Tuesday, 9 January 2018 - Monthly Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC13R0
South Australia in December 2017: wetter and warmer than average
December rainfall was above average for most Agricultural Districts and the Northwest, but little or no rain fell in the Far North. Both daytime and night time temperatures were warmer than average in most parts of the State, although temperatures were cooler than average in parts of the Northwest.
Rainfall above average
- December rainfall was 28% above average for South Australia as a whole
- Rainfall was more than double the December average in many parts of the Agricultural Districts and neighbouring areas of the Northwest
- Parts of the Lower Southeast and Far North recorded below average rainfall for the month
- Little or no rain fell in much of the Far North
- Yunta Airstrip had its highest December daily rainfall on record and its highest total December rainfall on record, with nearly all of the rain falling in the first three days of the month
- Several sites had their highest total December rainfall since 1992 or 1993
- Two sites around Marree had their lowest total December rainfall on record and Arkaroola had its lowest total December rainfall since 1994
Warmer than average
- December mean temperatures were 0.97 °C warmer than average for South Australia as a whole, and were warmer than average in all areas except northwestern parts of the Northwest
- After several years of very warm Decembers (including the warmest December on record in 2015), it was the coolest December for South Australia as a whole since 2011
- Daytime temperatures were warmer than average in most districts
- Mean maximum temperatures were very much above average in western parts of the Western Agricultural district and in eastern parts of the Far North
- The month began with a week of relatively cool days, with temperatures more than ten degrees cooler than average in western parts of the State on the 1st
- Night time temperatures were also warmer than average in most districts, although not as markedly as daytime temperatures
- Mean minimum temperatures were more than two degrees warmer than average in the far northeast of the State
- Several sites had their highest December temperature on record as temperatures exceeded 45 °C in the second half of the month
- Moomba Airport exceeded its December daily maximum temperature record on the 18th and then equalled this new record (47.1 °C) again on the 29th (although the old Moomba site reached 49.1 °C on 23 December 1972)
- Cleve Aerodrome had its coldest December day on record when is reached just 16.0 °C on the 1st (although the nearby Cleve site only reached 12.8 °C on 1 December 1966)
- Ernabella (Pukatja) had its warmest December night on record on the 18th
Further information
- Media
- media@bom.gov.au (03) 9669 4057
- Enquiries
- helpdesk.climate@bom.gov.au
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
| Extremes in December 2017 | |
|---|---|
| Hottest day |
47.1 °C at Marree Aero on the 18th 47.1 °C at Moomba Airport on the 18th and 29th 47.1 °C at Oodnadatta Airport on the 18th |
| Warmest days on average |
38.5 °C at Moomba Airport |
| Coolest days on average |
21.4 °C at Neptune Island |
| Coldest day |
12.1 °C at Mount Lofty on the 7th |
| Coldest night |
3.4 °C at Keith (Munkora) on the 25th |
| Coolest nights on average |
9.9 °C at Keith (Munkora) |
| Warmest nights on average |
23.4 °C at Moomba Airport |
| Warmest night |
32.8 °C at Moomba Airport on the 19th |
| Warmest on average overall |
31.0 °C at Moomba Airport |
| Coolest on average overall |
16.6 °C at Mount Lofty |
| Wettest overall |
88.2 mm at Parawa (Sharon) |
| Driest overall |
0.6 mm at Marree Aero |
| Wettest day |
54.0 mm at Boolcoomatta on the 2nd |
| Strongest wind gust |
122 km/h at Neptune Island on the 18th |
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
| Maps | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Observed | Anomaly | Decile rank | |
| Total rainfall |
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| Mean daily maximum temperatures |
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| Mean daily minimum temperatures |
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Click on a map to show it full size in a pop-up window
| Record highest December daily rainfall | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (mm) |
Old record |
Years of record |
||||
| Yunta Airstrip | 29.8 | on the 2nd | 21.0 | on the 5th in 2003 | 20 | |
| Record highest December total rainfall | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (mm) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for December |
||
| Yunta Airstrip | 50.0 | 47.6 | in 2003 | 20 | 18.9 |
| Highest December total rainfall for at least 20 years | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Observed (mm) |
Most recent higher |
Average for December |
|||
| Boolcoomatta | 79.5 | 98.7 | in 1992 | 18.2 | |
| Port Vincent | 56.8 | 65.6 | in 1992 | 19.3 | |
| Stansbury | 58.6 | 77.2 | in 1992 | 18.7 | |
| Cleve | 48.4 | 48.8 | in 1993 | 26.2 | |
| Parawa (Sharon) | 88.2 | 126.6 | in 1993 | 39.4 | |
| Yankalilla | 44.6 | 50.5 | in 1993* | 24.3 | |
* note: there are gaps in the historical record at this site, so it is possible a higher value has gone unreported
| Record lowest December total rainfall | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (mm) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for December |
||
| Marree (Callanna) | 1.0 | 1.2 | in 2005 | 20 | 18.1 |
| Marree Aero | 0.6 | 2.0 | in 2005 | 20 | 15.9 |
| Lowest December total rainfall for at least 20 years | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Observed (mm) |
Most recent lower |
Average for December |
|||
| Arkaroola | 1.8 | 1.2 | in 1994 | 26.1 | |
| Record highest December temperature | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for December |
|||
| Woomera Aerodrome | 45.5 | on the 18th | 45.4 | on the 27th in 1949 | 69 | 32.4 |
| Coober Pedy Airport | 45.8 | on the 18th | 45.6 | on the 20th in 2013 | 24 | 34.4 |
| Moomba Airport | 47.1 | on the 18th and 29th | 46.5 | on the 23rd in 2005 | 23 | 36.6 |
| Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome) | 46.4 | on the 18th | 46.0 | on the 23rd in 2005 | 21 | 34.5 |
| Record lowest December daily maximum temperature | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for December |
|||
| Cleve Aerodrome | 16.0 | on the 1st | 16.9 | on the 5th in 2013 | 22 | 27.4 |
| Record highest December daily minimum temperature | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for December |
|||
| Ernabella (Pukatja) | 28.3 | on the 18th | 27.9 | on the 23rd in 2009 | 20 | 19.2 |
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
| Summary statistics for December 2017 | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum temperatures (°C) |
Minimum temperatures (°C) |
Rainfall (millimetres) |
||||||||||
| Mean for December 2017 |
Diff from average |
Highest for December 2017 |
Mean for December 2017 |
Diff from average |
Lowest for December 2017 |
Total for December 2017 |
Average for December |
Rank of December 2017 |
Fraction of December average |
|||
| Northwest (district 16) | ||||||||||||
| Andamooka | 35.2 | +0.6 | 46.6 | 18th | 20.3 | +0.8 | 13.0 | 2nd | 5.4 | 19.2 | low | 28% |
| Coober Pedy Airport | 34.2 | -0.2 | 45.8 | 18th | 20.2 | +0.2 | 11.8 | 2nd | 18.0 | 20.7 | average | 87% |
| Ernabella (Pukatja) | 33.0 | -0.2 | 40.8 | 17th | 18.6 | -0.6 | 11.1 | 5th | 35.0 | 65.1 | average | 54% |
| Mount Ive | 31.8 | 42.0 | 27th | 15.1 | 7.1 | 8th | 21.7 | 17.0 | high | 128% | ||
| Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome) | 34.8 | +0.3 | 46.4 | 18th | 19.3 | +0.5 | 12.6 | 2nd | 6.0 | 16.7 | low | 36% |
| Tarcoola Aero | 33.5 | -0.5 | 46.2 | 17th | 17.4 | -0.1 | 9.2 | 8th | 26.4 | 21.6 | average | 122% |
| Woomera Aerodrome | 33.1 | +0.7 | 45.5 | 18th | 18.3 | +0.6 | 11.4 | 2nd | 18.4 | 14.5 | high | 127% |
| Far North (district 17) | ||||||||||||
| Arkaroola | 33.9 | +1.1 | 44.9 | 18th | 18.0 | +0.2 | 11.0 | 6th | 1.8 | 26.1 | low | 7% |
| Leigh Creek Airport | 34.5 | +1.2 | 45.1 | 18th | 19.2 | +0.5 | 11.0 | 4th | 3.2 | 23.0 | low | 14% |
| Marree Aero | 37.1 | +1.2 | 47.1 | 18th | 20.7 | +0.4 | 12.4 | 5th | 0.6 | 15.9 | lowest | 4% |
| Moomba Airport | 38.5 | +1.9 | 47.1 | 29th | 23.4 | +1.1 | 14.5 | 5th | 2.0 | 14.3 | low | 14% |
| Oodnadatta Airport | 37.1 | +0.7 | 47.1 | 18th | 21.8 | +0.5 | 13.4 | 2nd | 19.4 | 17.4 | average | 111% |
| Western Agricultural (district 18) | ||||||||||||
| Ceduna AMO | 28.5 | +1.1 | 44.0 | 23rd | 14.3 | +0.2 | 8.0 | 16th | 24.4 | 20.8 | high | 117% |
| Cleve | 26.6 | -0.2 | 39.5 | 26th | 14.8 | +0.7 | 9.5 | 8th | 48.4 | 26.2 | high | 185% |
| Cleve Aerodrome | 26.3 | -1.1 | 39.7 | 27th | 14.2 | +0.3 | 9.5 | 8th | 39.8 | 23.9 | high | 167% |
| Coffin Bay (Point Avoid) | 23.7 | 35.0 | 18th | 14.5 | 10.5 | 6th | 34.0 | |||||
| Cultana Training Area (Cultana (Defence) | 32.6 | 42.1 | 27th | 16.7 | 9.6 | 8th | 18.8 | |||||
| Cummins Aero | 27.5 | -1.0 | 39.7 | 12th | 12.7 | -0.4 | 5.4 | 8th | 26.0 | 23.1 | average | 113% |
| Elliston | 25.7 | +1.0 | 38.2 | 12th | 14.9 | +0.3 | 9.4 | 9th | 34.2 | 16.7 | high | 205% |
| Kimba | 29.4 | 0.0 | 40.0 | 27th | 14.5 | +0.6 | 6.5 | 8th | 30.8 | 20.2 | high | 152% |
| Kyancutta | 31.3 | +0.4 | 43.0 | 23rd | 13.5 | +0.5 | 5.8 | 8th | 16.8 | 20.8 | average | 81% |
| Minnipa Pirsa | 30.2 | -0.3 | 42.3 | 23rd | 14.5 | +0.3 | 7.8 | 8th | 15.4 | 20.1 | average | 77% |
| Neptune Island | 21.4 | +0.8 | 28.8 | 18th | 15.8 | +0.9 | 12.9 | 3rd | 24.8 | 17.4 | high | 143% |
| North Shields (Port Lincoln AWS) | 24.9 | +0.2 | 35.5 | 18th | 13.9 | -0.1 | 9.2 | 9th | 22.8 | 19.0 | average | 120% |
| Nullarbor | 28.7 | +1.8 | 43.2 | 17th | 14.3 | 0.0 | 8.2 | 21st | 49.0 | 15.7 | v high | 312% |
| Port Augusta Aero | 31.9 | -0.4 | 45.9 | 18th | 17.5 | +0.3 | 12.5 | 2nd | 24.8 | 25.7 | average | 96% |
| Streaky Bay | 27.8 | +0.4 | 40.0 | 12th | 15.2 | +0.2 | 10.2 | 9th | 20.0 | 14.6 | high | 137% |
| Whyalla Aero | 28.0 | -0.3 | 41.8 | 13th | 16.3 | +0.4 | 11.7 | 8th | 50.0 | 25.0 | high | 200% |
| Wudinna Aero | 30.7 | -0.6 | 43.0 | 23rd | 13.7 | +0.2 | 6.2 | 8th | 16.0 | 18.1 | average | 88% |
| Upper North (district 19) | ||||||||||||
| Hawker | 32.1 | +0.1 | 44.0 | 18th | 16.7 | +0.8 | 8.0 | 4th | 6.2 | 22.3 | low | 28% |
| Northeast (district 20) | ||||||||||||
| Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot) | 31.2 | -0.2 | 43.0 | 13th | 13.9 | +0.2 | 7.4 | 9th | 24.6 | 35.9 | average | 69% |
| Yunta Airstrip | 31.1 | -0.2 | 42.7 | 18th | 15.6 | +1.2 | 9.3 | 8th | 50.0 | 18.9 | highest | 265% |
| Lower North (district 21) | ||||||||||||
| Clare High School | 27.0 | -0.5 | 38.3 | 27th | 12.6 | 0.0 | 6.5 | 8th | 62.0 | 37.9 | high | 164% |
| Port Pirie Aerodrome AWS | 30.4 | 41.1 | 23rd | 15.6 | 8.9 | 5th | 42.6 | |||||
| Snowtown (Rayville Park) | 29.9 | -0.5 | 40.8 | 13th | 11.8 | -0.5 | 5.1 | 8th | 41.0 | 29.6 | high | 139% |
| Yorke Peninsula (district 22A) | ||||||||||||
| Kadina AWS | 28.3 | -1.0 | 39.9 | 23rd | 13.5 | +0.2 | 6.5 | 8th | 41.4 | 32.2 | high | 129% |
| Minlaton Aero | 27.6 | 0.0 | 38.7 | 12th | 13.5 | 0.0 | 7.7 | 8th | 35.6 | 19.6 | high | 182% |
| Stenhouse Bay | 23.2 | -0.1 | 36.2 | 18th | 15.3 | +0.2 | 12.2 | 3rd | 26.8 | 17.4 | v high | 154% |
| Warooka | 25.7 | +0.2 | 36.0 | 12th | 14.3 | +0.5 | 9.4 | 8th | 51.6 | 18.0 | v high | 287% |
| Kangaroo Island (district 22B) | ||||||||||||
| Cape Borda | 22.6 | -0.1 | 31.9 | 18th | 12.7 | -0.3 | 9.1 | 25th | 47.0 | 27.0 | high | 174% |
| Cape Willoughby | 21.9 | +1.2 | 32.2 | 27th | 15.3 | +0.8 | 12.0 | 8th | 26.2 | 23.1 | average | 113% |
| Kingscote Aero | 25.6 | +0.6 | 34.2 | 13th | 11.2 | +0.3 | 4.5 | 5th | 27.4 | 20.4 | high | 134% |
| Parndana Cfs AWS | 25.2 | 36.3 | 18th | 11.3 | 5.6 | 8th | 36.0 | |||||
| Adelaide Plains (district 23A) | ||||||||||||
| Adelaide (Kent Town) | 27.9 | +0.7 | 38.8 | 13th | 15.8 | +0.2 | 10.4 | 8th | 28.2 | 29.1 | average | 97% |
| Adelaide (West Terrace / ngayirdapira) | 27.0 | +0.2 | 39.4 | 13th | 15.6 | +0.5 | 10.8 | 7th | 29.2 | 26.3 | average | 111% |
| Adelaide Airport | 26.1 | +0.3 | 38.4 | 13th | 15.3 | +0.7 | 10.7 | 8th | 31.6 | 24.2 | high | 131% |
| Edinburgh RAAF | 28.0 | +0.1 | 42.6 | 13th | 15.1 | +0.3 | 8.6 | 5th | 30.0 | 25.7 | average | 117% |
| Parafield Airport | 28.4 | +0.6 | 40.4 | 13th | 15.1 | +0.2 | 9.5 | 9th | 37.0 | 25.2 | high | 147% |
| Roseworthy AWS | 29.5 | 0.0 | 42.3 | 13th | 12.4 | -0.2 | 5.4 | 5th | 31.6 | 26.7 | average | 118% |
| County Light (district 23B) | ||||||||||||
| Nuriootpa Pirsa | 27.3 | 0.0 | 39.0 | 13th | 12.2 | -0.2 | 3.7 | 8th | 19.4 | 34.0 | average | 57% |
| Rosedale (Turretfield Research Centre) | 28.7 | +0.4 | 41.0 | 13th | 13.1 | -0.4 | 6.2 | 8th | 29.2 | 24.3 | average | 120% |
| Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23C) | ||||||||||||
| Hindmarsh Island AWS | 24.6 | -0.1 | 38.9 | 13th | 15.0 | +0.4 | 11.5 | 25th | 27.0 | 26.3 | average | 103% |
| Kuitpo Forest Reserve | 23.8 | -0.1 | 36.9 | 13th | 12.7 | +0.1 | 7.9 | 8th | 38.8 | 35.7 | average | 109% |
| Mount Barker | 25.8 | +0.7 | 37.1 | 13th | 11.9 | +1.4 | 7.1 | 8th | 50.0 | 35.1 | high | 142% |
| Mount Crawford AWS | 24.8 | -0.2 | 36.7 | 13th | 12.0 | -0.1 | 7.3 | 8th | 30.4 | 34.6 | average | 88% |
| Mount Lofty | 22.0 | +2.6 | 32.9 | 13th | 11.2 | +0.7 | 6.7 | 8th | 55.2 | |||
| Noarlunga | 26.0 | -0.4 | 38.2 | 13th | 15.1 | -0.3 | 9.8 | 8th | 36.2 | 21.9 | high | 165% |
| Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS) | 21.9 | +0.1 | 32.8 | 18th | 12.8 | +0.8 | 8.8 | 8th | 82.2 | 35.9 | v high | 229% |
| Victor Harbor (Encounter Bay) | 24.0 | 0.0 | 37.9 | 13th | 13.6 | +0.9 | 9.1 | 26th | 48.0 | 28.4 | high | 169% |
| Upper Murray Valley (district 24A) | ||||||||||||
| Loxton Research Centre | 30.3 | +0.5 | 42.6 | 13th | 13.8 | +0.7 | 8.6 | 8th | 20.2 | 24.2 | average | 83% |
| Renmark Aero | 30.8 | -0.4 | 43.3 | 13th | 14.4 | +0.2 | 8.0 | 3rd | 37.0 | 22.7 | high | 163% |
| Lower Murray Valley (district 24B) | ||||||||||||
| Eudunda | 27.7 | +0.7 | 38.1 | 13th | 12.7 | +0.3 | 6.4 | 8th | 35.2 | 26.6 | high | 132% |
| Meningie | 24.9 | +0.3 | 36.4 | 12th | 13.7 | +0.7 | 9.8 | 25th | 31.6 | 23.8 | high | 133% |
| Murray Bridge (Pallamana Aerodrome) | 28.0 | -0.9 | 41.3 | 27th | 12.6 | +0.3 | 7.9 | 31st | 38.6 | 30.1 | average | 128% |
| Strathalbyn Racecourse | 26.2 | 0.0 | 39.4 | 13th | 13.4 | +0.5 | 10.0 | 7th | 41.2 | 23.8 | high | 173% |
| Upper Southeast (district 25B) | ||||||||||||
| Keith | 27.4 | -0.3 | 40.0 | 27th | 11.5 | -0.4 | 6.0 | 8th | 29.8 | 26.8 | average | 111% |
| Keith (Munkora) | 28.0 | -0.9 | 41.1 | 13th | 9.9 | -0.6 | 3.4 | 25th | 28.8 | 32.6 | average | 88% |
| Lameroo (Austin Plains) | 29.1 | -0.4 | 42.0 | 13th | 11.5 | -0.7 | 5.5 | 8th | 12.2 | 27.6 | low | 44% |
| Lower Southeast (district 26) | ||||||||||||
| Cape Jaffa (The Limestone) | 23.2 | +0.3 | 34.1 | 18th | 13.3 | +1.0 | 8.3 | 22nd | 13.6 | 23.7 | average | 57% |
| Coonawarra | 25.0 | 0.0 | 37.9 | 13th | 10.5 | +0.4 | 5.0 | 5th | 17.4 | 36.8 | low | 47% |
| Mount Gambier Aero | 24.2 | +1.2 | 37.8 | 27th | 11.3 | +1.3 | 6.2 | 8th | 35.8 | 38.3 | average | 93% |
| Naracoorte Aerodrome | 26.2 | -1.2 | 38.9 | 13th | 10.7 | +0.7 | 3.9 | 5th | 23.2 | 37.1 | average | 63% |
| Padthaway South | 26.3 | -0.5 | 39.3 | 13th | 10.3 | -0.3 | 4.4 | 5th | 18.4 | 32.0 | average | 58% |
| Robe Airfield | 22.9 | -0.2 | 35.7 | 27th | 12.4 | +0.6 | 6.3 | 7th | 18.6 | 32.1 | average | 58% |
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
Notes
The Monthly climate summary, generally published on the first working day of each month, lists 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. 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 on Tuesday 9 January 2018. 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
- media@bom.gov.au (03) 9669 4057
- Enquiries
- helpdesk.climate@bom.gov.au
Unless otherwise noted, all maps, graphs and diagrams in this page are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence
