Tuesday, 31 January 2012 - Monthly Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC13R0

South Australia in January 2012: Warm start to the year with average rainfall

• Maximum and minimum temperatures up to 3°C above average at several locations across southern parts of South Australia.
• Rainfall was mostly average across the State, though dry and hot in the Southeast.

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Rainfall

January rainfall across South Australia was mostly average to above average, though several locations received very much above average monthly totals. See a map of rainfall deciles. The wettest periods for much of South Australia were between the 8th and 10th and between the 28th and 30th. Many locations recorded most of January's rainfall in the earlier period, as a low pressure system and trough located to the south of the State extended over western and central districts.

The highest January total rainfall in the State was observed at Melrose where 91.2 mm was recorded. The highest daily rainfall total observed during January was recorded at Wilmington where 69.6 mm of rain was recorded to 9 am on the 30th.

Pastoral Districts

Rainfall for January 2012 was mostly average across areas of the Pastorals, though tending to above average in the Northeast and the Northwest districts. Rainfall totals of 20 to 40 mm were reported across the Northwest and Far North, while in the Northeast some locations recorded totals of more than 50 mm.

Agricultural Districts

Rainfall totals over southern parts of the Eyre and Yorke Peninsulas, Flinders and Mount Lofty Ranges and Murray Valley districts was average to below average for January 2012. Rainfall totals generally ranged between 20 to 40mm, though several locations recorded totals in excess of 60 mm. Rainfall was generally near average across the Adelaide Plains, while across parts of the Southeast of the State rainfall was below tending to very below average, where totals ranged between 10 to 20mm.

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

Temperature

The average temperature (the average of the daily maximum and daily minimum temperatures) for South Australia as a whole in January 2012 was 1.1 °C above than the long-term January average. The above average temperatures across the State are due mainly to an extended period of hot conditions in the last 2 weeks of January. In comparison, January 2011 was 2.7 °C warmer than average. Mean temperatures for January 2012 ranged from 19.2°C at Mount Lofty to 31.7°C at Oodnadatta Airport.

Maximum Temperature

The area-averaged mean maximum temperature of 35.3°C was 0.6°C above the long-term January average for South Australia as a whole. January 2001 is the warmest January on record with a mean maximum temperature of 38.9°C.

Average January maximum temperatures were close to 2°C above average across most of the Northeast and Central parts of the State, and up to 3°C warmer than average in the Southeast of the State. See a map of maximum temperature anomalies. Average maximum temperatures for the month ranged from 23.4 °C at Neptune Island to 38.3°C at Oodnadatta Airport and Marree comparison in the Far North district.

The hottest day of the month for any location was recorded at Ceduna AMO on the 1st where the maximum temperature reached 46.2 °C. Mount Lofty had the coldest day on the 15th with a maximum of 15.0°C.

Minimum Temperature

Average minimum temperatures were generally up to 2°C warmer than average across most of the State though tending to 3°C above average across parts of the Western Agricultural, Far North and Southeast districts. See a map of minimum temperature anomalies. Average minimum temperatures across the State ranged from 13.1°C at Mount Lofty to 24.9 °C at Oodnadatta Airport.

The coldest nights for many locations was between the 7th and 11th as a cold frontal system followed by a southwesterly airstream crossed the State. Robe Airfield had the coldest night, recorded on the 5th with a minimum temperature of 4.4 °C.

The warmest nights for many locations was around the 1st and 3rd and again during the last 2 weeks of January; both of these periods were associated with warm to hot east to northeasterly winds being directed over much of the State. Oodnadata Airport recorded the warmest night of the month on the 20th with a minimum of 31.1°C.

Some sites had their coldest January day (lowest maximum temperature) on record.
Some sites had their highest January mean daily maximum temperature for at least 25 years.

 

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Extremes in January 2012
Hottest day	46.2 °C at Ceduna AMO on the 1st
Warmest days on average	38.3 °C at Marree Comparison 38.3 °C at Oodnadatta Airport
Coolest days on average	23.4 °C at Neptune Island
Coldest day	15.0 °C at Mount Lofty on the 8th
Coldest night	4.4 °C at Robe Airfield on the 5th
Coolest nights on average	13.1 °C at Mount Lofty
Warmest nights on average	24.9 °C at Oodnadatta Airport
Warmest night	31.1 °C at Oodnadatta Airport on the 20th
Warmest on average overall	31.7 °C at Oodnadatta Airport
Coolest on average overall	19.2 °C at Mount Lofty
Wettest overall	91.2 mm at Melrose
Wettest day	69.6 mm at Wilmington on the 30th
Highest wind gust	109 km/h at Woomera Aerodrome on the 29th

 

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Record highest January daily rainfall
	Highest daily rainfall in January 2012 (mm)		Previous wettest for January		Years of record
Wilmington	69.6	on the 30th	67.6	on the 30th in 1974	131

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Highest total January rainfall for at least 25 years
	Total rainfall for January 2012 (mm)	Most recent January at least this wet		Years since wetter	Average for January
Wilmington	83.6	92.2	in 1987	25	22.7

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Record lowest January daily maximum temperature
	Lowest daily maximum temperature in January 2012 (°C)		Previous coolest for January		Years of record	Average for January
Marla Police Station	20.5	on the 10th	21.6	on the 26th in 2000	26	37.2

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Highest January mean daily maximum temperature for at least 25 years
	Mean daily maximum temperature for January 2012 (°C)	Most recent January at least this warm		Years since warmer	Average for January
Cape Willoughby	23.5	23.6	in 1982	30	21.6
Robe Comparison	24.6	25.8	in 1982*	29	22.5

* note: there are gaps in the historical record at this site, so it is possible a higher value has gone unreported.

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Summary statistics for January 2012
	Maximum temperatures for January (°C)				Minimum temperatures for January (°C)				Rainfall for January (millimetres)
	Mean for January 2012	Diff from average	Highest for January 2012		Mean for January 2012	Diff from average	Lowest for January 2012		Total for January 2012	Average for January	Rank of January 2012	Fraction of January average
Northwest (district 16)
Andamooka	36.5	0.0	44.3	3rd	22.3	+1.1	16.0	9th	2.2	17.7	low	12%
Coober Pedy Airport	36.6		43.6	1st	22.5		14.9	31st	7.0
Ernabella (Pukatja)	34.6		41.0	1st	20.9		13.7	10th	23.2
Marla Police Station	36.6	-0.6	43.0	1st	23.0	+1.1	15.7	1st	20.6	15.3	high	135%
Nonning	33.8	+0.4	41.6	1st	17.7	+1.1	12.6	11th	30.4	15.7	high	194%
Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome)	36.5		44.7	3rd	21.1		12.6	9th	19.0
Tarcoola Aero	36.0		44.7	1st	19.8		11.7	31st	6.0
Woomera Aerodrome	34.9	+0.4	42.1	1st	20.3	+0.9	13.9	9th	0	14.6	lowest	0%
Far North (district 17)
Arkaroola	33.8	-0.4	40.3	3rd	20.6	+0.6	12.6	16th	54.1	33.7	high	161%
Leigh Creek Airport	35.4	0.0	41.8	19th	21.6	+0.9	14.9	9th	15.8	20.9	average	76%
Marree Aero	37.7		45.1	3rd	22.9		17.3	13th	9.8
Marree Comparison	38.3	+0.5	45.0	3rd	23.0	+1.7	17.4	31st	7.4	17.4	average	43%
Moomba Airport	38.2		45.7	7th	23.9		18.7	13th	0
Oodnadatta Airport	38.3	+0.5	44.4	3rd	24.9	+2.0	17.9	31st	17.8	23.2	average	77%
Western Agricultural (district 18)
Ceduna AMO	28.3	-0.3	46.2	1st	17.1	+2.0	10.8	12th	11.6	11.6	average	100%
Cleve	29.1	+0.8	42.1	1st	17.6	+2.0	12.4	9th	9.4	15.4	average	61%
Cleve Aerodrome	29.6		42.8	1st	17.0		12.4	19th	9.8	15.2	average	64%
Coulta (Coles Point)	28.9	+1.7	41.6	1st	16.7	+1.9	10.3	12th	4.2
Cummins Aero	30.4		44.7	1st	16.9		7.8	12th	6.6
Elliston	26.5	+0.8	42.7	1st	17.5	+1.9	11.7	12th	10.1	10.2	average	99%
Kimba	31.4	-0.1	41.5	1st	16.8	+1.1	11.2	9th	51.0	17.0	v high	300%
Kyancutta	33.6	+0.6	44.8	1st	16.3	+2.0	10.4	5th	25.6	13.8	high	186%
Minnipa Pirsa	33.0		44.0	1st	16.6		10.9	12th	25.0
Neptune Island	23.4	+1.4	30.6	23rd	17.5	+1.4	15.2	12th	4.0	12.6	average	32%
North Shields (Port Lincoln AWS)	27.3		34.6	23rd	16.6		12.2	9th	6.6
Nullarbor	26.5	-1.4	39.8	16th	17.4	+1.8	11.7	11th	12.6	11.2	high	113%
Port Augusta Aero	34.5		44.0	2nd	20.0		12.6	12th	15.6
Streaky Bay	30.0	+0.7	44.0	1st	17.7	+1.7	12.0	12th	17.3	10.7	high	162%
Whyalla Aero	31.0	+1.0	42.2	2nd	18.6	+1.0	12.6	9th	30.4	14.9	high	204%
Wudinna Aero	33.9		44.5	1st	16.3		8.8	5th	29.2
Upper North (district 19)
Hawker	33.9	-0.2	41.0	2nd	18.6	+0.7	11.8	9th	21.6	19.9	high	109%
Yongala	30.8	0.0	39.5	2nd	15.4	+2.0	8.5	12th	42.2	22.4	high	188%
Northeast (district 20)
Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot)	32.7		42.4	2nd	16.4		8.2	12th	28.4
Yunta Airstrip	32.1		40.1	2nd	16.5		10.7	12th	43.2
Lower North (district 21)
Clare High School	30.3		38.8	1st	16.1		9.0	12th	15.2
Port Pirie Aerodrome	32.7		41.6	2nd	18.6		11.3	12th	36.4
Port Pirie Nyrstar Comparison	32.7	+0.7	42.1	1st	19.6	+1.9	12.6	12th	30.4	18.6	high	163%
Snowtown (Rayville Park)	32.6		42.1	2nd	15.6		8.1	12th	12.2
Yorke Peninsula (district 22A)
Edithburgh	26.9		38.1	17th	17.6		13.0	9th	1.8	11.9	v low	15%
Kadina AWS	32.2		41.9	1st	16.5		9.5	12th	20.0
Maitland	30.0	+0.8	41.2	1st	17.5	+1.8	11.5	12th	10.0	17.1	average	58%
Minlaton Aero	29.6		40.8	1st	17.1		11.8	12th	5.4
Stenhouse Bay	26.4		37.8	16th	17.6		14.9	10th	4.2
Warooka	28.0	+0.8	40.6	1st	17.2	+1.8	11.8	9th	2.6	14.3	low	18%
Kangaroo Island (district 22B)
Cape Borda	25.4		37.4	1st	15.6		9.9	6th	14.2
Cape Willoughby	23.5	+1.9	32.9	17th	17.0	+1.2	12.2	9th	4.8	18.4	low	26%
Kingscote Aero	28.0		39.3	1st	14.5		7.3	16th	0.6
Parndana Cfs AWS	27.3		40.6	1st	14.4		8.9	9th	4.4
Adelaide Plains (district 23A)
Adelaide (Kent Town)	31.1	+1.9	41.6	1st	19.1	+2.0	14.1	9th	18.0	19.3	average	93%
Adelaide Airport	30.3	+2.3	39.8	1st	18.1	+2.2	13.5	16th	11.2	17.5	average	64%
Edinburgh RAAF	31.9	+2.0	42.1	2nd	18.2	+1.8	13.2	19th	26.8	20.8	high	129%
Parafield Airport	32.3	+2.8	42.0	1st	18.4	+2.1	12.6	12th	25.2	20.9	average	121%
Roseworthy AWS	32.9		43.4	2nd	16.1		8.5	12th	9.2
County Light (district 23B)
Nuriootpa Viticultural	30.0		40.4	2nd	15.5		8.3	12th	10.8
Rosedale (Turretfield Research Centre)	31.9	+1.5	42.0	2nd	17.1	+2.0	10.6	12th	13.6	18.4	average	74%
Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23C)
Hindmarsh Island AWS	26.4		37.8	23rd	16.4		11.6	6th	4.4
Kuitpo Forest Reserve	26.5		37.6	1st	14.7		9.6	15th	44.6
Mount Barker	28.2	+1.0	39.0	1st	13.9	+2.1	9.0	16th	34.6	25.8	high	134%
Mount Crawford (Mt Crawford AWS)	27.4		37.6	1st	14.3		8.3	12th	58.4
Mount Lofty	25.1		35.6	1st	13.1		7.5	6th	23.6
Noarlunga	29.3		40.1	1st	18.2		12.5	12th	26.0
Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS)	25.2		37.4	1st	15.1		10.5	6th	2.2
Victor Harbor (Encounter Bay)	26.4		38.4	2nd	15.5		9.6	16th	5.0
Upper Murray Valley (district 24A)
Loxton Research Centre	32.4	+0.7	41.3	2nd	16.6	+2.1	8.6	12th	28.6	19.4	high	147%
Renmark Aero	33.0		42.3	2nd	17.2		10.0	12th	41.6
Lower Murray Valley (district 24B)
Eudunda	30.1	+1.0	39.5	2nd	15.8	+2.0	8.0	12th	19.2	21.7	average	88%
Meningie	28.2	+2.2	40.8	1st	15.7	+1.8	8.9	6th	8.8	18.3	average	48%
Murray Bridge (Pallamana Aerodrome)	30.8		42.6	1st	14.8		9.1	16th	12.6
Murray Bridge Comparison	31.1	+2.0	43.3	2nd	15.9	+1.3	10.2	6th	12.8	16.4	average	78%
Strathalbyn Racecourse	28.8		40.7	1st	15.6		9.8	6th	17.2
Murray Mallee (district 25A)
Karoonda	31.8		42.9	2nd	15.1		8.4	12th	14.0	17.3	average	81%
Upper Southeast (district 25B)
Keith	31.9	+2.1	43.4	2nd	15.0	+1.9	8.0	12th	8.0	18.9	average	42%
Keith (Munkora)	32.7		44.3	2nd	13.5		4.5	6th	8.6
Lameroo (Austin Plains)	32.8		42.8	2nd	14.9		6.7	12th	13.6
Lameroo Comparison	32.0	+1.1	42.4	2nd	15.9	+2.6	8.5	12th	10.6	19.6	average	54%
Lower Southeast (district 26)
Cape Jaffa (The Limestone)	26.8	+2.3	36.4	23rd	14.8	+1.3	8.1	5th	5.2
Coonawarra	29.7	+2.7	41.0	2nd	13.4	+2.0	5.3	5th	5.0	28.0	low	18%
Mount Gambier Aero	28.1	+2.9	41.7	2nd	13.3	+2.2	5.3	6th	14.2	27.3	average	52%
Naracoorte Aerodrome	31.0		42.6	2nd	13.4		5.5	6th	3.8
Padthaway South	30.6		42.3	2nd	13.9		6.3	15th	6.8
Robe Airfield	26.4		37.1	23rd	14.0		4.4	5th	8.0
Robe Comparison	24.6	+2.1	32.9	1st	15.5	+1.9	9.6	5th	9.4	20.2	average	47%

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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