Thursday, 1 May 2014 - Monthly Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC23R0

South Australia in April 2014: A very wet month with a hot start

The month began with hot conditions across much of South Australia, with both minimum and maximum temperatures well above average across the state on the 1st. Some locations observed their hottest April day on record, and Adelaide fell just 0.1 °C short.

For the remainder of the month daytime temperatures predominantly tended nearer too, though warmer than average for some coastal areas and the northeast, while some central districts and the northwest experienced cooler than average days.

The wettest periods were observed during the second week and again at the end of the month with locally heavy rain on the 9th breaking records at several locations.

• Third wettest April on record for South Australia as a whole
• Record breaking daily rainfall events on the 9th and 29th
• A hot start with record high daily maximum temperatures on the 1st
• Near average days with warm nights overall

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Rainfall

Rainfall across South Australia as a whole ranks as 3rd wettest out of 115 years of observations. Most locations across South Australia recorded a wet April with widespread heavy rainfall observed during the second week and again at the end of the month.

A trough of low pressure brought widespread rainfall on the 9th and 10th with daily totals generally between 25 to 50 mm across the central agricultural districts with western parts of the state seeing totals between 50 to 100 mm. The passage of the trough saw some sites observe highest April daily rainfall on record; Coober Pedy Airport's 115 mm in the 24 hours to 9am on the 10th was the wettest day this month.

Near the end of the month, a significant middle level cloud band associated with an upper trough and cold front moved across the state on the 29th, producing areas of rain and isolated thunderstorms.

Highest monthly totals ranged between 50 to 100 mm across central agricultral districts, with higher total in excess of 100 mm in the northwest Pastoral areas. The wet April resulted in some sites observing their highest total April rainfall on record while some other sites had their highest total April rainfall for many decades. Coober Pedy Airport observed 161.6 mm resulting in the wettest location in the state overall.

Maximum temperature

Monthly mean maximum temperatures were 2 to 3 °C above average across the far northeast pastoral districts but nearer average elsewhere across South Australia. Averaged across the State and month as a whole days were 0.5 °C warmer than average, but still cooler than April 2013 or 2012.

Maximum temperatures well above average across the state on the 1st, as northwesterly winds were directed over the state ahead of a prefrontal trough that approached the western border of South Australia. The warm air mass resulted in some sites observing their highest April temperature on record.

Daytime temperatures remained closer to average for the remainder of the month. Towards the end of the month, a significant middle level cloudband associated with an upper trough and cold front moved across the State, resulting in some sites across the Pastoral districts having their coldest April day (lowest maximum temperature) on record.

The hottest location on average for the month was at Moomba Airport where the maximum temperatures averaged 30.6 °C. In contrast, Mount Lofty in the Adelaide Hills was the coolest location for the month for daytime temperatures with maximum temperatures averaging 17.1 °C.

Minimum temperature

Monthly mean minimum temperatures were 2 to 3 °C above average across the northern half of South Australia but nearer average across southeastern coastal locations. Averaged across the State and month as a whole, nights were 2 °C warmer than average, the highest since 2010 and the 8th warmest April nights in 105 years of observations. The warm nights saw Whyalla Aerodrome on the west coast observe its highest April mean daily minimum temperature on record.

As with maximum temperatures, minimum temperatures were well above average across the state at the beginning of the month, which saw Hawker in the state's upper north observe its warmest April night (highest daily minimum temperature) on record.

The warmest nights on average for the month were at Moomba Airport where the minimum temperature averaged 17.3 °C. In contrast, Keith (Munkora) in the south east observed the coolest nights for the month with minimum temperatures averaging 8.8 °C.

Further information

Bureau of Meteorology
Phone (03) 9669 4057
Email media@bom.gov.au

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Extremes in April 2014
Hottest day	40.1 °C at Ceduna AMO on the 1st
Warmest days on average	30.6 °C at Moomba Airport
Coolest days on average	17.1 °C at Mount Lofty
Coldest day	12.0 °C at Mount Lofty on the 11th
Coldest night	-1.3 °C at Naracoorte Aerodrome on the 27th
Coolest nights on average	8.8 °C at Keith (Munkora)
Warmest nights on average	17.3 °C at Moomba Airport
Warmest night	25.1 °C at Moomba Airport on the 9th
Warmest on average overall	24.0 °C at Moomba Airport
Coolest on average overall	13.5 °C at Mount Lofty
Wettest overall	161.6 mm at Coober Pedy Airport
Driest overall	0 mm at Coulta (Coles Point)
Wettest day	115.0 mm at Coober Pedy Airport on the 10th
Highest wind gust	98 km/h at Cape Willoughby on the 21st

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Maps
	Observed	Anomaly	Decile rank
Total rainfall
Mean daily maximum temperatures
Mean daily minimum temperatures

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

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Record highest April daily rainfall
	Highest daily rainfall in April 2014 (mm)		Previous wettest for April		Years of record
Sutherlands	55.4	on the 9th	46.6	on the 12th in 2000	114
Robertstown	40.0	on the 9th	28.4	on the 26th in 1903	106
Smoky Bay	60.0	on the 10th	38.6	on the 9th in 1983	102
Mindarie	34.0	on the 9th	31.5	on the 14th in 1954	97
Point Pass	51.9	on the 9th	45.2	on the 11th in 1948	92
Coober Pedy	77.0	on the 10th	25.4	on the 23rd in 1930	84
Blanchetown Lock 1	48.0	on the 9th	33.0	on the 20th in 1988	47
Mount Ive	33.8	on the 10th	33.4	on the 12th in 1998	43
Oodla Wirra (McCoys Well)	33.8	on the 9th	33.6	on the 19th in 1990	42
Caliph	35.6	on the 9th	26.0	on the 30th in 1995	40
Moonaree (Kangaroo Well)	75.6	on the 10th	17.5	on the 27th in 2007	29
Coffin Bay	46.6	on the 29th	31.8	on the 28th in 2007	27
Morgan (Brenda Park Station)	40.4	on the 9th	36.6	on the 12th in 2000	23
Clare High School	42.2	on the 9th	36.8	on the 29th in 2007	20
Coober Pedy Airport	115.0	on the 10th	26.0	on the 12th in 1998	20

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Record highest total April rainfall
	Total rainfall for April 2014 (mm)	Previous wettest for April		Years of record	Average for April
Sutherlands	88.8	73.4	in 1963	114	19.8
Nonning	114.0	89.9	in 1954	112	15.6
Robertstown	84.0	80.8	in 1961	105	21.9
Iron Knob	104.1	97.2	in 1963	101	15.2
Mount Eba	54.0	44.7	in 1954	100	7.8
Mindarie	86.0	83.0	in 1954	98	21.1
Whyalla (Mullaquana)	105.6	101.9	in 1963	95	17.0
Coober Pedy	129.7	42.0	in 1979	85	7.9
Lake Everard	56.4	53.8	in 1961	82	12.7
Blanchetown Lock 1	96.0	= 96.0	in 1974	47	22.5
Mount Ive	61.2	57.4	in 1983	44	14.8
Caliph	75.8	56.0	in 1992	40	18.5
Mount Barry Station	48.4	43.4	in 1998	33	6.0
Moonaree (Kangaroo Well)	116.6	44.0	in 1998	29	11.8
Buckleboo (Karinya)	67.4	47.4	in 1998	27	16.4
Mintabie	110.4	79.6	in 1998	23	15.1
Morgan (Brenda Park Station)	78.8	55.9	in 1992	22	22.2
Clare High School	112.0	89.8	in 2007	20	36.8
Coober Pedy Airport	161.6	33.8	in 1998	20	14.0

Highest total April rainfall for at least 20 years
	Total rainfall for April 2014 (mm)	Most recent April at least this wet		Years since wetter	Average for April
Appila	91.6	119.3	in 1889	125	27.8
Wilmington	100.2	168.8	in 1889	125	29.2
Quorn	96.2	99.3	in 1891	123	20.1
Alawoona	79.6	81.5	in 1954	60	20.9
Eudunda	102.2	112.9	in 1961	53	33.3
Swan Reach	75.4	77.5	in 1961	53	19.5
Yacka	97.8	114.3	in 1961	53	29.5
Yardea	71.2	83.8	in 1961	53	16.2
Tarcoola (Commonwealth Hill)	50.5	67.3	in 1968	46	9.5
Tarcoola (Mulgathing)	37.8	45.8	in 1968	46	9.3
Melrose	92.4	93.4	in 1971	43	37.5
Bruce	100.0	102.6	in 1971*	42	15.9
Pinnaroo	69.1	77.0	in 1971*	42	24.6
Booleroo Centre (Willowie)	97.1	114.0	in 1974	40	19.7
Burra Community School	92.0	175.6	in 1974	40	29.1
Crystal Brook	98.0	123.4	in 1974	40	29.8
Huddleston (Willow Ponds)	95.0	122.8	in 1974	40	30.0
Laura	90.8	106.2	in 1974	40	33.2
Manna Hill	74.9	147.4	in 1974	40	14.1
Oodla Wirra (McCoys Well)	70.9	116.8	in 1974	40	14.6
Orroroo	73.6	88.4	in 1974	40	21.5
Orroroo (Black Rock)	61.2	184.0	in 1974	40	20.4
Point Pass	104.9	109.9	in 1974	40	30.1
Port Germein	80.2	87.8	in 1974	40	25.4
Wirrabara	95.8	134.2	in 1974	40	33.2
Yongala	91.3	109.4	in 1974	40	25.1
Booleroo Centre	88.4	91.8	in 1974*	39	26.8
Braemar	65.4	148.5	in 1974*	39	15.5
Carrieton	75.8	103.9	in 1974*	39	18.4
Gladstone	85.4	128.2	in 1974*	39	30.3
Hallett	84.5	110.0	in 1974*	39	28.2
Jamestown	75.8	129.1	in 1974*	39	30.3
Georgetown	90.2	96.1	in 1974*	38	35.3
Paruna	66.4	86.2	in 1974*	35	19.2
Woomera (Pernatty Station)	55.4	80.2	in 1974*	35	11.9
Brinkworth (Bungaree)	127.6	149.9	in 1980	34	42.8
Hawker	68.3	106.6	in 1980	34	19.8
Koolunga	87.6	137.2	in 1980	34	28.4
Manna Hill (Wadnaminga)	69.6	80.3	in 1980	34	14.9
Oodla Wirra	75.6	80.4	in 1980	34	19.2
Redhill	74.6	164.4	in 1980	34	30.8
Spalding	77.8	90.2	in 1980	34	26.8
Yunta (Panaramitee)	51.0	79.0	in 1980	34	13.8
Whyte Yarcowie	62.2	81.6	in 1980*	33	22.5
Mallala	86.8	87.6	in 1983	31	33.7
Caltowie	80.2	89.6	in 1983*	30	31.4
Poochera	53.4	97.0	in 1983*	30	18.8
Smoky Bay	75.2	127.0	in 1983*	30	19.2
Wirrulla	55.4	92.0	in 1983*	30	19.0
Brinkworth	76.6	140.8	in 1980*	29	28.2
Cook	56.6	69.8	in 1983*	29	16.2
Whyalla Aero	79.4	82.9	in 1980*	28	21.2
Arkaroola	66.6	72.1	in 1989	25	15.0
Sedan (Sandleton)	81.8	=81.8	in 1992	22	20.0

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

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Record highest April temperature
	Highest temperature in April 2014 (°C)		Previous warmest for April		Years of record	Average for April
Mount Gambier Aero	35.8	on the 1st	35.0	on the 9th in 2005	73	19.5
Coonawarra	36.2	on the 1st	35.1	on the 9th in 2005	29	21.1
Edithburgh	37.9	on the 1st	37.3	on the 9th in 2005	22	21.1

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Record lowest April daily maximum temperature
	Lowest daily maximum temperature in April 2014 (°C)		Previous coolest for April		Years of record	Average for April
Leigh Creek Airport	15.6	on the 29th	16.5	on the 27th in 2008	30	26.3
Marla Police Station	17.2	on the 29th	18.2	on the 29th in 1989	28	28.6

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Record highest April daily minimum temperature
	Highest daily minimum temperature in April 2014 (°C)		Previous warmest for April		Years of record	Average for April
Hawker	21.5	on the 2nd	= 21.5	on the 2nd in 2005	41	11.0

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Record highest April mean daily minimum temperature
	Mean daily minimum temperature for April 2014 (°C)	Previous warmest for April		Years of record	Average for April
Whyalla Aero	13.9	13.7	in 2005	25	11.7

Highest April mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years
	Mean daily minimum temperature for April 2014 (°C)	Most recent April at least this warm		Years since warmer	Average for April
Yongala	10.1	=10.1	in 1974	40	7.2

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Summary statistics for April 2014
	Maximum temperatures for April (°C)				Minimum temperatures for April (°C)				Rainfall for April (millimetres)
	Mean for April 2014	Diff from average	Highest for April 2014		Mean for April 2014	Diff from average	Lowest for April 2014		Total for April 2014	Average for April	Rank of April 2014	Fraction of April average
Northwest (district 16)
Andamooka	26.8	-0.6	37.9	1st	16.0	+2.0	10.6	30th	67.6	15.9	v high	425%
Coober Pedy Airport	26.3		39.1	1st	15.5		9.0	30th	161.6	14.0	highest	1154%
Ernabella (Pukatja)	25.9		35.9	1st	13.7		8.3	16th	69.8
Mount Ive	24.8		37.0	1st	11.9		7.0	5th	61.2	14.8	highest	414%
Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome)	26.9		38.1	1st	14.9		8.0	25th	54.2
Tarcoola Aero	26.8		39.7	1st	14.2		8.5	24th	43.2
Woomera Aerodrome	25.7	+0.1	38.6	1st	14.8	+1.7	9.6	30th	51.2	12.0	v high	427%
Far North (district 17)
Arkaroola	25.0	-0.2	34.6	2nd	13.2	+2.1	7.3	30th	66.6	15.0	v high	444%
Leigh Creek Airport	25.9	-0.4	35.8	1st	14.5	+1.6	8.1	30th	48.8	14.4	v high	339%
Marree Aero	28.2		37.6	1st	15.6		10.2	30th	40.6
Marree Comparison	29.2	+0.7	39.0	1st			11.0	30th	42.5	11.0	v high	386%
Moomba Airport	30.6		38.3	2nd	17.3		12.0	30th	17.6
Oodnadatta Airport	28.6	+0.1	39.2	1st	16.4	+2.0	10.1	30th	47.8	11.5	v high	416%
Western Agricultural (district 18)
Ceduna AMO	24.7	+0.4	40.1	1st	12.0	+1.3	4.6	23rd	32.4	19.6	high	165%
Cleve	22.7	0.0	36.0	1st	13.5	+1.2	9.0	23rd	33.2	28.5	average	116%
Cleve Aerodrome	23.2		37.5	1st	13.3		8.3	23rd	28.2	25.0	average	113%
Cummins Aero	23.9		38.6	1st	10.2		3.1	23rd	23.0
Elliston	22.5	+0.1	36.8	1st	12.8	+0.6	7.4	20th	22.0	27.4	average	80%
Kimba	23.4	-0.6	35.0	1st	11.9	+0.6	6.5	13th	53.0	22.7	v high	233%
Kyancutta	25.9	+0.5	37.6	1st	11.1	+1.6	4.5	23rd	38.4	19.6	high	196%
Minnipa Pirsa	24.6		37.2	1st	12.8		7.8	14th	57.6
Neptune Island	20.2	+0.7	27.0	1st	15.5	+0.5	13.4	30th	24.4	31.1	average	78%
North Shields (Port Lincoln AWS)	23.0	+0.8	38.4	1st	13.4	+1.2	7.5	23rd	24.0	18.7	high	128%
Nullarbor	25.0	+0.2	38.5	1st	13.0	+1.4	7.3	23rd	21.2	22.4	average	95%
Port Augusta Aero	25.1		38.7	1st	14.3		9.5	24th	115.0
Streaky Bay	24.7	+1.0	36.1	1st	13.7	+0.9	9.3	5th	26.6	24.0	average	111%
Whyalla Aero	23.4	-0.5	38.2	1st	13.9	+2.2	7.8	6th	79.4	21.2	v high	375%
Wudinna Aero	25.5		38.4	1st	11.4		4.5	14th	41.4
Upper North (district 19)
Hawker	24.4	-1.1	35.0	1st	12.2	+1.2	5.0	24th	68.3	19.8	v high	345%
Yongala	21.8	-0.2	33.4	1st	10.1	+2.9	3.9	5th	91.3	25.1	v high	364%
Northeast (district 20)
Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot)	24.0		36.7	1st	10.7		1.8	19th	41.8
Yunta Airstrip	23.9		34.3	1st	11.5		4.8	19th	60.4
Lower North (district 21)
Clare High School	21.1	-0.5	34.7	1st	10.3	+1.3	2.8	19th	112.0	36.8	highest	304%
Port Pirie Aerodrome	24.5		36.2	1st	13.1		7.2	24th	77.5
Snowtown (Rayville Park)	24.2		37.6	1st	10.6		2.9	6th	71.8
Yorke Peninsula (district 22A)
Edithburgh	21.9	+0.8	37.9	1st	14.0	+1.0	6.9	23rd	28.4	24.3	average	117%
Kadina AWS	23.9		36.5	1st	11.6		4.2	19th	45.8
Maitland	22.7	+0.2	35.5	1st	12.9	+0.3	9.0	19th	45.4	43.4	average	105%
Minlaton Aero	22.8		36.9	1st	12.6		7.3	19th	31.6
Stenhouse Bay	21.7		34.5	1st	14.5		9.2	25th	37.8
Warooka	21.8	-0.2	31.4	1st	13.1	+0.5	8.8	13th	33.6	32.7	average	103%
Kangaroo Island (district 22B)
Cape Borda	19.9		28.2	1st	12.2		8.0	25th	27.4
Cape Willoughby	19.8	+0.7	30.5	1st	14.8	+0.6	12.3	27th	32.4	39.5	average	82%
Kingscote Aero	22.2		32.5	1st	10.2		2.0	25th	31.8	27.1	average	117%
Parndana Cfs AWS	20.7		32.7	1st	10.7		5.1	25th	42.8
Adelaide Plains (district 23A)
Adelaide (Kent Town)	23.1	+0.4	36.8	1st	13.4	+1.0	8.1	23rd	50.6	39.9	average	127%
Adelaide Airport	22.9	+0.7	35.1	1st	12.8	+1.0	6.3	25th	29.4	35.0	average	84%
Edinburgh RAAF	23.5	+0.5	37.9	1st	12.3	+0.6	6.1	5th	38.0	30.9	average	123%
Parafield Airport	23.9	+1.2	37.8	1st	12.1	+0.3	4.8	23rd	36.0	39.1	average	92%
Roseworthy AWS	23.5		38.1	1st	11.4		3.5	5th	66.8
County Light (district 23B)
Nuriootpa Viticultural	21.0		35.6	1st	10.0		2.4	19th	57.0
Rosedale (Turretfield Research Centre)	22.5	-0.6	37.4	1st	11.0	+0.3	4.2	19th	72.3	36.8	high	196%
Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23C)
Hindmarsh Island AWS	21.7		37.1	1st	13.4		7.6	25th	15.6
Kuitpo Forest Reserve	19.6		34.2	1st	11.6		7.2	27th	49.0
Mount Barker	20.7	+0.2	35.1	1st	10.2	+1.9	3.5	25th	44.2	58.2	average	76%
Mount Crawford (Mt Crawford AWS)	18.9		33.8	1st	10.7		5.4	27th	57.6	44.0	average	131%
Mount Lofty	17.1		30.5	1st	9.8		4.3	27th	63.4
Noarlunga	22.2		34.4	1st	13.7		8.9	23rd	48.2
Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS)	18.3		32.4	1st	11.8		7.4	27th	59.2	58.1	average	102%
Victor Harbor (Encounter Bay)	21.7		36.7	1st	11.8		3.3	25th	33.4
Upper Murray Valley (district 24A)
Loxton Research Centre	22.9	-1.0	35.9	1st	10.7	+2.2	3.6	19th	49.4	17.2	v high	287%
Renmark Aero	23.5		36.9	1st	11.1		2.9	19th	33.0
Lower Murray Valley (district 24B)
Eudunda	20.9	-0.5	35.0	1st	11.1	+1.3	5.1	20th	102.2	33.3	v high	307%
Meningie	21.6	-0.1	33.8	1st	11.5	+0.7	4.2	27th	36.0	37.6	average	96%
Murray Bridge (Pallamana Aerodrome)	22.5		37.8	1st	10.5		2.2	27th	39.6
Murray Bridge Comparison	23.1	-0.4	38.4	1st	11.6	+1.3	4.5	25th	36.6	28.8	high	127%
Strathalbyn Racecourse	22.1		37.1	1st	11.8		4.6	27th	28.2
Murray Mallee (district 25A)
Karoonda	22.8		36.6	1st	10.6		3.0	25th	52.2	24.6	high	212%
Upper Southeast (district 25B)
Keith	23.0	+0.5	36.8	1st	10.1	+0.8	1.5	27th	35.4	32.7	average	108%
Keith (Munkora)	23.3		37.7	1st	8.8		-0.8	27th	33.2
Lameroo (Austin Plains)	22.7		36.7	1st	10.0		1.9	27th	50.4
Lameroo Comparison	22.5	-0.4	36.0	1st	10.8	+1.8	4.0	27th	49.2	27.2	high	181%
Lower Southeast (district 26)
Cape Jaffa (The Limestone)	20.4	+0.5	32.0	1st	11.3	+0.7	2.8	25th	38.2	33.7	average	113%
Coonawarra	21.6	+0.5	36.2	1st	8.9	+1.2	-0.4	25th	49.4	36.3	average	136%
Mount Gambier Aero	20.4	+0.9	35.8	1st	9.7	+1.0	3.4	27th	62.6	54.8	average	114%
Naracoorte Aerodrome	22.6		36.9	1st	9.1		-1.3	27th	44.4
Padthaway South	22.2		36.2	1st	9.0		-0.8	27th	32.6
Robe Airfield	20.7		32.7	1st	9.9		2.3	27th	52.0
Robe Comparison	19.4	+0.6	25.6	1st	12.5	+1.0	7.0	25th	41.6	46.0	average	90%

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Further information

Bureau of Meteorology
Phone (03) 9669 4057
Email media@bom.gov.au

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