Monday, 1 October 2018 - Monthly Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC13R0

South Australia in September 2018: drier than average

September rainfall was below average across most of South Australia, making it the State's third-driest September on record and driest since 1938. Night time temperatures were cooler than average across most of South Australia, including a large area of lowest on record that covered many central and eastern districts. Daytime temperatures were generally close to average, although above average in western parts of the West Coast district and below average in a small area of the Northeast Pastoral district.

Third-driest September

  • For South Australia as a whole, September rainfall was 84% below average, making it the State's third-driest September on record and driest since 1938
  • September was drier than average throughout South Australia, with very much below average rainfall in most agricultural districts
  • Little or no rain was recorded in Pastoral districts
  • Most of the State had less than 20% of its September average rainfall, although some southern areas had more than half of their long-term average
  • The highest monthly totals were recorded in the Lower South East and the Adelaide Hills, with Cudlee Creek (Millbrook Reservoir) recording the State's highest total of 52.0 mm
  • Many sites had either their lowest total September rainfall on record or their lowest total September rainfall for at least 20 years

Coolest September nights since 1985

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Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes in September 2018
Hottest day 35.9 °C at Oodnadatta Airport on the 14th
Warmest days on average 26.5 °C at Oodnadatta Airport
Coolest days on average 12.9 °C at Mount Lofty
Coldest day 7.2 °C at Mount Lofty on the 15th
Coldest night -3.3 °C at Keith (Munkora) on the 24th
Coolest nights on average 2.2 °C at Snowtown (Rayville Park)
Warmest nights on average 9.9 °C at Moomba Airport
Warmest night 17.1 °C at Moomba Airport on the 15th
Warmest on average overall 18.0 °C at Oodnadatta Airport
Coolest on average overall 8.9 °C at Mount Lofty
Wettest overall 52.0 mm at Cudlee Creek (Millbrook Reservoir)
Driest overall 0 mm at several sites in Pastoral districts
Wettest day 21.4 mm at Sevenhill on the 1st
Strongest wind gust 115 km/h at Neptune Island on the 15th

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 September total rainfall
New record
(mm)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
September
Parawa (Sharon) 31.6 32.3 in 1972 77 93.2
Cleve Aerodrome 5.0 8.2 in 2006 55 35.6
Lenswood 33.6 41.8 in 1987 49 115.0
Aldgate 36.6 43.0 in 1987 47 120.6
Whyalla Aero 1.0 = 1.0 in 2017 37 25.6
Loxton Research Centre 1.4 5.5 in 2017 35 27.3
North Shields (Port Lincoln AWS) 8.0 10.0 in 1994 25 39.2
Renmark Aero 2.4 2.6 in 2017 24 24.3
Strathalbyn Racecourse 15.4 17.0 in 2015 23 47.7
Snowtown (Rayville Park) 11.2 12.8 in 2008 21 39.0
Brownhill Creek (Scotch College) 21.6 24.0 in 2008 20 56.4
Kuitpo Forest Reserve 27.0 30.0 in 2008 20 75.5
Roseworthy AWS 17.2 22.0 in 2014 20 47.0

Lowest September total rainfall for at least 20 years
Observed
(mm)		 Most recent
lower		 Average for
September
Karoonda 2.8 2.6 in 1938 35.1
Bower 2.5 =2.5 in 1939* 24.9
Meadows 28.6 22.3 in 1951* 97.9
Keyneton 17.7 9.7 in 1951* 61.4
Port Vincent 8.8 6.3 in 1951* 39.0
Belair (State Flora Nursery) 27.2 15.3 in 1951* 80.1
Nullarbor 1.6 0.0 in 1963* 17.7
Sedan (Sandleton) 4.0 0.0 in 1972 26.0
Wellington (Brinkley South) 10.8 9.6 in 1981 38.0
Keith 11.2 11.0 in 1987 49.9
Mount Barker 28.4 25.2 in 1987 85.5
Prospect Hill 35.4 26.0 in 1987* 88.3
Hahndorf 27.8 27.6 in 1987* 96.2
Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS) 32.2 26.6 in 1994 83.5
Yankalilla 16.1 11.4 in 1994 58.6
Inman Valley 30.4 26.2 in 1994* 76.2

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



Record lowest September temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
September
Edithburgh 1.4 on the 17th 1.6 on the 13th in 2011 26 8.7
Nuriootpa Pirsa -2.1 on the 29th -1.0 on the 1st in 2007 23 6.7
Strathalbyn Racecourse 0.2 on the 25th 0.4 on the 5th in 2007 23 7.7
Tarcoola Aero 0.3 on the 16th 0.4 on the 15th in 2016 21 9.0
Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot) -3.2 on the 4th -2.2 on the 11th in 2002 20 6.8
Wudinna Aero -1.8 on the 29th = -1.8 on the 24th in 2015 20 7.2


Record lowest September mean daily minimum temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
September
Keith 4.7 = 4.7 in 1949 64 7.0
Parafield Airport 6.1 6.6 in 1995 61 8.3
Rosedale (Turretfield Research Centre) 3.8 4.6 in 1969 56 6.6
Loxton Research Centre 4.5 4.9 in 1996 34 6.4
Whyalla Aero 6.0 6.2 in 1985 33 8.2
Nullarbor 6.4 6.8 in 2016 30 8.0
Edithburgh 6.4 6.9 in 2008 25 8.7
Clare High School 2.9 4.3 in 1994 24 6.2
Coober Pedy Airport 9.4 9.8 in 2016 24 11.2
Kingscote Aero 4.5 4.6 in 1994 24 6.5
Mount Crawford AWS 5.6 5.7 in 2008 24 7.4
Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS) 6.8 7.0 in 1994 24 8.1
Moomba Airport 9.9 10.0 in 2011 23 12.1
Renmark Aero 4.4 5.2 in 2015 23 6.7
Nuriootpa Pirsa 3.5 5.3 in 2015 22 6.7
Stenhouse Bay 9.5 9.6 in 2016 22 10.4
Strathalbyn Racecourse 5.5 6.2 in 2008 22 7.7
Roseworthy AWS 3.6 5.0 in 2015 21 6.5
Marree Aero 8.0 9.0 in 2015 20 10.7
Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome) 6.2 7.6 in 2012 20 9.3
Snowtown (Rayville Park) 2.2 3.2 in 2004 20 5.4
Yunta Airstrip 3.5 4.7 in 2004 20 6.7

Lowest September mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years
Observed
(°C)		 Most recent
lower		 Average for
September
Eudunda 4.7 3.9 in 1969 6.4
Kyancutta 4.6 4.0 in 1969 6.3
Warooka 7.2 6.6 in 1969 8.7
Meningie 7.0 6.3 in 1977 8.4
Mount Barker 4.9 4.3 in 1982 5.9
Adelaide (Kent Town) 8.1 7.9 in 1985 9.8
Edinburgh RAAF 6.2 6.1 in 1985 8.1
Woomera Aerodrome 8.2 =8.2 in 1985 9.5
Andamooka 9.0 8.8 in 1989 10.5
Leigh Creek Airport 7.3 7.1 in 1989* 9.4
Adelaide Airport 7.9 7.7 in 1992 9.0
Coonawarra 5.0 4.4 in 1994 6.5
North Shields (Port Lincoln AWS) 6.4 5.9 in 1994 8.0
Oodnadatta Airport 9.7 =9.7 in 1984* 11.5
Yongala 2.3 =2.3 in 1994 4.0
Elliston 8.8 8.7 in 1995 9.5
Cape Willoughby 9.7 9.4 in 1996 10.4

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



Record lowest September mean temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
September
Edithburgh 11.8 12.0 in 2010 25 13.2
Clare High School 10.0 10.1 in 1994 24 11.8
Naracoorte Aerodrome 10.7 10.9 in 2010 20 12.1
Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome) 15.0 = 15.0 in 2016 20 17.3

Lowest September mean temperature for at least 20 years
Observed
(°C)		 Most recent
lower		 Average for
September
Keith 11.4 10.7 in 1992 12.8
Coonawarra 10.5 10.1 in 1994 11.7
Kingscote Aero 10.9 10.5 in 1994 12.2
Mount Gambier Aero 10.6 10.4 in 1994 11.1


Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Summary statistics for September 2018
Maximum temperatures
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
(°C)		 Rainfall
(millimetres)
Mean for
September
2018		 Diff
from
average		 Highest for
September
2018		 Mean for
September
2018		 Diff
from
average		 Lowest for
September
2018		 Total for
September
2018		 Average
for
September		 Rank of
September
2018		 Fraction of
September
average
Northwest (district 16)
Andamooka 24.0 -0.7 31.7 14th 9.0 -1.5 5.0 8th 0 12.0 lowest 0%
Coober Pedy Airport 24.5 -1.1 35.8 14th 9.4 -1.8 4.4 19th 0 9.2 lowest 0%
Ernabella (Pukatja) 25.4 -0.8 32.6 14th 9.7 -1.0 2.7 8th 0 12.9 lowest 0%
Mount Ive 22.3   29.0 26th     -1.5 7th 3.4 22.5 low 15%
Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome) 23.7 -1.6 32.6 14th 6.2 -3.1 0.5 8th 0 9.0 lowest 0%
Tarcoola Aero 24.2 -1.2 34.0 14th 7.6 -1.4 0.3 16th 7.0 9.0 average 78%
Woomera Aerodrome 22.7 0.0 32.0 14th 8.2 -1.3 3.4 16th 0 14.3 lowest 0%
Far North (district 17)
Arkaroola 23.0 -0.4 28.8 28th     -0.7 4th 0.2 15.5 low 1%
Leigh Creek Airport 22.7 -0.7 29.8 14th 7.3 -2.1 2.9 16th 0.2 18.1 v low 1%
Marree Aero 24.9 -1.7 32.5 14th 8.0 -2.7 3.3 8th 0 8.8 lowest 0%
Moomba Airport 25.5 -1.8 32.0 27th 9.9 -2.2 3.7 17th 0 15.1 lowest 0%
Oodnadatta Airport 26.5 -0.2 35.9 14th 9.7 -1.8 5.4 13th 0.6 10.3 low 6%
Western Agricultural (district 18)
Ceduna AMO 22.0 +0.5 30.4 14th 6.9 -0.9 1.7 3rd 4.4 26.7 v low 16%
Cleve 19.5 0.0 28.4 26th 8.0 -0.6 3.6 16th 10.2 42.2 v low 24%
Coffin Bay (Point Avoid) 17.9   24.2 30th 9.1   4.7 7th 14.4
Cultana (Defence) 22.0   30.3 14th 7.7   3.6 16th 1.4
Cummins Aero 18.1 -1.5 26.5 26th 3.8 -2.5 -1.1 29th 11.2 38.8 v low 29%
Elliston 20.2 +0.9 27.7 30th 8.8 -0.7 4.3 9th 10.0 39.5 v low 25%
Kyancutta 22.4 +0.5 31.0 14th 4.6 -1.7 -1.2 29th 5.4 30.9 v low 17%
Minnipa Pirsa 20.7 -1.0 29.6 26th 7.4 -0.8 2.4 29th 7.2 26.4 low 27%
North Shields (Port Lincoln AWS) 18.3 -0.4 27.6 26th 6.4 -1.6 2.0 4th 8.0 39.2 lowest 20%
Nullarbor 23.2 +0.7 33.1 10th 6.4 -1.6 0.3 7th 1.6 17.7 v low 9%
Port Augusta Aero 22.8 -1.2 31.6 14th 6.2 -2.2 0.6 8th 0.8 17.6 v low 5%
Whyalla Aero 20.9 -0.8 31.6 14th 6.0 -2.2 0.6 4th 1.0 25.6 lowest 4%
Wudinna Aero 21.5 -1.0 30.2 26th 4.8 -2.4 -1.8 29th 3.4 23.9 v low 14%
Upper North (district 19)
Yongala 18.2 +0.2 25.9 14th 2.3 -1.7 -2.8 9th 12.8 37.9 low 34%
Northeast (district 20)
Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot) 21.8 -0.8 31.3 11th 3.1 -3.7 -3.2 4th 4.2 23.6 low 18%
Yunta Airstrip 21.0 -0.9 30.2 27th 3.5 -3.2 -2.4 4th 1.0 15.4 low 6%
Lower North (district 21)
Clare High School 17.1 -0.2 25.0 14th 2.9 -3.3 -1.6 29th 29.0 60.3 low 48%
Port Pirie Aerodrome AWS 21.4   29.7 14th 5.3   0.0 4th 3.8
Snowtown (Rayville Park) 20.2 -0.2 28.2 14th 2.2 -3.2 -2.4 29th 11.2 39.0 lowest 29%
Yorke Peninsula (district 22A)
Edithburgh 17.2 -0.6 27.1 14th 6.4 -2.3 1.4 17th 14.4 43.9 low 33%
Kadina AWS 19.3 -1.0 26.9 14th 4.3 -1.8 -1.0 4th 10.6 32.7 low 32%
Minlaton Aero 18.4 -0.7 26.6 14th 5.7 -2.3 0.2 3rd 11.4 35.4 v low 32%
Stenhouse Bay 17.3 -0.8 25.3 26th 9.5 -0.9 4.7 17th 14.4 44.3 lowest 33%
Warooka 17.7 -0.1 22.9 30th 7.2 -1.5 4.1 3rd 18.0 45.9 low 39%
Kangaroo Island (district 22B)
Cape Borda 15.4 -0.6 19.1 14th 8.3 -1.2 3.8 4th 28.4 45.3 average 63%
Cape Willoughby 15.4 -0.5 21.5 14th 9.7 -0.7 6.2 19th 20.2 56.4 v low 36%
Kingscote Aero 17.0 -0.8 22.9 14th 4.5 -2.0 -1.6 30th 16.0 46.1 v low 35%
Parndana Cfs AWS 15.2   20.0 22nd 5.9   2.1 3rd 21.8
Adelaide Plains (district 23A)
Adelaide (Kent Town) 18.9 -0.2 27.3 14th 8.1 -1.7 3.8 4th 23.2 58.7 v low 40%
Adelaide (West Terrace / ngayirdapira) 18.4 0.0 26.7 14th 8.3 -0.9 3.4 3rd 21.4 50.9 low 42%
Adelaide Airport 18.3 +0.1 26.0 14th 7.9 -1.1 2.9 4th 19.4 45.2 low 43%
Edinburgh RAAF 19.2 +0.2 29.3 14th 6.2 -1.9 0.5 4th 20.6 47.7 low 43%
Parafield Airport 19.3 +0.3 28.5 14th 6.1 -2.2 1.4 4th 27.2 44.2 low 62%
Roseworthy AWS 19.4 -0.4 28.6 14th 3.6 -2.9 -1.8 29th 17.2 47.0 lowest 37%
County Light (district 23B)
Nuriootpa Pirsa 17.5 -0.3 25.8 14th 3.5 -3.2 -2.1 29th 24.6 58.5 low 42%
Rosedale (Turretfield Research Centre) 19.1 +0.7 28.0 14th 3.8 -2.8 -1.5 4th 24.5 53.2 low 46%
Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23C)
Hindmarsh Island AWS 18.0 -0.8 26.5 14th 8.2 -1.2 4.0 5th 18.6 41.1 v low 45%
Kuitpo Forest Reserve 15.1 -1.1 23.3 14th 6.6 -1.5 3.4 4th 27.0 75.5 lowest 36%
Mount Barker 17.1 +0.6 24.3 14th 4.9 -1.0 -0.6 4th 28.4 85.5 v low 33%
Mount Crawford AWS 14.2 -0.9 23.0 14th 5.6 -1.8 1.7 24th 33.8 72.7 v low 46%
Mount Lofty 12.9 +0.8 21.4 14th 4.9 -1.3 0.8 24th 31.4 115.7 v low 27%
Noarlunga 17.8 -0.8 24.5 14th 8.6 -1.8 5.1 16th 9.4 44.0 v low 21%
Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS) 13.8 -0.8 20.7 14th 6.8 -1.3 3.7 15th 32.2 83.5 v low 39%
Victor Harbor (Encounter Bay) 17.7 -0.8 25.0 14th 5.8 -1.8 0.1 30th 32.4 60.8 low 53%
Upper Murray Valley (district 24A)
Loxton Research Centre 20.9 0.0 29.6 11th 4.5 -1.9 -0.3 17th 1.4 27.3 lowest 5%
Renmark Aero 21.4 -0.7 30.7 11th 4.4 -2.3 -1.7 17th 2.4 24.3 lowest 10%
Lower Murray Valley (district 24B)
Eudunda 17.7 +0.6 25.4 14th 4.7 -1.7 0.1 16th 20.0 48.7 low 41%
Meningie 18.1 -0.1 23.5 10th 7.0 -1.4 1.3 4th 22.8 48.1 low 47%
Murray Bridge (Pallamana Aerodrome) 19.9 -0.5 28.4 14th 3.1 -2.3 -2.3 5th 7.2 33.0 v low 22%
Strathalbyn Racecourse 18.2 -0.5 27.0 14th 5.5 -2.2 0.2 25th 15.4 47.7 lowest 32%
Upper Southeast (district 25B)
Keith 18.4 -0.2 26.3 14th 4.7 -2.3 -0.5 25th 11.2 49.9 v low 22%
Keith (Munkora) 17.9 -0.8 25.2 11th 2.3 -3.3 -3.3 24th 10.8 38.0 v low 28%
Lameroo (Austin Plains) 19.6 0.0 28.5 11th 3.1 -2.3 -1.0 29th 5.2 30.7 v low 17%
Lower Southeast (district 26)
Cape Jaffa (The Limestone) 15.5 -0.7 19.6 11th 7.9 -0.7 2.7 4th 27.4 47.7 low 57%
Coonawarra 16.2 -0.7 23.7 11th 5.0 -1.5 -1.0 3rd 27.8 61.3 v low 45%
Mount Gambier Aero 15.7 -0.2 24.0 11th 5.6 -0.7 -1.4 26th 48.6 72.3 low 67%
Naracoorte Aerodrome 16.2 -1.4 24.4 11th 5.3 -1.3 -0.6 3rd 18.4 52.6 v low 35%
Padthaway South 16.9 -0.9 25.1 11th 4.6 -2.6 -1.0 29th 18.0 43.6 v low 41%
Robe Airfield 15.8 -1.0 22.0 11th 7.0 -1.0 0.1 3rd 28.8 52.4 v low 55%

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 10 am on Monday 1 October 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

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Climate