	26.3		35.9	18th	12.5		5.6	1st	4.8
Stenhouse Bay	22.8		34.7	5th	14.1		10.0	11th	9.0
Warooka	25.0	+1.6	34.0	18th	13.4	+1.5	9.2	1st	9.8	22.6	low	43%
Kangaroo Island (district 22B)
Cape Borda	21.0		27.9	17th	12.3		7.9	1st	17.6
Cape Willoughby	21.0	+1.9	33.6	18th	14.1	+1.1	11.1	20th	13.0	28.3	low	46%
Kingscote Aero	24.7		34.1	18th	10.0		4.9	21st	20.0
Parndana Cfs AWS	23.1		32.3	18th	10.5		5.6	21st	21.4
Adelaide Plains (district 23A)
Adelaide (Kent Town)	26.7	+1.5	36.8	18th	14.7	+0.7	8.1	1st	25.2	31.5	average	81%
Adelaide Airport	25.8	+1.9	36.3	18th	14.3	+1.6	6.7	1st	17.4	25.3	average	69%
Edinburgh RAAF	27.4	+1.7	38.3	18th	13.5	+0.6	5.3	1st	26.0	24.9	average	104%
Parafield Airport	28.0	+2.8	38.3	18th	13.6	+0.8	5.3	2nd	15.8	26.9	low	59%
Roseworthy AWS	28.9		40.2	18th	11.5		2.1	1st	20.6
County Light (district 23B)
Nuriootpa Viticultural	26.4		37.2	18th	11.3		3.4	2nd	42.8
Rosedale (Turretfield Research Centre)	28.1	+2.4	39.8	18th	11.9	+0.7	2.1	2nd	26.0	28.9	average	90%
Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23C)
Hindmarsh Island AWS	24.8		36.8	18th	14.1		9.6	4th	6.6
Kuitpo Forest Reserve	22.7		32.3	18th	11.9		7.4	24th	22.8
Mount Barker	24.6	+2.1	35.0	18th	10.9	+2.1	5.5	21st	21.2	40.0	low	53%
Mount Crawford (Mt Crawford AWS)	23.7		33.6	18th	11.1		5.5	1st	33.4
Mount Lofty	20.9		29.8	18th	10.2		4.7	24th	33.0
Noarlunga	25.3		33.7	5th	14.4		9.1	1st	13.6
Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS)	21.4		31.1	18th	11.6		8.1	1st	27.0
Victor Harbor (Encounter Bay)	24.1		36.8	18th	12.1		6.1	12th	15.2
Upper Murray Valley (district 24A)
Loxton Research Centre	28.8	+1.4	39.1	18th	12.6	+1.4	5.8	1st	36.0	23.6	high	153%
Renmark Aero	29.8		40.0	18th	13.2		6.5	21st	45.2
Lower Murray Valley (district 24B)
Eudunda	26.7	+2.3	36.8	18th	11.5	+1.2	4.9	2nd	37.0	30.2	high	123%
Meningie	25.0	+2.1	34.2	5th	12.5	+1.3	4.8	1st	23.5	27.6	average	85%
Murray Bridge (Pallamana Aerodrome)	28.2		39.4	18th	11.0		3.0	1st	13.6
Murray Bridge Comparison	28.3	+2.7	39.6	18th	12.6	+1.2	6.5	1st	13.2	25.4	average	52%
Strathalbyn Racecourse	26.0		37.3	18th	12.4		7.9	24th	11.8
Murray Mallee (district 25A)
Karoonda	28.2		39.5	18th	11.8		4.5	1st	22.5	24.1	average	93%
Upper Southeast (district 25B)
Keith	27.1	+2.2	39.8	18th	11.7	+1.7	2.5	1st	42.6	31.9	average	134%
Keith (Munkora)	28.4		41.0	18th	9.1		-0.6	1st	51.4
Lameroo (Austin Plains)	28.1		39.1	18th	10.9		4.3	1st	35.8
Lameroo Comparison	27.7	+1.6	38.5	18th	12.3	+2.3	5.5	1st	65.2	27.3	v high	239%
Lower Southeast (district 26)
Cape Jaffa (The Limestone)	22.6		33.1	5th	11.9		5.9	4th	38.0
Coonawarra	24.9	+2.4	35.2	18th	9.8	+1.0	2.5	4th	14.8	34.2	low	43%
Mount Gambier Aero	22.6	+2.2	33.4	18th	10.1	+1.7	4.3	16th	76.2	47.3	v high	161%
Naracoorte Aerodrome	25.6		36.7	18th	10.1		2.8	24th	23.0
Padthaway South	25.5		36.6	18th	10.0		3.0	1st	27.2
Robe Airfield	22.1		31.7	18th	11.1		2.3	4th	38.2
Robe Comparison	21.0	+1.5	30.0	5th	13.1	+1.7	8.0	16th	41.4	30.3	high	137%

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

 

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