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Thursday, 1 March 2018 - Monthly Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC13R0

South Australia in February 2018: warmer than average; wet in the west, dry in the east

February rainfall was slightly below average for South Australia as a whole, with wetter than average conditions in the west but a drier than average month across most of the eastern half of the State. Both days and nights were warmer than average

Very wet in the west, dry in the east

  • February rainfall was 16% below average for South Australia as a whole
  • The highest monthly totals were in the far west of the State, parts of which had more than four times their February average rainfall
  • The eastern half of the State was drier than average, with much of the Far North, and most central and southeast agricultural districts receiving less than 40% of their February average rainfall

Warmer than average

  • Daytime and overnight temperatures were more than one degree warmer than average for the State as a whole
  • With the exception of the far western border region, the whole State had warmer than average days and nights
  • Mean maximum temperatures were as much as 3 °C above average in the far northwest of the State
  • It was a cool start to the month, with temperatures more than 10 °C below average across central parts of the State on the 1st and 2nd
  • For most of the month, temperatures tended to be near to or warmer than average
  • Cool weather returned to the south on the 28th, giving Price its coldest February day on record

Further information

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Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes in February 2018
Hottest day 45.5 °C at Andamooka on the 10th and Moomba Airport on the 11th
Warmest days on average 38.8 °C at Moomba Airport and Oodnadatta Airport
Coolest days on average 22.8 °C at Cape Willoughby
Coldest day 16.8 °C at Mount Lofty on the 24th
Coldest night 3.5 °C at Keith (Munkora) on the 26th
Coolest nights on average 12.6 °C at Keith (Munkora)
Warmest nights on average 24.4 °C at Moomba Airport
Warmest night 29.7 °C at Tarcoola Aero on the 22nd
Warmest on average overall 31.6 °C at Moomba Airport
Coolest on average overall 19.6 °C at Mount Lofty and Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS)
Wettest overall 38.8 mm at Tarcoola Aero
Driest overall 0.6 mm at Moomba Airport
Wettest day 21.2 mm at Tarcoola Aero on the 1st
Strongest wind gust 115 km/h at Tarcoola Aero on the 22nd

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Maps
ObservedAnomalyDecile rank
Total
rainfall		 Map of Rainfall totals Map of Percentage of normal rainfall Map of Rainfall deciles
Mean
daily
maximum
temperatures		 Map of Mean maximum temperature Map of Anomaly in mean maximum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean maximum temperature
Mean
daily
minimum
temperatures		 Map of Mean minimum temperature Map of Anomaly in mean minimum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean minimum temperature

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

Record lowest February daily maximum temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
February
Price 19.0 on the 28th 19.2 on the 20th in 2014 54 28.0


Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Summary statistics for February 2018
Maximum temperatures
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
(°C)		 Rainfall
(millimetres)
Mean for
February
2018		 Diff
from
average		 Highest for
February
2018		 Mean for
February
2018		 Diff
from
average		 Lowest for
February
2018		 Total for
February
2018		 Average
for
February		 Rank of
February
2018		 Fraction of
February
average
Northwest (district 16)
Andamooka 35.9 +0.2 45.5 10th 21.3 +0.1 14.8 1st 4.5 23.6 average 19%
Coober Pedy Airport 36.3 +0.8 44.4 10th 21.6 0.0 13.8 1st 2.0 12.5 average 16%
Ernabella (Pukatja) 36.6 +2.0 40.6 10th 20.8 +0.5 15.1 26th 9.4 29.8 average 32%
Mount Ive 33.9   44.2 9th 18.1   11.3 26th 1.0 13.8 average 7%
Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome) 35.8 -0.1 45.4 10th 20.2 -0.1 13.0 3rd 6.4 18.4 average 35%
Tarcoola Aero 35.2 -0.1 44.1 10th 19.3 +0.1 12.6 13th 38.8 24.5 high 158%
Woomera Aerodrome 34.8 +1.0 45.0 10th 20.1 +0.7 14.4 13th 8.8 19.4 average 45%
Far North (district 17)
Arkaroola 35.0 +1.7 42.4 10th 20.5 +1.1 13.1 2nd 13.8 37.9 average 36%
Leigh Creek Airport 36.1 +1.4 44.3 10th 20.2 -0.3 14.4 1st 2.6 25.5 low 10%
Marree Aero 38.4 +1.3 45.1 10th 21.8 -0.4 16.6 1st 3.4 26.9 average 13%
Moomba Airport 38.8 +1.7 45.5 11th 24.4 +0.8 18.1 27th 0.6 27.3 low 2%
Oodnadatta Airport 38.8 +2.1 44.1 18th 23.7 +1.4 17.1 26th 5.8 30.4 average 19%
Western Agricultural (district 18)
Ceduna AMO 30.8 +2.6 43.5 8th 16.2 +1.1 8.9 13th 5.2 14.3 average 36%
Cleve 29.0 +1.3 41.8 8th 17.2 +1.1 11.4 15th 14.0 22.5 average 62%
Cleve Aerodrome 29.2 +0.7 42.1 8th 16.5 +0.2 11.2 15th 13.2 19.0 average 69%
Coffin Bay (Point Avoid) 25.2   35.3 5th 16.5   11.9 13th 18.0
Cultana (Defence) 33.5   45.0 9th 18.5   11.7 26th 1.4
Cummins Aero 29.8 +0.7 41.8 8th 16.2 +0.8 5.9 15th 17.8 23.4 average 76%
Elliston 28.5 +2.9 40.3 8th 17.4 +1.5 8.9 15th 13.0 13.7 average 95%
Kimba 31.4 +0.3 43.0 9th 16.9 +0.8 10.5 15th 2.2 21.1 low 10%
Kyancutta 33.6 +1.2 44.3 8th 15.7 +1.3 8.0 26th 4.4 16.2 average 27%
Minnipa Pirsa 32.5 +0.1 43.6 8th 16.9 +0.9 10.7 15th 5.4 13.8 average 39%
Neptune Island 23.4 +1.1 29.1 7th 18.2 +1.6 15.6 26th 2.0 14.2 low 14%
North Shields (Port Lincoln AWS) 26.6 +0.7 33.9 8th 16.4 +0.2 10.8 15th 10.8 16.5 average 65%
Nullarbor 29.6 +1.9 41.8 7th 16.8 +0.8 9.5 13th 24.2 14.8 high 164%
Port Augusta Aero 34.3 +1.1 45.2 9th 19.5 +0.7 12.8 27th 1.4 16.2 average 9%
Streaky Bay 30.8 +1.7 41.0 7th 17.9 +1.8 11.9 15th 4.5 14.9 average 30%
Whyalla Aero 31.2 +1.6 44.2 8th 18.2 +0.4 11.3 26th 2.2 23.0 low 10%
Wudinna Aero 33.3 +0.6 44.7 8th 15.3 0.0 6.9 26th 3.0 15.6 low 19%
Upper North (district 19)
Hawker 34.3 +0.8 43.0 10th 18.8 +0.8 12.0 13th 3.0 20.9 average 14%
Yongala 31.8 +1.7 40.0 9th     8.8 15th 1.8 20.9 low 9%
Northeast (district 20)
Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot) 34.1 +1.3 44.0 8th 16.2 +0.8 7.5 15th 0 23.4 v low 0%
Yunta Airstrip 33.7 +1.3 42.9 10th 16.6 +0.7 9.7 26th 6.8 19.5 average 35%
Lower North (district 21)
Clare High School 30.8 +1.0 40.0 8th 15.7 +0.8 6.4 15th 7.2 25.3 average 28%
Port Pirie Aerodrome AWS 33.4   43.7 8th 17.7   10.4 26th 6.8
Snowtown (Rayville Park) 32.9 +0.9 42.4 9th 14.3 -0.2 6.1 26th 3.8 20.3 average 19%
Yorke Peninsula (district 22A)
Edithburgh 25.9 +0.8 36.5 27th 17.7 +0.6 10.8 15th 1.8 17.9 low 10%
Kadina AWS 30.9 0.0 41.8 8th 16.6 +1.6 7.9 26th 5.2 13.4 average 39%
Minlaton Aero 30.0 +1.5 40.8 8th 16.2 +0.9 9.6 26th 2.4 18.1 average 13%
Stenhouse Bay 25.7 +0.9 36.2 27th 17.6 +0.5 13.2 15th 6.0 18.0 average 33%
Warooka 28.1 +1.0 38.8 7th 17.0 +1.0 12.4 15th 9.4 17.3 average 54%
Kangaroo Island (district 22B)
Cape Borda 25.8 +1.4 35.8 9th 15.5 +1.2 9.0 26th 4.2 16.7 low 25%
Cape Willoughby 22.8 +0.9 32.4 10th 17.1 +0.8 14.1 15th 6.6 18.2 average 36%
Kingscote Aero 27.5 +1.0 36.4 7th 14.2 +0.6 6.6 27th 10.0 17.1 average 58%
Parndana Cfs AWS 26.9   38.2 7th 13.7   9.2 13th 18.6
Adelaide Plains (district 23A)
Adelaide (Kent Town) 30.6 +1.1 40.8 9th 18.7 +1.4 11.4 26th 5.8 15.6 average 37%
Adelaide (West Terrace / ngayirdapira) 30.1 +1.6 39.7 7th 18.3 +1.5 10.9 26th 3.0 20.6 low 15%
Adelaide Airport 29.0 +0.9 39.1 9th 18.1 +1.9 11.2 26th 2.0 18.8 low 11%
Edinburgh RAAF 30.7 +0.7 41.0 9th 18.0 +1.4 8.9 26th 2.2 18.0 low 12%
Parafield Airport 31.4 +2.0 41.1 9th 18.0 +1.6 11.4 15th 3.4 18.8 average 18%
Roseworthy AWS 32.5 +1.3 43.3 9th 16.0 +1.2 5.1 26th 5.0 20.4 average 25%
County Light (district 23B)
Nuriootpa Pirsa 30.5 +1.0 40.4 8th 15.4 +0.8 6.6 12th 5.4 25.7 low 21%
Rosedale (Turretfield Research Centre) 31.9 +1.4 42.3 8th 16.4 +0.9 7.0 15th 5.8 18.7 average 31%
Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23C)
Hindmarsh Island AWS 25.6 +1.0 36.6 27th 16.5 +0.7 10.6 27th 8.6 17.8 low 48%
Kuitpo Forest Reserve 26.9 +1.1 37.1 8th 15.1 +0.9 9.2 26th 12.4 23.8 average 52%
Mount Barker 28.9 +2.1 39.3 8th 13.6 +1.7 6.2 26th 8.0 25.6 average 31%
Mount Crawford AWS 28.2 +1.1 37.5 8th 14.7 +0.6 7.6 26th 5.6 25.1 average 22%
Mount Lofty 25.5 +3.3 35.7 8th 13.6 +0.6 6.4 26th 14.2
Noarlunga 28.6 +0.9 37.4 8th 18.2 +1.3 11.9 26th 3.6 18.7 average 19%
Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS) 24.7 +1.4 35.5 7th 14.6 +0.7 11.5 17th 13.4 30.9 low 43%
Victor Harbor (Encounter Bay) 25.4 +1.2 35.3 27th 14.8 +0.2 8.1 27th 9.8 24.3 average 40%
Upper Murray Valley (district 24A)
Loxton Research Centre 32.9 +1.4 42.7 8th 16.3 +1.8 7.6 15th 3.0 18.7 average 16%
Renmark Aero 33.7 +0.9 43.9 8th 17.3 +1.2 8.7 15th 2.8 20.5 average 14%
Lower Murray Valley (district 24B)
Eudunda 30.8 +1.7 40.0 9th 15.6 +1.3 8.3 26th 3.4 22.5 low 15%
Meningie 27.2 +0.8 36.2 8th 15.1 +1.1 7.7 26th 9.6 17.2 average 56%
Murray Bridge (Pallamana Aerodrome) 30.9 +1.2 41.1 7th 14.9 +0.6 8.0 15th 4.0 20.2 low 20%
Strathalbyn Racecourse 28.4 +1.0 38.3 23rd 14.9 +0.3 7.3 26th 5.2 21.6 low 24%
Upper Southeast (district 25B)
Keith 30.8 +0.9 40.4 23rd 14.4 +1.2 6.1 26th 2.4 20.0 low 12%
Keith (Munkora) 31.3 +1.1 41.8 23rd 12.6 +0.7 3.5 26th 2.2 11.7 low 19%
Lameroo (Austin Plains) 32.2 +1.2 40.9 8th 14.7 +1.1 6.9 26th 1.4 11.9 low 12%
Lower Southeast (district 26)
Cape Jaffa (The Limestone) 25.7 +1.2 36.4 23rd 14.5 +0.8 8.7 26th 6.2 16.8 low 37%
Coonawarra 28.4 +0.9 38.0 23rd 13.4 +1.6 5.4 17th 7.2 17.6 low 41%
Mount Gambier Aero 27.1 +1.8 36.2 23rd 13.3 +1.6 6.7 17th 18.8 25.9 average 73%
Naracoorte Aerodrome 29.5 +0.2 38.7 23rd 13.0 +1.2 5.2 26th 12.0 18.6 average 65%
Padthaway South 29.5 +0.9 39.9 23rd 13.1 +0.8 4.9 26th 5.4 16.3 average 33%
Robe Airfield 25.5 +1.2 35.9 23rd 14.2 +1.4 6.7 17th 7.6 22.3 low 34%

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 11 am on Thursday 1 March 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
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