Tuesday, 3 January 2012 - Monthly Climate Summary for Adelaide Metro & Hills - Product code IDCKGC13R0

Adelaide Metro & Hills in December 2011: A warm and dry end to 2011

• Above average temperatures, despite mild conditions through much of the month.
• Drier than average on the plains, but average rainfall in the hills.

Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top

Rainfall

Rainfall totals were typically below average on the Adelaide plains, generally about 80% of average, with totals of between 15 to 30 mm being reported. Hills locations tended closer to average, and up to 20% above average at several locations, with totals ranging from 30 to 50 mm. The highest rainfall total in the Adelaide and Hills region for December 2011 was 70.8mm at Chain of Ponds in the Adelaide Hills. Much of the month was dry, with rainfall largely occurring in two events, one a significant rain event mid-month with associated severe thunderstorm activity.

A total of 18.2 mm of rainfall was recorded on 5 rain days at Adelaide (Kent Town) during December 2011, 11.6 mm below the long term December average for this site of 29.8 mm on 7 rain days. In contrast, December 2010 saw 87.0 mm of rainfall recorded, with the driest December at the Adelaide (Kent Town) site being 5.8mm in 1991. (Note: the rainfall total for the period is from the manually observed 203mm rain gauge making up the long term rainfall record. This may differ from totals on some Bureau's webpage as these may be from the automatic tipping bucket rain gauge).

The annual rainfall total (January to December 2011) at Adelaide (Kent Town) was 537.8 mm, slightly below the long-term annual average of 550.2 mm. In 2010, 592.6 mm was recorded for the year. Well above average rainfall was reported for the first three months of the year and generally drier than normal conditions since April have kept rainfall totals near or below the long term average across the Adelaide Hills and Metropolitan area for 2011.

Temperature

Much of the month was relatively mild, with little in the way of very hot conditions occurring until about the last week of the month, when a burst of hot conditions extended into the New Year.

Average monthly maximum temperatures were generally about 1.0°C above average for December 2011 across the Adelaide metropolitan and hills area. The December 2011 mean maximum temperature at Adelaide (Kent Town) was 27.9°C which is 0.9°C above the long-term mean maximum temperature of 27.0°C. In comparison, December 2010 saw below average maximum temperatures of 26.7°C at Adelaide (Kent Town). December 2003 was the warmest on record for this site, with 29.0°C. Only two days with maximum temperatures exceeding 35°C were recorded at Adelaide (Kent Town) in December 2011 when three or four might be expected on average, indicative of the mild conditions in place through much of the month.

The hottest day for December 2011 in the Adelaide region was on the 24th, when 39.7°C was recorded at Edinburgh RAAF aerodrome. Parafield Airport recorded the warmest days on average, with maximum temperatures averaging 29.0°C for the month.

The coldest December day in 2011 at Adelaide (Kent Town) was on the 18th with the maximum only reaching 20.7°C, and the coldest maximum temperature recorded in the Adelaide & hills area being 14.8°C at Mt Lofty on the same day. The coolest days on average were recorded at Mount Lofty, where maximum temperatures averaged 22.6 °C.

Mean minimum temperatures this December were warmer than average, but by only about 0.5°C. The mean minimum temperature for December 2011 at Adelaide (Kent Town) was 16.3°C, which is 0.7C above the long-term mean minimum temperature. In 2010 Adelaide (Kent Town) averaged 16.0°C for December minimum temperatures. The coolest December at this site was in 2001 when the average for the month was only 12.8°C.

The coolest nights on average in December 2011 were recorded at Mount Barker, where minimum temperatures averaged 11.2 °C. The coldest minimum temperature recorded for the month in the Adelaide and hills area was 4.7°C on the 5th at Mount Lofty, whilst the warmest night was 24.7°C at Adelaide (Kent Town) on the 17th.

Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top