Friday, 1 April 2016 - Monthly Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC13R0

South Australia in March 2016: Warm days and nights with rainfall above average

Most of South Australia recorded a warmer and wetter than normal March. Daytime and night time temperatures were particularly warm in the first half of the month. There were several days of heavy rain in pastoral areas and northern parts of the agricultural districts resulting in well above average monthly rainfall, but rainfall was near-average across some coastal regions.

• Warm nights, especially at the start of the month
• Warm days, particularly in the eastern districts
• Above average rainfall across most of the State
• Seventh wettest March for the State as a whole

A broad trough of low pressure and a middle-level disturbance over South Australia brought localised heavy rain to southern districts on 7 March, Streaky Bay recorded 48.4 mm (a March record for the site), also resulting in the wettest March for the site since 1983. With the trough moving slowly across the State for several days, heavy rainfall was recorded in central districts, resulting in record high daily rainfall at Bute and Tarlee. Isolated showers and thunderstorms continued over pastoral and Flinders districts through to the 18th as the moist tropical airmass lingered over the north of the State. The wet period resulted in some sites reporting their highest total March rainfall on record with several other locations reporting their wettest March for at least 20 years. Tarcoola (Mobella) was the wettest location in the State, recording 151.8 mm for the month, resulting in the location having its wettest March since 1989. Large areas of South Australia recorded rainfall totals in excess of 200% of the long-term March average.

The month began with a continuation of the above-average temperatures that had been observed across South Australia during late February. A heatwave that initially developed in northern Australia spread into northern and eastern districts of South Australia at the beginning of March. Both maximum and minimum temperatures were in excess of 10 °C above average for the month, with Moomba having it's warmest March night (highest daily minimum temperature) on record and some other locations in the eastern parts of the State observing their hottest March daytime maximum temperature on record. The heat persisted across much of the State for several days, resulting in several locations having their warmest March nights on record. More information about the heat can be found in Special Climate Statement 55 - prolonged March heatwave affects many parts of Australia. Both daytime and night time temperatures became mild in the latter part of the month. However, both monthly mean maximum and monthly mean minimum temperatures were well above average for the State has a whole for March 2016.

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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

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

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

* 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

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top