South Australia in August 2013: A warm and wet end to winter

This statement was prepared before all data for the period were available. This may affect some of the statistics presented.
  • Wet across the southeast, but dry across most of the north of the State.
  • Warm nights and warm days.

Rainfall

Apart from the southern coastal areas and the lower southeast of South Australia where rainfall tended above average and some locations reported record highest monthly falls, most locations across the State saw below average rainfall to finish winter. The wettest periods this month occurred between the 17th and 24th of the month. On the 17th a deep low pressure system well to the south of the State was responsible for a broad and vigorous northwest to westerly airstream across the southern districts. A cold front embedded in this airstream brought periods of heavy showers and thunderstorms. Isolated showers and thunderstorms continued through to the 24th in the moist westerly airstream that followed the passage of the low pressure system.

Some sites had their highest total August rainfall on record. Some sites had their highest total August rainfall for at least 20 years. Some sites had their lowest total August rainfall on record. Some sites had their lowest total August rainfall for at least 20 years.

Pastoral Districts

Rainfall totals over the pastoral districts were below average. Totals typically ranged between 5 and 10 mm, though several locations in the northern parts of the pastoral districts recorded no rainfall for the month. The wettest overall in the pastoral districts was at Yardea in the Northwest, with 24.4 mm; 12 mm of which was observed in the 24 hours to 9am on the 29th.

Agricultural Districts

Rainfall totals in the agricultural districts were average, tending to above average about coastal parts and in the southeast of the State, though mostly below average across western agricultural districts. Rainfall totals in the agricultural areas generally ranged from 20 to 60 mm in the Western Agricultural and Upper North districts, increasing to 80 to 100 mm about coastal locations and the Mount Lofty Ranges. The wettest location overall in the agricultural districts was at Uraidla in the Mount Lofty ranges with an August rainfall total of 241.6 mm, 38 mm of which was observed on the 22nd.

Temperature

The mean temperature (the average of the maximum and minimum temperatures) for South Australia as a whole in August 2013 was 2.4 °C above the long-term average, the fourth warmest on record and the warmest since 2009.

Some sites had their highest August mean temperature on record. Some sites had their highest August mean temperature for at least 20 years.

Maximum

Mean maximum temperatures over South Australia were above average across the State throughout August, particularly throughout the pastoral districts, where days averaged in excess of 3 °C above normal. Dytime maximum temperatures were the warmest since 2006, and the sixth warmest on record. Southern agricultural regions observed daytime temperatures closer to, yet still above the average.

Average daily maximum temperatures ranged from 11.1 °C at Mount Lofty to 26.3 °C at Oodnadatta Airport in the Far North district.

The warmest periods for many locations occurred through the last week of August as northerly winds were directed across the State ahead of a trough of low pressure. Oodnadatta recorded the hottest day of the month when its maximum temperature reached 34.5 °C on the 28th. 

The coldest day of the month for any location in the Adelaide and Hills region was reported at Mount Lofty on the 19th when the maximum reached 6.4 °C.

Some sites had their highest August mean daily maximum temperature for at least 20 years.

Minimum

Minimum temperatures were widely above average across South Australia through August, apart from areas about the Upper North. With a State-wide anomaly of 1.4 °C above average, August 2013 is the warmest since 2009 and the sixth warmest August nights on record. The warmest part of the State with respect to minimum temperatures was across southern agricultural areas and parts of the northern pastoral districts. Some sites had their highest August mean daily minimum temperature on record. Some sites had their highest August mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years.

The warmest nights for most of South Australia occurred during the last week of August. Marree Comparison observed the warmest night for any location in the State on the 29th, with a minimum of 20.8 °C. Yongala, in the Upper North, observed the coldest night with a minimum of –3.1 °C on the 15th.

The warmest nights on average were observed at Neptune Island with 12.2 °C, while Yongala observed the coolest nights on average with a monthly average of 4.0 °C.

Further information

Media
(03) 9669 4057
Enquiries

Extremes in August 2013
Hottest day 34.5 °C at Oodnadatta Airport on the 28th
Warmest days on average 26.3 °C at Oodnadatta Airport
Coolest days on average 11.1 °C at Mount Lofty
Coldest day 6.4 °C at Mount Lofty on the 19th
Coldest night -3.1 °C at Yongala on the 15th
Coolest nights on average 4.0 °C at Yongala
Warmest nights on average 12.2 °C at Neptune Island
Warmest night 20.8 °C at Marree Comparison on the 29th
Warmest on average overall 17.7 °C at Oodnadatta Airport
Coolest on average overall 8.6 °C at Mount Lofty
Wettest overall 241.6 mm at Uraidla
Driest overall 0 mm at Ernabella (Pukatja)
0 mm at Marla Police Station
0 mm at Marree Comparison
0 mm at Moomba Airport
0 mm at Myrtle Bank (Ridge Park)
0 mm at Pedler Ck at Moana (Nrm)
Wettest day 38.0 mm at Uraidla on the 22nd
Highest wind gust 106 km/h at Neptune Island on the 14th
106 km/h at Cape Willoughby on the 16th
106 km/h at Neptune Island on the 29th

Maps
ObservedAnomalyDecile rank
Total
rainfall
Map of Rainfall totals Map of Percentage of normal rainfall Map of Rainfall deciles
Mean
daily
maximum
temperatures
Map of Mean maximum temperature Map of Anomaly in mean maximum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean maximum temperature
Mean
daily
minimum
temperatures
Map of Mean minimum temperature Map of Anomaly in mean minimum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean minimum temperature

Click on a map to show it full size in a pop-up window


Record highest total August rainfall
Total rainfall
for August 2013 (mm)
Previous wettest
for August
Years of
record
Average for
August
Mount Gambier Aero 172.8 172.2 in 2001 72 96.4
Mount Schank (Jethia) 207.4 190.4 in 1981 43 111.4
Nangwarry Forestry SA Depot 158.6 157.8 in 1996 20 92.0

Highest total August rainfall for at least 20 years
Total rainfall
for August 2013 (mm)
Most recent August
at least this wet
Years since
wetter
Average for
August
Wharminda 62.8 91.0 in 1985* 26 44.1
Kalangadoo 169.0 182.4 in 1990 23 100.6
Robe Comparison 156.9 177.6 in 1990 23 86.1
Coonawarra 147.0 160.6 in 1991 22 83.9
Penola Post Office 143.1 158.0 in 1991* 21 87.3

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




Record lowest total August rainfall
Total rainfall
for August 2013 (mm)
Previous driest
for August
Years of
record
Average for
August
Marree Comparison 0.0 = 0.0 in 2007 128 9.0
Marla Police Station 0.0 = 0.0 in 2012 28 7.6

Lowest total August rainfall for at least 20 years
Total rainfall
for August 2013 (mm)
Most recent August
at least this dry
Years since
drier
Average for
August
Penong 3.6 2.8 in 1940 73 40.4
Port Kenny 9.2 7.8 in 1982* 30 47.6

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




Highest August mean daily maximum temperature for at least 20 years
Mean daily maximum
temperature
for August 2013 (°C)
Most recent August
at least this warm
Years since
warmer
Average for
August
Andamooka 23.2 24.3 in 1982 31 20.6
Arkaroola 22.2 22.8 in 1982 31 19.0
Woomera Aerodrome 21.8 23.1 in 1982 31 18.9
Marree Comparison 25.2 26.5 in 1982* 30 21.4

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




Record highest August mean daily minimum temperature
Mean daily minimum
temperature
for August 2013 (°C)
Previous warmest
for August
Years of
record
Average for
August
Mount Barker 7.2 6.8 in 1945 113 5.0
Kyancutta 6.8 6.6 in 1945 82 5.0
Adelaide Airport 9.2 9.0 in 1959 58 7.5
Elliston 10.0 9.8 in 2009 51 8.3
Meningie 9.0 8.6 in 1996 46 7.2
Coonawarra 7.1 7.0 in 2011 27 5.3
Cape Jaffa (The Limestone) 9.3 9.1 in 1996 21 7.8
Coulta (Coles Point) 9.7 9.2 in 2009 21 7.8

Highest August mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years
Mean daily minimum
temperature
for August 2013 (°C)
Most recent August
at least this warm
Years since
warmer
Average for
August
Warooka 8.9 9.2 in 1977 36 7.7
Mount Gambier Aero 7.4 7.6 in 1983 30 5.5
Keith 7.5 7.7 in 1984 29 5.9
Parafield Airport 7.9 8.3 in 1991 22 6.7
Edinburgh RAAF 7.6 =7.6 in 1993 20 6.5
Rosedale (Turretfield Research Centre) 6.9 7.1 in 1993 20 5.7



Record highest August mean temperature
Mean daily
temperature
for August 2013 (°C)
Previous warmest
for August
Years of
record
Average for
August
Cape Jaffa (The Limestone) 12.3 12.2 in 1993 21 11.2

Highest August mean temperature for at least 20 years
Mean daily
temperature
for August 2013 (°C)
Most recent August
at least this warm
Years since
warmer
Average for
August
Kyancutta 13.4 14.5 in 1982 31 11.8
Murray Bridge Comparison 13.1 13.6 in 1982 31 11.7



Summary statistics for August 2013
Maximum temperatures
for August
(°C)
Minimum temperatures
for August
(°C)
Rainfall
for August
(millimetres)
Mean for
August
2013
Diff
from
average
Highest for
August
2013
Mean for
August
2013
Diff
from
average
Lowest for
August
2013
Total for
August
2013
Average
for
August
Rank of
August
2013
Fraction of
August
average
Northwest (district 16)
Andamooka 23.2 +2.6 31.5 27th 8.5 +1.3 4.3 17th 1.4 12.8 low 11%
Coober Pedy Airport 24.1   33.8 28th 8.9   2.7 17th 1.4
Ernabella (Pukatja) 24.2   32.4 30th 5.7   -0.8 18th 0
Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome) 23.0   31.4 27th 5.5   -2.0 15th 1.4
Tarcoola Aero 22.9   30.5 27th 6.7   0.4 21st 2.4
Woomera Aerodrome 21.8 +2.9 30.9 27th 8.0 +1.3 3.4 15th 7.0 13.4 average 52%
Far North (district 17)
Arkaroola 22.2 +3.2 28.2 27th 4.7 +0.1 -1.4 1st 1.8 14.0 low 13%
Leigh Creek Airport 21.7 +2.6 29.1 27th 6.8 +0.7 0.5 20th 5.4 15.2 average 36%
Marree Aero 24.2   32.5 28th 7.0   1.3 20th 0.2
Marree Comparison 25.2 +3.8 33.3 29th 6.9 +0.6 1.7 20th 0 9.0 lowest 0%
Moomba Airport 25.3   33.2 10th     2.9 21st 0
Oodnadatta Airport 26.3 +4.2 34.5 28th 9.1 +1.7 3.1 21st 0.2 7.9 low 3%
Western Agricultural (district 18)
Ceduna AMO 20.7 +2.0 28.9 31st 7.5 +1.3 0.4 15th 21.0 34.3 average 61%
Cleve 18.0 +1.4 25.7 31st 9.0 +1.6 3.5 15th 45.8 48.0 average 95%
Cleve Aerodrome 17.8   24.9 31st 8.8   3.9 15th 39.0 43.6 average 89%
Coulta (Coles Point) 17.1 +0.7 22.4 31st 9.7 +1.9 4.1 15th 73.8 50.7 high 146%
Cummins Aero 17.4   23.9 31st 6.7   1.1 15th 81.0
Elliston 18.5 +1.3 25.7 31st 10.0 +1.7 3.6 15th 56.8 59.1 average 96%
Kimba 17.9 +0.9 25.8 31st 6.6 +1.1 1.0 15th 36.6 41.8 average 88%
Kyancutta 20.0 +1.4 27.5 31st 6.8 +1.8 -0.9 15th 42.6 39.0 average 109%
Minnipa Pirsa 18.6   25.9 31st 7.4   1.8 15th 41.4
Neptune Island 16.5 +1.2 21.0 31st 12.2 +1.1 7.6 19th 73.4 63.4 high 116%
North Shields (Port Lincoln AWS) 17.7 +0.9 24.6 31st 8.2 +1.1 4.4 8th 65.0 50.3 high 129%
Nullarbor 21.6 +2.0 29.6 26th 6.5 +0.7 1.7 15th 8.8 24.4 low 36%
Port Augusta Aero 21.1   30.2 31st 4.4   -2.4 15th 9.0
Streaky Bay 19.4 +1.8 26.1 31st 10.2 +1.4 4.2 15th 40.9 50.2 average 81%
Whyalla Aero 20.0 +1.5 29.0 31st 6.4 +0.4 1.2 15th 11.2 21.7 average 52%
Wudinna Aero 19.4   26.3 31st 7.1   0.7 15th 50.0
Upper North (district 19)
Hawker 18.5 +0.7 26.3 31st 4.3 0.0 -2.5 20th 12.0 31.7 low 38%
Yongala 15.5 +1.1 22.9 31st 4.0 +1.4 -3.1 15th 22.2 43.3 low 51%
Northeast (district 20)
Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot) 20.2   28.5 31st 5.5   -2.6 16th 10.1
Yunta Airstrip 19.2   26.0 31st 5.1   -2.0 15th 2.6
Lower North (district 21)
Clare High School 14.6   22.6 31st 5.5   -1.2 15th 96.6 66.3 high 146%
Port Pirie Aerodrome 18.7   24.3 27th 6.3   -1.1 15th 20.4
Snowtown (Rayville Park) 16.8   24.2 31st 5.7   0.1 8th 44.2
Yorke Peninsula (district 22A)
Edithburgh 16.6 +0.8 20.5 31st 8.1 +0.7 2.5 8th 74.0 47.4 high 156%
Kadina AWS 17.0   24.3 31st 6.7   -0.4 15th 41.8
Maitland 16.3 +0.9 24.0 31st 9.0 +1.8 4.5 8th 74.2 61.4 average 121%
Minlaton Aero 16.6   23.5 31st 8.7   2.8 8th 60.8
Stenhouse Bay 17.2   23.7 31st 10.3   6.5 8th 83.8
Warooka 16.5 +0.8 21.8 31st 8.9 +1.2 5.0 8th 70.2 59.2 high 119%
Kangaroo Island (district 22B)
Cape Borda 15.4   19.5 31st 10.3   5.8 8th 104.0
Cape Willoughby 15.6 +1.1 19.8 27th 10.0 +0.4 6.9 19th 99.2 74.1 high 134%
Kingscote Aero 16.9   22.9 31st 7.6   2.3 8th 81.8 57.8 high 142%
Parndana Cfs AWS 15.3   21.0 31st 7.8   2.1 8th 100.4
Adelaide Plains (district 23A)
Adelaide (Kent Town) 17.2 +0.6 25.8 31st 9.1 +0.9 4.1 1st 84.4 68.8 average 123%
Adelaide Airport 16.7 +0.8 25.3 31st 9.2 +1.7 3.5 1st 62.2 50.5 average 123%
Edinburgh RAAF 17.0 +0.5 24.5 31st 7.6 +1.1 2.6 20th 61.8 50.0 average 124%
Parafield Airport 17.3 +1.0 25.0 31st 7.9 +1.2 1.5 1st 65.0 54.1 average 120%
Roseworthy AWS 16.6   23.8 31st 6.5   1.0 8th 59.6
County Light (district 23B)
Nuriootpa Viticultural 15.3   23.5 31st 6.4   -0.3 20th 63.8
Rosedale (Turretfield Research Centre) 16.6 +0.8 25.0 31st 6.9 +1.2 0.4 20th 84.1 57.6 high 146%
Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23C)
Hindmarsh Island AWS 16.5   19.3 11th 9.4   4.8 1st 66.6
Kuitpo Forest Reserve 14.1   23.1 31st 7.9   4.1 20th 150.2
Mount Barker 14.9 +0.7 23.2 31st 7.2 +2.2 2.3 1st 126.2 102.5 high 123%
Mount Crawford (Mt Crawford AWS) 12.7   20.6 31st 6.9   3.1 20th 121.0
Mount Lofty 11.1   19.8 31st 6.1   2.3 20th 183.0
Noarlunga 16.3   24.6 31st 10.1   5.0 1st 73.0
Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS) 13.2   20.6 31st 8.0   4.5 17th 139.2 104.8 high 133%
Victor Harbor (Encounter Bay) 17.2   25.5 31st 8.0   2.9 1st 104.6
Upper Murray Valley (district 24A)
Loxton Research Centre 19.0 +1.5 27.6 31st 5.9 +1.5 -0.2 1st 11.4 26.9 low 42%
Renmark Aero 19.8   28.1 31st 5.5   -1.1 1st 17.2
Lower Murray Valley (district 24B)
Eudunda 15.3 +0.9 23.5 31st 6.8 +1.5 1.4 16th 52.4 55.8 average 94%
Meningie 16.8 +0.8 25.1 31st 9.0 +1.8 4.3 8th 76.4 57.0 high 134%
Murray Bridge (Pallamana Aerodrome) 17.8   26.6 31st 5.8   -0.9 1st 19.6
Murray Bridge Comparison 18.9 +1.4 27.6 31st 7.2 +1.3 2.0 1st 26.6 37.1 low 72%
Strathalbyn Racecourse 16.9   25.1 31st 8.7   2.9 1st 56.2
Murray Mallee (district 25A)
Karoonda 17.9   27.3 31st 6.5   1.9 20th 23.6 38.2 low 62%
Upper Southeast (district 25B)
Keith 16.8 +0.7 25.0 31st 7.5 +1.6 1.4 8th 70.4 58.3 high 121%
Keith (Munkora) 16.5   23.6 31st 6.3   -0.1 8th 68.4
Lameroo (Austin Plains) 16.5   25.3 31st 5.9   0.3 16th 36.6
Lameroo Comparison 17.5 +1.1 26.5 31st 6.9 +2.1 1.8 20th 38.2 44.0 average 87%
Lower Southeast (district 26)
Cape Jaffa (The Limestone) 15.4 +0.8 20.6 31st 9.3 +1.5 4.4 1st 125.0 71.5 v high 175%
Coonawarra 15.4 +0.6 22.3 31st 7.1 +1.8 0.6 8th 147.0 83.9 v high 175%
Mount Gambier Aero 15.0 +0.9 21.5 31st 7.4 +1.9 2.5 8th 172.8 96.4 highest 179%
Naracoorte Aerodrome 15.6   23.1 31st 7.3   1.6 8th 122.8
Padthaway South 15.9   23.7 31st 7.4   0.4 8th 121.0
Robe Airfield 16.1   23.5 31st 9.0   2.0 8th 155.2
Robe Comparison 15.3 +1.0 19.6 31st 10.1 +1.6 5.8 20th 156.9 86.1 v high 182%

Notes

A Monthly Climate Summary is prepared to list the main features of the weather in South Australia using the most timely and accurate information available on the date of publication; it will generally not be updated. Later information, including data that has had greater opportunity for quality control, will be presented in the Monthly Weather Review, usually published in the fourth week of the month.

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 12 pm on Sunday 1 September 2013. Some checks have been made on the data, but it is possible that results will change as new information becomes available.

Averages are long-term means based on observations from all available years of record, which vary widely from site to site. They are not shown for sites with less than 20 years of record, as they cannot then be calculated reliably.
The median is sometimes more representative than the mean of long-term average rain.

The Rank indicates how rainfall this time compares with the climate record for the site, based on the decile ranking (very low rainfall is in decile 1, low in decile 2 or 3, average in decile 4 to 7, high in decile 8 or 9 and very high is in decile 10).
The Fraction of average shows how much rain has fallen this time as a percentage of the long-term mean.

The ACORN-SAT dataset is being used for temperature area averages from December 2012 onwards. The major change from earlier datasets is that the ACORN-SAT dataset commences in 1910, rather than 1950, and hence rankings are calculated using a larger set of years.

Further information

Media
(03) 9669 4057
Enquiries

Creative Commons By Attribution logo Unless otherwise noted, all maps, graphs and diagrams in this page are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence

Climate