Wednesday, 1 June 2016 - Monthly Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC13R0

South Australia in May 2016: Warm, with above average rainfall

Most of South Australia recorded a warmer and wetter than average May. Daytime and night time temperatures were above average across the entire state, particularly across the pastoral areas. Rainfall was above average across most of the State, especially across northern districts, but rainfall tended closer to average across southern districts.

• Well above temperatures at the start of the month
• Very warm nights across northern and southern districts
• Very warm days in the east
• Rainfall was above average
• Very wet in the northeast

Following a generally dry April, May was a wet month for most of South Australia, with heavy rainfall activity resulting in several locations reporting their highest total May rainfall on record or their wettest May for at least 20 years. The wettest periods were between the 8th and 9th, and later on the 26th to 28th. Rainfall totals for the month were generally in the range of 50-100 mm across southern coasts and the Mount Lofty Ranges decreasing to less than 25 mm in southern parts of the pastoral areas. Northern pastoral areas recorded three to four times the long term May average during the month. The passage of an extensive cloud band, with embedded thunderstorms associated with an upper level trough that tracked across northern parts of South Australia between the 8th and 9th resulted in some locations reporting their highest May daily rainfall on record. Extensive shower activity associated with the passage of a cold front affected agricultural areas on the 26th, with the highest falls occurring in northern Adelaide and the Hills, areas in the Mid North, Riverland, and the Lower Eyre Peninsula and Yorke Peninsula.

South Australia had a warm start to May. Both the statewide mean maximum and mean minimum temperatures were well above the historical average at the beginning of the month, with well above normal temperatures occurring across much of the northern and eastern districts.

The first week of the month saw very warm days across most districts. Maximum temperatures became milder during the second week of the month following the passage of a deep low pressure system and the establishment of a ridge of high pressure over the north of the State. Warm northwesterly winds occurring from mid-month resulted in above average daytime temperatures across large areas of the State, with especially warm periods between the 14th and 17th and on the 21st and 22nd. The above average temperatures resulted in Edithburgh, on the southern Yorke Peninsula reporting its highest May mean daily maximum temperature on record. Overall, the statewide mean temperature for May 2016 was the ninth-warmest on record.

Nights were warmer than average for most of South Australia with several locations reporting their warmest May mean daily minimum temperature on record. Particularly warm nights occurred in the first week of the month with a northwesterly airstream resulting in Moomba observing its warmest May night on record. The last week of May saw cooler than average nights, particularly across southern districts.

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

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* 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