Friday, 1 November 2019 - Monthly Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC13R0

South Australia in October 2019: very dry and warm

Rainfall in October was below to very much below average in most areas of South Australia. Overall, it was South Australia's second-driest October on record. South Australia had its third-warmest October on record, with both mean maximum and mean minimum temperatures well above average.

Second-driest October on record

  • Second-driest October on record for South Australia as a whole, with monthly rainfall 89% below average (the driest October was in 2014)
  • Below average to very much below average rainfall for October over most of the State
  • Little or no rain fell in the Pastoral districts and some areas had their lowest October rainfall on record
  • A few sites had their lowest total October rainfall on record
  • October continues a run of 11 drier than average months for South Australia starting in December 2018
  • Year-to-date rainfall is below average to very much below average across South Australia, including areas of driest January to October period on record in areas of the north

Third-warmest October on record

  • Third-warmest October on record for South Australia as a whole, with the mean temperature 2.76 °C above average
  • Daytime temperatures were particularly warm, with very much above average to warmest on record maximum temperatures across most of South Australia
  • South Australia's mean maximum temperature was the third-highest on record for October, 3.76 °C above average
  • The hottest days were on the 5th, 24th, 30th, and 31st, with maximum temperatures more than 12 °C above average across large areas on each of those days
  • On the 24th, strong northerly winds combined with the dry conditions and high temperatures to create dangerous fire weather conditions, with several fires scattered across the State, including one at Wongulla in the Murraylands that injured several firefighters
  • Hot daytime temperatures on the 5th and 24th resulted in a number of sites having their highest October temperature on record
  • October continues a run of 11 consecutive warmer than average months for mean maximum temperature since December 2018
  • Night-time temperatures were warmer than average in most areas, but were near average to cooler than average in the South East and Riverland
  • The mean minimum temperature for South Australia was the third-highest on record for October, 1.75 °C above average
  • The month began with a cold night in the South East districts and Cape Jaffa (The Limestone) had its lowest October temperature on record
  • In contrast, minimum temperatures were more than 12 °C above average in areas of the west on the 5th and Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome) had its warmest October night on record
  • The month ended with a burst of heat, bringing record warm minimum temperatures to Whyalla, Cleve and Strathalbyn on the 31st
  • Year-to-date mean maximum temperatures are very much above average across most of South Australia, including large areas of warmest on record in the Pastoral districts
  • Year-to-date mean minimum temperatures are near average to warmer than average across the State, apart from a small area of cooler than average night-time temperatures in the Riverland

Further information

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Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes in October 2019
Hottest day 42.4 °C at Tarcoola Aero on the 5th
Warmest days on average 33.9 °C at Oodnadatta Airport
Coolest days on average 18.7 °C at Mount Lofty and Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS)
Coldest day 10.2 °C at Mount Lofty on the 8th
Coldest night -2.2 °C at Keith (Munkora) on the 9th
Coolest nights on average 5.9 °C at Keith (Munkora)
Warmest nights on average 17.3 °C at Ernabella (Pukatja)
Warmest night 26.2 °C at Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome) on the 5th
Warmest on average overall 25.4 °C at Oodnadatta Airport
Coolest on average overall 13.6 °C at Mount Gambier Aero
Wettest overall 49.0 mm at Mount Schank (Jethia)
Driest overall 0 mm at several sites
Wettest day 19.8 mm at Cooke Plains on the 16th
18.0 mm at Willunga on the 16th
Strongest wind gust 106 km/h at Tarcoola Aero on the 24th

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

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Record lowest October total rainfall
New record
(mm)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
October
Port Parham 1.4 4.4 in 2008 48 32.3
Whyalla Aero 0.0 0.1 in 2006 38 21.2
Morgan (Brenda Park Station) 0.4 = 0.4 in 2014 28 22.9
Ernabella (Pukatja) 0.0 0.2 in 2014 22 22.1


Record highest October temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
October
Mount Gambier Aero 34.4 on the 24th 33.3 on the 27th in 1977 78 18.0
Cleve 39.7 on the 5th 39.0 on the 12th in 2006 62 22.4
Kimba 39.0 on the 5th = 39.0 on the 12th in 2006 52 24.1
Edithburgh 38.2 on the 24th 37.4 on the 5th in 2015 28 20.5
North Shields (Port Lincoln AWS) 40.8 on the 24th 38.2 on the 25th in 2008 28 20.9
Kingscote Aero 34.6 on the 24th 33.8 on the 21st in 2014 26 20.3
Cleve Aerodrome 39.7 on the 5th 39.5 on the 12th in 2006 24 23.2
Minnipa Pirsa 39.9 on the 5th 39.8 on the 9th in 2013 24 25.4
Stenhouse Bay 37.2 on the 24th 35.2 on the 21st in 2014 24 20.1
Strathalbyn Racecourse 37.6 on the 31st 37.4 on the 12th in 2006 24 21.6
Wudinna Aero 41.5 on the 5th 40.9 on the 20th in 2013 21 26.1


Record highest October mean daily maximum temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
October
Ceduna AMO 28.2 27.7 in 2015 78 24.0
Elliston 25.0 24.5 in 2014 57 21.7
Nullarbor 28.6 27.6 in 2015 31 24.7

Highest October mean daily maximum temperature for at least 20 years
Observed
(°C)		 Most recent
higher		 Average for
October
Adelaide (West Terrace / ngayirdapira) 23.8 24.3 in 1940* 21.4

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



Record highest October daily minimum temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
October
Whyalla Aero 23.5 on the 31st 22.3 on the 17th in 1998 35 10.7
Cleve Aerodrome 23.3 on the 31st 23.1 on the 8th in 1999 24 10.0
Strathalbyn Racecourse 22.1 on the 31st 20.2 on the 26th in 1997 24 8.9
Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome) 26.2 on the 5th 26.0 on the 9th in 1999 22 12.7


Record lowest October temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
October
Cape Jaffa (The Limestone) 2.2 on the 1st 2.6 on the 9th in 2007 28 9.3


Record highest October mean daily minimum temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
October
Elliston 12.7 = 12.7 in 2015 57 11.2


Record highest October mean temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
October
Ceduna AMO 20.2 = 20.2 in 2015 78 17.0
Elliston 18.9 18.5 in 2015 57 16.5


Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Summary statistics for October 2019
Maximum temperatures
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
(°C)		 Rainfall
(millimetres)
Mean for
October
2019		 Diff
from
average		 Highest for
October
2019		 Mean for
October
2019		 Diff
from
average		 Lowest for
October
2019		 Total for
October
2019		 Average
for
October		 Rank of
October
2019		 Fraction of
October
average
Northwest (district 16)
Andamooka 31.3 +2.9 40.3 5th 14.8 +1.2 9.0 18th 0 17.3 lowest 0%
Coober Pedy Airport 32.4 +3.4 40.2 24th 15.5 +1.3 10.3 8th 2.0 10.2 average 20%
Ernabella (Pukatja) 33.0 +3.8 38.4 12th 17.3 +3.0 9.5 9th 0 22.1 lowest 0%
Mount Ive 29.6   41.0 5th 11.7   6.0 10th 0.5 21.7 low 2%
Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome) 31.0 +2.3 40.1 5th 14.2 +1.5 6.4 18th 0 10.8 lowest 0%
Tarcoola Aero 32.1 +3.5 42.4 5th 13.9 +1.8 7.0 18th 0 15.5 lowest 0%
Woomera Aerodrome 30.3 +3.8 40.6 5th 13.9 +1.4 8.7 9th 2.0 14.8 low 14%
Far North (district 17)
Leigh Creek Airport 30.2 +3.0 38.5 5th 13.9 +1.3 6.7 18th 0.2 15.7 v low 1%
Marree Aero 31.5 +1.3 39.5 24th 14.3 +0.3 7.3 10th 0 8.6 lowest 0%
Moomba Airport 32.4 +1.5 38.8 6th 16.4 +0.6 9.9 11th 0.4 8.3 average 5%
Oodnadatta Airport 33.9 +3.4 40.8 12th 16.8 +1.6 10.0 10th 0 13.0 lowest 0%
Western Agricultural (district 18)
Ceduna AMO 28.2 +4.2 41.3 4th 12.3 +2.3 2.1 10th 3.4 24.4 low 14%
Cleve 25.8 +3.4 39.7 5th 12.0 +1.7 5.9 20th 3.4 35.5 v low 10%
Cleve Aerodrome 26.0 +2.8 39.7 5th 11.1 +1.1 5.3 20th 1.6 27.4 v low 6%
Coffin Bay (Point Avoid) 22.3   34.1 24th 12.2   7.0 9th 20.0
Cultana (Defence) 28.5   40.4 5th 12.5   6.2 9th 0.2
Cummins Aero 24.9 +1.4 39.3 24th 8.4 +0.4 0.7 9th 15.4 19.4 average 79%
Elliston 25.0 +3.3 38.3 31st 12.7 +1.5 4.9 9th 15.2 29.7 low 51%
Kimba     39.0 5th 10.3 +1.2 4.8 17th 2.0 29.5 v low 7%
Kyancutta 29.2 +3.8 41.7 5th 9.6 +1.3 1.3 9th 5.3 25.3 low 21%
Minnipa Pirsa 28.1 +2.7 39.9 5th 11.8 +1.6 5.7 17th 3.4 19.9 low 17%
North Shields (Port Lincoln AWS) 23.6 +2.7 40.8 24th 9.5 -0.1 5.4 18th 16.0 24.1 average 66%
Nullarbor 28.6 +3.9 40.2 31st 11.6 +1.2 5.6 9th 0.4 17.6 v low 2%
Port Augusta Aero 29.3 +2.1 41.8 5th 12.7 +0.9 6.3 18th 0 15.0 v low 0%
Streaky Bay 26.9 +3.9 37.8 5th 11.6 +0.1 5.1 9th 6.0 25.6 low 23%
Whyalla Aero 26.6 +2.5 41.2 5th 11.5 +0.8 5.9 17th 0 21.2 lowest 0%
Wudinna Aero 28.7 +2.6 41.5 5th 9.6 +0.8 1.9 9th 4.4 18.3 low 24%
Upper North (district 19)
Hawker 28.4 +2.4 37.3 5th 12.2 +2.3 4.9 18th 0.2 23.9 v low 1%
Northeast (district 20)
Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot) 27.7 +1.8 40.0 5th 7.9 -0.9 1.0 18th 0.6 19.8 v low 3%
Yunta Airstrip 27.0 +1.6 38.3 5th 9.1 -0.2 2.4 9th 0.8 16.8 low 5%
Lower North (district 21)
Clare High School 24.3 +3.1 35.3 24th 8.4 +0.5 0.2 18th 11.8 42.5 low 28%
Port Pirie Aerodrome AWS 27.6   39.5 24th 10.5   2.8 18th 3.8
Snowtown (Rayville Park) 27.2 +2.6 39.2 5th 7.7 +0.7 -0.7 9th 2.4 24.6 low 10%
Yorke Peninsula (district 22A)
Edithburgh 22.1 +1.6 38.2 24th 10.6 -0.2 4.7 18th 30.4 27.0 average 113%
Kadina AWS 25.4 +1.1 38.9 24th 8.7 +0.5 1.6 20th 4.8 20.4 low 24%
Minlaton Aero 24.6 +2.0 38.5 24th 10.4 +1.1 2.9 20th 16.6 22.5 average 74%
Stenhouse Bay 21.5 +1.4 37.2 24th 12.0 +0.3 8.3 28th 27.0 27.8 average 97%
Kangaroo Island (district 22B)
Cape Borda 19.6 +1.5 31.1 24th 10.4 +0.3 5.1 11th 10.2 28.6 low 36%
Cape Willoughby 19.3 +1.6 31.4 24th 11.9 +0.4 8.2 17th 16.2 41.1 low 39%
Kingscote Aero 22.0 +1.7 34.6 24th 6.8 -0.4 0.0 28th 14.0 27.8 average 50%
Parndana Cfs AWS 20.6   31.8 24th 7.9   2.1 28th 11.8
Adelaide Plains (district 23A)
Adelaide (Kent Town) 24.6 +2.4 37.6 31st 12.3 +0.7 7.1 18th 18.6 40.9 low 45%
Adelaide (West Terrace / ngayirdapira) 23.8 +2.4 37.2 31st 12.3 +1.2 6.4 10th 15.6 44.0 low 35%
Adelaide Airport 23.4 +2.2 36.1 24th 11.8 +1.1 5.9 10th 15.6 35.7 low 44%
Edinburgh RAAF 25.2 +2.8 38.9 31st 11.4 +1.3 4.0 10th 8.6 36.2 low 24%
Parafield Airport 25.7 +3.6 38.9 31st 10.7 +0.5 3.2 15th 18.8 39.6 low 47%
Roseworthy AWS 26.4 +2.7 39.2 31st 8.5 +0.8 -0.4 9th 14.2 30.1 average 47%
County Light (district 23B)
Nuriootpa Pirsa 24.0 +2.5 36.1 24th 7.9 -0.3 0.1 18th 11.4 34.5 low 33%
Rosedale (Turretfield Research Centre) 25.0 +2.9 38.0 24th 10.2 +1.9 1.0 9th 17.8 42.8 low 42%
Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23C)
Hindmarsh Island AWS 23.1 +1.9 37.3 31st 11.0 +0.1 6.8 1st 26.0 25.4 average 102%
Kuitpo Forest Reserve 20.6 +1.7 33.8 31st 10.2 +1.0 4.9 8th 36.0 50.5 low 71%
Mount Barker 22.6 +3.1 33.4 31st 8.4 +1.1 3.4 21st 32.8 65.5 low 50%
Mount Crawford AWS 20.6 +2.3 32.9 24th 9.2 +0.7 2.5 9th 17.6 44.0 low 40%
Mount Lofty 18.7 +3.7 31.1 31st 8.8 +1.4 2.5 9th 47.0 58.7 average 80%
Noarlunga 23.3 +1.8 36.0 24th 12.5 +0.9 7.7 15th 22.8 30.6 average 75%
Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS) 18.7 +1.8 31.1 24th 9.6 +0.6 5.7 8th 40.6 57.7 average 70%
Victor Harbor (Encounter Bay) 22.3 +1.7 36.4 24th 8.3 -0.7 3.0 1st 21.0 35.4 average 59%
Upper Murray Valley (district 24A)
Loxton Research Centre 26.4 +1.9 37.9 24th 8.8 +0.3 1.5 18th 3.0 23.2 low 13%
Renmark Aero 27.2 +1.7 39.1 24th 9.3 +0.3 1.6 18th 1.8 23.1 low 8%
Lower Murray Valley (district 24B)
Eudunda 24.4 +3.5 35.8 5th 8.6 +0.5 3.1 9th 5.6 39.1 v low 14%
Meningie 22.1 +1.3 35.2 24th 9.6 +0.1 3.5 21st 26.0 38.3 average 68%
Murray Bridge (Pallamana Aerodrome) 25.7 +1.5 38.5 24th 7.3 -0.2 -0.3 1st 8.0 15.4 average 52%
Strathalbyn Racecourse 24.2 +2.6 37.6 31st 9.1 +0.2 2.2 11th 16.8 31.8 low 53%
Murray Mallee (district 25A)
Karoonda 26.0 +1.9 37.9 24th 8.6 +0.3 1.2 10th 5.0 31.3 v low 16%
Upper Southeast (district 25B)
Keith 23.7 +1.9 36.7 24th 8.1 -0.1 0.4 9th 22.9 40.9 average 56%
Keith (Munkora) 23.9 +1.2 37.3 24th 5.9 -0.1 -2.2 9th 4.8 25.5 v low 19%
Lameroo (Austin Plains) 25.3 +1.1 38.1 24th 7.4 0.0 0.7 9th 8.6 17.9 low 48%
Lower Southeast (district 26)
Cape Jaffa (The Limestone) 19.9 +1.2 33.9 24th 9.1 -0.2 2.2 1st 23.2 31.0 average 75%
Coonawarra 20.8 +1.2 34.4 24th 7.3 0.0 1.4 1st 22.6 44.5 low 51%
Mount Gambier Aero 20.0 +2.0 34.4 24th 7.2 0.0 -0.4 1st 40.8 60.0 average 68%
Naracoorte Aerodrome 21.8 +1.1 35.5 24th 7.1 +0.1 0.0 1st 20.4 36.7 low 56%
Padthaway South 21.9 +1.0 35.8 24th 7.6 -0.2 0.9 9th 22.8 35.2 average 65%
Robe Airfield 19.8 +0.8 35.0 31st 8.4 -0.2 0.8 28th 22.6 31.8 average 71%

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 Friday 1 November 2019. 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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(03) 9669 4057
Enquiries

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