Adelaide in March 2017: very warm and generally drier than average

Most of the Adelaide region was drier and much warmer than average during March. Despite a cool end to the month, daytime temperatures in particular were very much above average. All locations in the Adelaide hills and suburbs had mean maximum temperatures that were more than two degrees warmer than average.

Generally drier than average

  • Most sites around the Adelaide hills and suburbs had below average rainfall during March
  • Adelaide (Kent Town) was one of only a few sites in the Adelaide region that recorded above average rainfall for the month
  • North of the city, Edinburgh and Williamstown had their lowest total March rainfall since 1997

Much warmer than average

  • March was warmer than average throughout the Adelaide region
  • Maximum temperatures during March were very much warmer than average
  • Mean maximum temperatures were almost five degrees warmer than average at Mount Lofty
  • Mean minimum temperatures were also warmer than average throughout Adelaide
  • March began with several hot days, with most sites recording their hottest day of the month on the 1st, but ended with several cold days
  • Adelaide city had 25 nights of 15 °C or above during March, which was the most warm nights for March since 1974 (when there were 28 such warm nights at West Terrace)
  • Mount Crawford had its warmest March on record after both its mean daily maximum temperatures and mean daily minimum temperatures were highest on record for March

Further information

Media
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Extremes in March 2017
Hottest day 38.6 °C at Adelaide (Kent Town) and Parafield Airport on the 1st
Warmest days on average 30.2 °C at Parafield Airport
Coolest days on average 23.8 °C at Mount Lofty
Coldest day 14.1 °C at Mount Lofty on the 30th
Coldest night 6.5 °C at Mount Lofty on the 30th and Edinburgh RAAF on the 31st
Coolest nights on average 13.3 °C at Mount Barker
Warmest nights on average 17.5 °C at Noarlunga
Warmest night 23.3 °C at Noarlunga on the 20th
Warmest on average overall 23.3 °C at Adelaide (Kent Town)
Coolest on average overall 18.8 °C at Mount Lofty
Wettest overall 46.4 mm at North Adelaide
Wettest day 29.0 mm at North Adelaide on the 21st
Strongest wind gust 69 km/h at Edinburgh RAAF on the 12th and Mount Crawford AWS on the 29th

Lowest March total rainfall for at least 20 years
Observed
(mm)
Most recent
lower
Average for
March
Adelaide (Hope Valley Reservoir) 4.6 0.0 in 1994 29.3
Sellicks Beach 3.4 0.0 in 1994 18.5
McLaren Vale (Pirramimma Winery) 6.4 4.8 in 1995* 22.8
Edinburgh RAAF 6.4 4.8 in 1997 25.3
Williamstown (South Para Reservoir) 7.6 5.8 in 1997 29.7

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




Record highest March mean daily maximum temperature
New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
March
Mount Crawford AWS 26.3 26.2 in 2008 22 23.3



Record highest March mean daily minimum temperature
New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
March
Mount Crawford AWS 14.6 14.5 in 2013 22 12.1



Record highest March mean temperature
New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
March
Mount Crawford AWS 20.5 20.3 in 2008 22 17.7



Summary statistics for March 2017
Maximum temperatures
(°C)
Minimum temperatures
(°C)
Rainfall
(millimetres)
Mean for
March
2017
Diff
from
average
Highest for
March
2017
Mean for
March
2017
Diff
from
average
Lowest for
March
2017
Total for
March
2017
Average
for
March
Rank of
March
2017
Fraction of
March
average
Adelaide (Kent Town) 29.3 +2.9 38.6 1st 17.4 +2.1 8.8 31st 39.4 27.4 high 144%
Adelaide Airport 27.8 +2.3 35.0 2nd 17.0 +2.5 8.3 31st 6.4 21.8 low 29%
Edinburgh RAAF 29.7 +2.8 38.2 1st 15.6 +1.1 6.5 31st 6.4 25.3 low 25%
Kuitpo Forest Reserve 25.3 +2.2 34.7 1st 14.7 +2.0 8.7 30th 23.8 36.5 low 65%
Mount Barker 27.1 +2.5 36.0 1st 13.3 +2.8 7.0 31st 21.8 31.3 average 70%
Mount Crawford AWS 26.3 +3.0 34.4 1st 14.6 +2.5 7.3 31st 13.8 30.0 average 46%
Mount Lofty 23.8 +4.8 32.7 1st 13.7 +2.7 6.5 30th 28.6
Noarlunga 27.7 +2.1 36.3 1st 17.5 +2.0 9.8 31st 9.2 21.6 low 43%
Parafield Airport 30.2 +3.4 38.6 1st 15.7 +1.1 6.8 31st 11.8 22.6 average 52%

Daily maximum temperatures for March 2017
12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031
Adelaide (Kent Town)38.636.234.032.526.928.832.233.032.931.530.721.723.430.235.423.327.333.534.634.429.922.629.032.527.733.323.924.622.719.720.1
Adelaide Airport34.935.034.527.926.627.830.828.928.128.730.222.123.627.433.422.926.729.932.229.529.322.529.131.424.933.923.224.323.420.419.6
Edinburgh RAAF38.236.534.432.028.128.132.232.532.231.933.823.123.830.736.523.527.533.034.534.330.523.928.933.027.535.624.324.224.020.720.1
Kuitpo Forest Reserve34.727.126.726.621.521.028.230.631.027.727.817.919.429.431.819.821.430.131.831.726.417.223.329.126.731.619.820.719.016.616.7
Mount Barker36.029.729.028.323.823.429.933.832.228.628.319.719.630.334.022.823.533.534.232.127.318.325.631.129.630.322.824.020.818.217.9
Mount Crawford AWS34.432.029.029.524.124.729.431.031.930.628.817.620.228.732.721.322.831.732.931.627.318.224.429.926.132.520.421.018.716.916.1
Mount Lofty32.728.527.227.420.821.827.929.029.327.926.114.418.526.828.618.321.029.429.629.524.214.923.127.424.330.218.018.615.414.114.4
Noarlunga36.331.931.730.725.425.531.630.029.829.330.322.323.028.433.823.025.529.233.432.230.121.027.530.926.034.322.522.822.319.619.1
Parafield Airport38.637.234.932.928.429.432.633.533.432.533.323.124.330.936.124.028.134.235.335.130.524.829.433.628.935.524.924.624.820.620.8
Values are the maximum temperature, usually in the 24 hours from 9 am on the day indicated,
and typically occurred in the afternoon of that day.
Temperatures coloured according to their difference
from the long-term average for the period
-10.0 -9.0 -8.0 -7.0 -6.0 -5.0 -4.0 -3.0 -2.0 -1.0 0.0 +1.0 +2.0 +3.0 +4.0 +5.0 +6.0 +7.0 +8.0 +9.0 +10.0 °C Grey outline marks highest
and lowest for the period

Daily minimum temperatures for March 2017
12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031
Adelaide (Kent Town)23.021.118.919.015.016.718.319.117.315.119.216.916.415.219.018.212.512.716.323.221.519.217.718.520.520.720.813.814.310.98.8
Adelaide Airport20.319.217.917.515.717.117.918.116.314.317.017.116.514.120.218.513.211.413.322.720.619.317.419.020.420.420.717.414.311.68.3
Edinburgh RAAF19.617.616.514.911.216.314.716.014.913.418.817.815.613.417.717.611.310.512.519.119.919.517.318.717.619.920.511.011.910.36.5
Kuitpo Forest Reserve22.816.614.613.414.013.413.616.517.012.014.114.113.514.017.913.610.011.718.419.717.815.014.014.318.415.717.012.213.88.79.2
Mount Barker16.913.815.411.515.013.814.112.212.812.312.914.714.011.114.614.49.37.411.315.217.015.514.213.818.416.117.110.412.67.17.0
Mount Crawford AWS22.921.413.716.011.912.412.717.519.213.418.112.712.913.119.013.48.211.017.019.717.614.212.613.118.017.016.310.612.27.47.3
Mount Lofty21.119.513.014.511.411.611.914.718.315.818.012.011.712.217.511.57.19.517.218.116.613.512.112.317.916.813.610.511.56.56.6
Noarlunga22.521.517.418.615.616.717.119.417.815.118.016.316.416.020.117.613.114.418.623.320.718.217.417.820.419.220.216.317.510.69.8
Parafield Airport20.217.116.716.712.114.517.416.215.112.917.417.915.912.819.218.012.211.312.720.918.817.417.018.317.919.120.611.511.910.06.8
Values are the minimum temperature, usually in the 24 hours to 9 am on the day indicated,
and typically occurred that morning.
Temperatures coloured according to their difference
from the long-term average for the period
-10.0 -9.0 -8.0 -7.0 -6.0 -5.0 -4.0 -3.0 -2.0 -1.0 0.0 +1.0 +2.0 +3.0 +4.0 +5.0 +6.0 +7.0 +8.0 +9.0 +10.0 °C Grey outline marks highest
and lowest for the period

Daily rainfall for March 2017
12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031
Adelaide (Hope Valley Reservoir) - - - - - - - - - - - 1.6 - - - - - - - - 3.0









Adelaide (Kent Town) - - - - - - - - -
- 1.4 7.2 - - - - - - - 26.8 - - - - - - - - 4.0 -
Adelaide (Keswick) - - - - - - - - - - - 0.8 5.4 - - - - - - - 10.4 - - - - - - 0.4 - 3.2 0.6
Adelaide (Morphett Vale)











4.0






11.0







8.0
Adelaide Airport - - - - - - - - - - - 0.4 2.4 - - 0.2 - - - - 1.0 - - - - - - - - 2.4 -
Ashton - - - - - - - - - - - 6.4 12.6 0.2 - - - - - - 8.6 0.4 - - - - 0.2 0.6 - 5.8 -
Ashton Co-op - - - - 0.2 - - - - - 4.0 12.4 0.2 - - - - - - 2.0 - 0.4 - - 0.4 1.0 - 5.4 -
Athelstone (Black Hill) - - - - - - - - - - - 2.8 5.6 0.2 - - - - - - 1.0 - - - - - - 0.2 - 6.4 -
Balhannah (Killara Park) - - - - - - - - - - 0.2 2.2 8.6 0.2 - - - - 0.2 - - 0.2 - - - 0.2 - 0.2 - 6.4 -
Beaumont - - - - - - - - - - - 1.6 9.6 - - - - - - - 5.4 - - - - - - 0.2 - 3.6 -
Belair - - - - - - - - - - - 2.0 10.0 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.4 - 6.0 0.2
Belair (St Johns) - - - - - - - - - - - 1.4 7.0 - - - - - - - 1.4 - - - - - 0.2 0.6 - 7.8 0.4
Bellevue Heights - - - - - - - - - - - 1.0 3.8 - - - - - - - 14.4 - - - - - - 0.2 - 7.2 -
Birdwood (McVittie's Hill) - - - - - - - - - - - 1.0 11.2 0.2 - - - - - - 0.2 - - - - - - - - 3.8 -
Blackwood (Wittunga)










2.8 7.2






10.0





0.2
6.8
Brownhill Creek (Scotch College) - - - - - - - - - - - 1.6 7.0 - - - - - - - 4.8 - - - - - - 0.8 - 6.0 0.2
Burnside - - - - - - - - - - - 1.4 9.0 - - - - - - - 1.2 - - - - - - - - 5.0 -
Crafers West - - - - - - - - - - - 4.6 15.0 0.2 - - - - - - - 0.2 - - - - - 0.4 - 6.8 0.2
Cudlee Creek (Millbrook Reservoir) - - - - - - - - - - - 0.8 15.2 0.2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 5.8
Cudlee Creek (O'Deas Road) - - - - - - - - - - - 3.6 12.2 - - - - - - - 6.2 - - - - - - - - 4.0 -
Eden Valley (Mt Adam)

- - -





0.2 0.6

















Edinburgh RAAF - - - - - - - - - - - - 4.4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2.0 -
Felixstow (Payneham) - - - - - - - - - - - 1.6 9.8 - - - - - - - 11.8 - - - - - - 0.2 - 7.4 -
Gawler - - - - - - - - - - - - 3.4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2.2 -
Greenacres - - - - - - - - - - - 2.6 3.8 - - - - - - - 16.2 - - - - - - 0.2 - 6.0 -
Hahndorf - - - - - - - - - - 0.1 2.8 11.0 - - - - - - - 1.3 0.3 - - - 0.3 - 0.2 0.1 6.7 0.1
Happy Valley Reservoir










0.2 10.8






11.6



0.2
0.8
8.2
Heathfield Works Depot - - - - - - - - - - - 13.8 - - - - - - 2.0 1.2 - - - - - - - 10.0
Ironstone Road - - - - - - - - - - - 3.6 7.0 - - - - - - - 6.6 - - - - - - - - 4.0 -
Kangarilla (Saddlebags) - - - - - - - - - - - 3.4 8.8 0.2 - - - - - - 3.0 - - - - - 0.2 1.0 - 6.4 -
Kersbrook - - - - - - - - - - - 1.4 9.0 - - - - - - - 7.8 - - - - - - - - 4.6 0.2
Kilburn - - - - - - - - - - - 1.6 3.8 - - - - - - - 14.2 - - - - - - 0.2 - 5.2 -
Kuitpo Forest Reserve - - - - - - - - - 0.2 - 1.4 6.0 - 0.2 - - -
- 6.8 0.4 - - - - - 1.0 - 7.6 0.2
Leawood Gardens (Eagle on The Hill) - - - - - - - - - - - 3.2 9.0 - - - - - - - 0.2 - - - - - - 0.4 - 3.6 -
Lenswood Research Centre - - - - - - - - - - 18.2 - - - - - - - 0.6 - - 0.6 0.2 0.2 4.2
Lobethal












16.6





0.4 0.3 3.1
Lobethal - - - - - - - - - - - 3.2 12.8 - 0.2 - - - - - - 0.4 0.2 - - - - 0.2 - 2.8 -
Lobethal (Maidment Road) - - - - - - - - - - - 5.0 14.2 - - - - - - - 1.0 0.2 - - - - - - - 2.6 -
Long Ridge (Greenhill) - - - - - - - - - - - 1.6 13.6 0.2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.2 - 4.2 -
 McLaren Vale (Pirramimma Winery) - - - - - - - - - - - 1.8 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 4.6
Melrose Park - - - - - - - - - - - 0.8 7.4 - - - - - - - 8.4 - - - - - - 0.2 - 5.6 -
Mitchell Park (Marion) - - - - - - - - - - - 1.2 5.4 - - - - - - - 18.2 - - - - - - - - 5.2 0.2
Montacute - - - - - - - - - - - 3.0 9.0 - - - - - - - - 0.2 - - - - - 0.2 - 4.8 -
Morphettville - - - - - - - - - - - 0.2 3.4 - - - - - - - 24.4 - - - - - - - - 3.4 -
Mount Barker - - - - - - - - - - - 1.4 10.0 0.2 - - - 0.2 - - 0.6 0.6 - - - 0.2 - 0.2 - 8.4 -
Mount Bold Reservoir










2.0 8.8 0.2
0.2



4.0



0.2
1.2
5.8
Mount Crawford AWS - - - - 0.2 0.2 - - - - - 1.2 7.2 0.2 - - - - - - 1.6 0.2 - - - - - - - 3.0 -
Mount Lofty - -
- - - - - - - - 6.2 14.8 0.2 - - - - - - 0.6 0.4 0.2 - - - - 0.4 - 5.8 -
Mt Bold (Scott Creek) - - - - - - - - - - - 1.6 4.8 0.2 - 0.2 - - - - 3.8 0.2 - - - - - 0.2 - 7.8 -
Mylor (Biggs Flat) - - - - - - - - - - - 1.2 12.0 - - - - - - - 3.8 0.2 - - - - - 0.2 - 5.4 -
Nairne - - - - - - - - - - - 13.0 - - - - - - - 0.8 - - - 0.2 - - 5.0
Noarlunga - - - - - - - - - - - 0.8 1.0 - - - - - - - 3.0 - - - - - - 0.4 - 4.0 -
North Adelaide - - - - - - - - - - - 9.0 - - - 29.0 - - - - - - 0.4 - 8.0
Owen









10.0
















Parafield Airport - - - - - - -
- - - 0.8 6.4 - - - 0.2 - - - 0.6 - - - - - - - - 3.8 -
Piccadilly (Woodhouse) - - - - - - - - - - - 5.6 11.4 - - - - - - - - 1.4








Regency Park - - - - - - - - - - - 4.4 3.6 - - - - - - - 6.4 - - - - - - 0.2 - 3.8 -
Sellicks Beach










1.2


0.4












1.8
Uraidla










4.0 16.0






3.4







9.0
Uraidla (Sutton Creek) - - - - - - - - - - - 3.2 11.8 0.2 - - - - - - 1.2 0.8 0.2 - - 0.2 - 0.6 - 5.6 -
Verdun - - - - - - - - - - - 3.0 11.6 - - - - - - - 1.6 0.6 - - - - - 0.6 - 5.6 -
Williamstown - - - - - - - - - - - 1.0 3.8 - - - - - - - 2.0









Williamstown (South Para Reservoir) - - - - - - - - - - - 0.6 3.2 - - - - - - - 1.0 - - - - - - - - 2.6 0.2
Willunga - - - - - - - - - - 7.2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3.2
Woodside









11.6






0.6






3.0
Woodside (Wicks Estate) - - - - - - - - - - - 3.0 7.6 - - - - - - - - 0.2 - - - - - - - 3.6 -
Most values are the precipitation in the 24 hours to 9 am on the day indicated. Days marked with → are part of a longer accumulation, which is shown on the final day.
Values over 100 mm have been rounded to the nearest whole millimetre.
Days marked with - have a rainfall report of zero; days left blank have no rainfall report (which often indicates no rain fell).
Rainfalls coloured
according to the amount
0 1.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 25.0 50.0 100 150 200 300 400 600 millimetres

Notes

The Monthly climate summary, generally published on the first working day of each month, lists the main features of the weather in Adelaide using the most timely and accurate information available on the date of publication; it will generally not be updated. More extensive discussion of significant weather events, along with later information and data that has had greater opportunity for quality control, will be presented in the Monthly Weather Review.

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 9 am on Monday 3 April 2017. Some checks have been made on the data, but it is possible that results will change as new information becomes available.

In some situations, some or all of the rainfall is in the form of hail or snow. In these cases the totals given are for the water equivalent: the depth of liquid water that results from melting any frozen precipitation. There can be significant 'undercatch' of snow in strong winds, meaning the true precipitation can be higher than that reported.

Averages for individual sites 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 10 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.

Where temperature area averages are mentioned, they are derived from the ACORN-SAT dataset.

Further information

Media
(03) 9669 4057
Enquiries

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