Monday, 1 April 2019 - Monthly Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC13R0

South Australia in March 2019: warmer and drier than average in many districts

Rainfall in March was below to very much below average in most southern and western districts, but was above average in parts of the Northeast Pastoral district. Both daytime and night-time temperatures were warmer than average in most areas, particularly in northern and eastern districts.

Wet in the northeast but drier than average in many areas

• Rainfall in March was below to very much below average in most southern and western districts, but was near-average to above average in the Northeast Pastoral district
• South Australia's total rainfall for March was 64% less than average
• The highest monthly totals were in the Northeast Pastoral district, with daily totals of more the 40 mm on the 25th as a cold front to the south interacted with moist, tropical air from the remnants of ex-tropical cyclone Trevor
• Towards the end of the month, flood warnings were issued for parts of the Lake Eyre Basin at Goyder Lagoon and the Warburton River as roads were cut and flood plains inundated
• Rainfall for March was up to 400% of average in parts of the Northeast Pastoral district, but was less than 20% of average across many of the State's western and southern districts
• Some sites in the south had their driest March on record or their driest March since 1994
• Western districts received little or no rain for the month

Warmer than average

• Daytime temperatures in March were warmer than average across most of South Australia
• Mean maximum temperatures for March were above average to very much above average across Pastoral districts and in some central agricultural districts, and generatlly above average along the West Coast and South East districts
• Mean maximum temperatures were up to 4 °C warmer than average in the far Northwest Pastoral district
• The month began with several hot days and some sites having their highest March temperature on record (mostly on the 1st), or their warmest March night on record (on the 2nd)
• Woomera Aerodrome had a run of four consecutive days of 40 °C or above from 1 to 4 March, exceeding its previous longest run in March of three such days in 1991
• Oodnadatta had a total of ten days during the month with temperatures of 40 °C or above, exceeding its previous highest count for March of nine such days in 1983
• The March mean maximum temperature for South Australia was 2.21 °C warmer than average
• Mean minimum temperatures for March were above to very much above average for most of South Australia, but close to average in the south
• Cool temperatures during the last week of the month resulted in March mean minimum temperatures that up to 1 °C cooler than average from the the Eyre Peninsula to the Lower South East
• Minimum temperatures were more than 6 °C cooler than average in many areas of the State on the 27th, with Streaky Bay having its lowest March temperature on record
• The March mean minimum temperature for South Australia was 1.34 °C warmer than average
• The overall March mean temperature for South Australia was 1.78 °C above average, making it the equal fourth-warmest March for the State as a whole

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

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

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

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top