Monday, 2 March 2020 - Monthly Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC13R0
South Australia in February 2020: wet start to the month with cool days
Rainfall in February was above average to very much above average over large parts of central South Australia and the South East. Most of the rain fell at the start of the month, when thunderstorms produced heavy rain and flash flooding in some areas. Daytime temperatures were cooler than average over central and eastern Agricultural districts, but warmer than average in the far north of the State. Night-time temperatures for February were close to average or cooler than average over most of South Australia.
Wetter than average in central areas and the South East
- Rainfall in February was above average to very much above average over much of central South Australia and the South East
- The far west and northeast received little or no rain for the month
- Rainfall in February was 10% above average for South Australia as whole
- The wettest day was at the start of the month, with widespread totals of 50 mm or more recorded over central and northern areas of the State on the 1st
- The wettest location for the month was Yudnapinna in the Northwest Pastoral district with 104.0 mm, of which 103.0 mm was recorded on the 1st (the site's wettest day since 110.5 mm on 20 February 1938)
- At the start of the month, moisture from the tropics extended over South Australia to Victoria and Tasmania; very high precipitable water (total moisture content of the atmosphere) was recorded at Ceduna, Woomera, Mount Gambier, and Adelaide Airport
- On the 1st, several sites had their highest February daily rainfall on record
- Several sites had either their highest total February rainfall on record or their highest total February rainfall for at least 20 years
Cool days in southern and eastern districts
- Daytime temperatures were cooler than average over much of eastern and southern South Australia
- Some areas of very much below average temperatures in the east, including southern areas of Adelaide and the Fleurieu Peninsula
- Several sites had either their lowest February mean daily maximum temperature on record or their lowest February mean daily maximum temperature since 1990 or earlier
- Mean maximum temperatures were above average in parts of the far north
- South Australia's mean maximum temperature was 0.29 °C below average, the lowest for February since 2012
- Night-time temperatures were also cooler than average over much of central South Australia, with warmer than average areas confined to the northwest and northeast
- Mean minimum temperatures were typically up to 1 °C below average over central areas of the State, although Marree Aero was 1.8 °C below average
- The mean minimum temperature was 0.28 °C below average for South Australia as a whole, the lowest for February since 2012
- On the 27th, Nuriootpa PIRSA had its lowest February temperature on record
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 February 2020 | |
---|---|
Hottest day |
42.1 °C at Moomba Airport on the 1st |
Warmest days on average |
36.4 °C at Oodnadatta Airport |
Coolest days on average |
19.9 °C at Cape Willoughby |
Coldest day |
15.2 °C at Mount Lofty on the 3rd |
Coldest night |
3.7 °C at Nuriootpa Pirsa on the 27th |
Coolest nights on average |
11.9 °C at Mount Lofty |
Warmest nights on average |
23.4 °C at Moomba Airport |
Warmest night |
29.6 °C at Moomba Airport on the 1st |
Warmest on average overall |
29.7 °C at Moomba Airport |
Coolest on average overall |
16.7 °C at Mount Lofty |
Wettest overall |
104.0 mm at Yudnapinna |
Wettest day |
103.0 mm at Yudnapinna on the 1st |
Strongest wind gust |
98 km/h at Marree Aero on the 1st |
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
Record highest February daily rainfall | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New record (mm) |
Old record |
Years of record |
||||
Huddleston (Willow Ponds) | 72.0 | on the 1st | 69.0 | on the 15th in 2014 | 63 | |
Mount Schank (Jethia) | 51.8 | on the 1st | 49.4 | on the 19th in 2011 | 51 | |
Coober Pedy Airport | 68.0 | on the 1st | 40.0 | on the 6th in 2011 | 26 | |
Nangwarry Forestry SA Depot | 61.4 | on the 3rd | 31.8 | on the 21st in 2003 | 26 | |
Minnipa Pirsa | 46.0 | on the 1st | 23.0 | on the 6th in 1997 | 24 | |
Padthaway South | 31.0 | on the 1st | 27.0 | on the 21st in 2003 | 20 |
Record highest February total rainfall | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
New record (mm) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for February |
||
Mount Schank (Jethia) | 76.8 | 71.2 | in 2011 | 51 | 22.6 |
Nangwarry Forestry SA Depot | 79.9 | 61.0 | in 2011 | 26 | 25.1 |
Minnipa Pirsa | 46.4 | 45.0 | in 2011 | 23 | 14.7 |
Highest February total rainfall for at least 20 years | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Observed (mm) |
Most recent higher |
Average for February |
|||
Mount Gambier Aero | 86.2 | 99.7 | in 1960 | 26.6 | |
Frances | 51.2 | 66.8 | in 1973 | 21.5 | |
Millicent | 67.8 | 72.1 | in 1972* | 24.3 | |
Port Germein | 62.6 | 130.0 | in 1973 | 17.7 | |
Yacka | 95.2 | 142.8 | in 1973* | 20.1 | |
Brinkworth | 83.0 | 153.4 | in 1973* | 21.1 | |
Gulnare | 66.8 | 78.6 | in 1979 | 21.6 | |
Manna Hill | 99.4 | 271.0 | in 1997 | 23.5 |
* note: there are gaps in the historical record at this site, so it is possible a higher value has gone unreported
Record lowest February mean daily maximum temperature | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for February |
||
Meningie | 23.5 | 23.7 | in 1988 | 53 | 26.4 |
Edinburgh RAAF | 26.9 | 27.4 | in 2002 | 47 | 30.0 |
Cape Jaffa (The Limestone) | 22.1 | = 22.1 | in 2006 | 28 | 24.5 |
Clare High School | 26.7 | 26.8 | in 2005 | 25 | 29.8 |
Kingscote Aero | 23.9 | 24.2 | in 2006 | 25 | 26.6 |
Strathalbyn Racecourse | 24.3 | 24.6 | in 2008 | 23 | 27.5 |
Kuitpo Forest Reserve | 22.4 | 22.7 | in 2006 | 21 | 25.9 |
Lowest February mean daily maximum temperature for at least 20 years | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Observed (°C) |
Most recent lower |
Average for February |
|||
Whyalla Aero | 27.1 | 25.4 | in 1946* | 29.7 | |
Parafield Airport | 27.6 | =27.6 | in 1988 | 29.5 | |
Andamooka | 33.2 | 33.0 | in 1990 | 35.7 | |
Mount Barker | 25.1 | =25.1 | in 1990 | 26.8 | |
Yongala | 28.0 | 27.7 | in 1990 | 30.2 | |
Hawker | 31.0 | 30.6 | in 1990* | 33.6 |
* note: there are gaps in the historical record at this site, so it is possible a lower value has gone unreported
Record lowest February temperature | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for February |
|||
Nuriootpa PIRSA | 3.7 | on the 27th | 4.3 | on the 1st in 2013 | 24 | 14.6 |
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
Summary statistics for February 2020 | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Maximum temperatures (°C) |
Minimum temperatures (°C) |
Rainfall (millimetres) |
||||||||||
Mean for February 2020 |
Diff from average |
Highest for February 2020 |
Mean for February 2020 |
Diff from average |
Lowest for February 2020 |
Total for February 2020 |
Average for February |
Rank of February 2020 |
Fraction of February average |
|||
Northwest (district 16) | ||||||||||||
Andamooka | 33.2 | -2.5 | 39.2 | 17th | 20.3 | -0.9 | 15.8 | 28th | 16.4 | 23.0 | average | 71% |
Coober Pedy Airport | 33.9 | -1.7 | 39.8 | 17th | 20.3 | -1.3 | 14.9 | 2nd | 68.0 | 14.1 | v high | 482% |
Ernabella (Pukatja) | 35.8 | +1.0 | 41.1 | 14th | 20.7 | +0.4 | 16.7 | 23rd | 0.2 | 27.2 | average | 1% |
Mount Ive | 31.9 | 39.0 | 17th | 17.6 | 13.6 | high | 129% | |||||
Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome) | 33.2 | -2.7 | 38.9 | 17th | 19.2 | -1.1 | 14.0 | 29th | 0.2 | 16.8 | low | 1% |
Tarcoola Aero | 34.1 | -1.3 | 40.4 | 17th | 17.6 | -1.5 | 11.0 | 19th | 15.2 | 23.0 | average | 66% |
Woomera Aerodrome | 31.7 | -2.1 | 37.5 | 17th | 18.4 | -1.0 | 13.8 | 19th | 52.0 | 19.6 | high | 265% |
Far North (district 17) | ||||||||||||
Leigh Creek Airport | 32.5 | -2.2 | 37.6 | 17th | 19.0 | -1.5 | 13.8 | 19th | 85.4 | 26.6 | v high | 321% |
Marree Aero | 35.1 | -2.1 | 40.4 | 17th | 20.4 | -1.8 | 15.0 | 29th | 36.6 | 26.1 | average | 140% |
Moomba Airport | 35.9 | -1.3 | 42.1 | 1st | 23.4 | -0.3 | 18.4 | 4th | 1.6 | 25.2 | average | 6% |
Oodnadatta Airport | 36.4 | -0.3 | 41.2 | 11th | 21.0 | -1.4 | 15.7 | 20th | 1.6 | 29.6 | average | 5% |
Western Agricultural (district 18) | ||||||||||||
Ceduna AMO | 27.1 | -1.2 | 37.3 | 10th | 15.0 | -0.1 | 7.3 | 29th | 6.2 | 14.0 | average | 44% |
Cleve | 25.7 | -2.0 | 34.3 | 23rd | 15.7 | -0.4 | 11.0 | 27th | 24.2 | 22.4 | average | 108% |
Cleve Aerodrome | 26.0 | -2.5 | 34.3 | 23rd | 15.3 | -1.0 | 11.0 | 27th | 19.4 | 18.7 | average | 104% |
Coffin Bay (Point Avoid) | 23.3 | 31.0 | 10th | 15.3 | 11.0 | 16th | 4.2 | |||||
Cultana (Defence) | 29.5 | 37.2 | 24th | 16.7 | 12.6 | 4th | 54.0 | |||||
Cummins Aero | 28.0 | -1.3 | 37.0 | 17th | 14.2 | -1.1 | 7.1 | 27th | 22.2 | 21.6 | high | 103% |
Elliston | 25.9 | +0.2 | 35.3 | 17th | 16.3 | +0.4 | 12.5 | 16th | 0.8 | 13.6 | low | 6% |
Kimba | 30.1 | -1.1 | 36.6 | 17th | 7.8 | 2nd | 17.8 | 20.8 | average | 86% | ||
Kyancutta | 31.8 | -0.6 | 40.6 | 17th | 14.2 | -0.2 | 6.8 | 28th | ||||
Minnipa Pirsa | 30.3 | -2.1 | 38.1 | 17th | 14.8 | -1.2 | 9.9 | 27th | 46.4 | 14.7 | highest | 316% |
North Shields (Port Lincoln AWS) | 24.8 | -1.2 | 33.0 | 10th | 15.8 | -0.4 | 12.7 | 23rd | 5.8 | 15.5 | average | 37% |
Nullarbor | 27.2 | -0.6 | 39.0 | 9th | 16.0 | 0.0 | 11.6 | 2nd | 0.4 | 14.6 | low | 3% |
Port Augusta Aero | 30.0 | -3.3 | 37.7 | 24th | 18.5 | -0.3 | 15.1 | 19th | 78.8 | 18.8 | v high | 419% |
Streaky Bay | 27.5 | -1.6 | 36.0 | 17th | 14.6 | -1.5 | 11.5 | 21st | 5.9 | 14.7 | average | 40% |
Whyalla Aero | 27.1 | -2.6 | 34.2 | 24th | 17.7 | -0.1 | 13.3 | 23rd | 56.8 | 23.6 | high | 241% |
Wudinna Aero | 31.3 | -1.4 | 39.8 | 17th | 13.7 | -1.5 | 6.2 | 28th | 8.6 | 14.6 | average | 59% |
Upper North (district 19) | ||||||||||||
Hawker | 31.0 | -2.6 | 36.9 | 17th | 17.2 | -0.8 | 12.0 | 19th | 51.8 | 21.0 | high | 247% |
Yongala | 28.0 | -2.2 | 34.2 | 17th | 8.8 | 19th | 61.8 | 21.2 | v high | 292% | ||
Northeast (district 20) | ||||||||||||
Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot) | 30.4 | -2.4 | 36.3 | 13th | 14.7 | -0.7 | 7.0 | 27th | 25.6 | 22.6 | high | 113% |
Yunta Airstrip | 30.1 | -2.4 | 36.7 | 17th | 15.1 | -0.8 | 8.3 | 4th | 41.8 | 20.2 | high | 207% |
Lower North (district 21) | ||||||||||||
Clare High School | 26.7 | -3.1 | 34.1 | 24th | 13.6 | -1.3 | 9.4 | 20th | 53.6 | 25.8 | high | 208% |
Port Pirie Aerodrome AWS | 29.4 | 36.5 | 24th | 15.6 | 10.2 | 27th | 61.2 | |||||
Snowtown (Rayville Park) | 29.4 | -2.6 | 36.7 | 17th | 13.5 | -0.9 | 7.1 | 20th | 26.0 | 19.8 | average | 131% |
Yorke Peninsula (district 22A) | ||||||||||||
Edithburgh | 23.7 | -1.5 | 31.3 | 10th | 16.8 | -0.3 | 13.5 | 2nd | 36.0 | 18.1 | high | 199% |
Kadina AWS | 28.4 | -2.5 | 36.2 | 7th | 14.8 | -0.3 | 9.4 | 21st | 21.6 | 13.1 | high | 165% |
Minlaton Aero | 27.2 | -1.5 | 33.7 | 7th | 14.6 | -0.7 | 9.6 | 27th | 35.2 | 18.2 | high | 193% |
Stenhouse Bay | 23.1 | -1.8 | 28.4 | 10th | 16.6 | -0.5 | 14.7 | 2nd | 24.0 | 17.9 | high | 134% |
Warooka | 25.3 | -1.8 | 32.6 | 10th | 15.7 | -0.3 | 12.3 | 4th | 31.8 | 17.4 | high | 183% |
Kangaroo Island (district 22B) | ||||||||||||
Cape Borda | 23.1 | -1.4 | 30.9 | 8th | 14.3 | -0.1 | 11.4 | 4th | 2.6 | 17.0 | low | 15% |
Cape Willoughby | 19.9 | -2.0 | 26.6 | 9th | 16.0 | -0.3 | 13.7 | 2nd | 38.6 | 18.3 | high | 211% |
Kingscote Aero | 23.9 | -2.7 | 31.8 | 9th | 14.0 | +0.4 | 6.5 | 27th | 62.6 | 18.3 | high | 342% |
Parndana Cfs AWS | 23.8 | 32.3 | 9th | 13.0 | 8.6 | 23rd | 40.4 | |||||
Adelaide Plains (district 23A) | ||||||||||||
Adelaide (Kent Town) | 26.8 | -2.7 | 34.7 | 24th | 16.5 | -0.8 | 11.9 | 20th | 44.4 | 16.1 | v high | 276% |
Adelaide (West Terrace / ngayirdapira) | 26.4 | -2.2 | 32.9 | 24th | 16.3 | -0.6 | 11.8 | 20th | 31.0 | 20.6 | high | 150% |
Adelaide Airport | 25.5 | -2.6 | 33.0 | 8th | 16.3 | +0.1 | 12.2 | 27th | 29.6 | 18.8 | high | 157% |
Edinburgh RAAF | 26.9 | -3.1 | 34.2 | 24th | 16.2 | -0.4 | 9.6 | 20th | 32.4 | 18.0 | high | 180% |
Parafield Airport | 27.6 | -1.9 | 34.8 | 24th | 15.4 | -1.0 | 9.2 | 20th | 30.4 | 18.7 | high | 163% |
Roseworthy AWS | 28.1 | -3.2 | 36.6 | 24th | 14.2 | -0.6 | 7.1 | 20th | 20.2 | 19.7 | average | 103% |
County Light (district 23B) | ||||||||||||
Nuriootpa Pirsa | 26.8 | -2.7 | 34.8 | 24th | 13.3 | -1.3 | 3.7 | 27th | 25.6 | 25.0 | average | 102% |
Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23C) | ||||||||||||
Hindmarsh Island AWS | 22.7 | -2.0 | 33.7 | 9th | 15.8 | 0.0 | 9.6 | 4th | 17.6 | 17.4 | average | 101% |
Kuitpo Forest Reserve | 22.4 | -3.5 | 31.3 | 24th | 13.1 | -1.1 | 8.6 | 4th | 38.8 | 24.1 | high | 161% |
Mount Barker | 25.1 | -1.7 | 33.4 | 24th | 12.3 | +0.3 | 6.5 | 27th | 65.8 | 25.8 | v high | 255% |
Mount Crawford AWS | 24.1 | -3.0 | 33.3 | 24th | 12.9 | -1.3 | 6.9 | 4th | 53.0 | 25.5 | high | 208% |
Mount Lofty | 21.5 | -1.0 | 29.4 | 24th | 11.9 | -1.1 | 5.7 | 4th | 66.4 | 39.5 | high | 168% |
Noarlunga | 25.4 | -2.4 | 32.5 | 8th | 16.0 | -1.0 | 10.7 | 27th | 30.2 | 18.7 | high | 161% |
Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS) | 20.6 | -2.8 | 30.2 | 9th | 13.2 | -0.7 | 9.5 | 4th | 38.8 | 30.8 | high | 126% |
Victor Harbor (Encounter Bay) | 22.2 | -2.1 | 31.0 | 9th | 14.5 | -0.1 | 8.4 | 23rd | 41.0 | 24.4 | high | 168% |
Upper Murray Valley (district 24A) | ||||||||||||
Loxton Research Centre | 29.5 | -2.0 | 36.2 | 13th | 15.3 | +0.7 | 7.4 | 27th | 20.8 | 18.4 | average | 113% |
Renmark Aero | 30.2 | -2.6 | 37.0 | 13th | 15.7 | -0.4 | 9.9 | 27th | 15.2 | 19.5 | average | 78% |
Lower Murray Valley (district 24B) | ||||||||||||
Eudunda | 27.3 | -1.8 | 35.7 | 24th | 14.3 | 0.0 | 7.6 | 27th | 20.4 | 22.4 | average | 91% |
Meningie | 23.5 | -2.9 | 32.0 | 23rd | 14.3 | +0.3 | 7.1 | 4th | 40.0 | 17.3 | high | 231% |
Murray Bridge (Pallamana Aerodrome) | 27.1 | -2.8 | 34.3 | 23rd | 14.3 | 0.0 | 8.3 | 4th | 24.4 | 19.2 | high | 127% |
Strathalbyn Racecourse | 24.3 | -3.2 | 32.2 | 23rd | 14.3 | -0.3 | 7.6 | 4th | 37.8 | 21.5 | high | 176% |
Murray Mallee (district 25A) | ||||||||||||
Karoonda | 27.2 | -3.5 | 36.5 | 24th | 13.8 | -0.3 | 8.0 | 27th | 68.2 | 20.1 | v high | 339% |
Upper Southeast (district 25B) | ||||||||||||
Keith | 27.6 | -2.3 | 35.1 | 13th | 12.7 | -0.5 | 6.6 | 27th | 22.8 | 19.9 | average | 115% |
Keith (Munkora) | 27.6 | -2.7 | 35.1 | 13th | 12.2 | +0.3 | 4.0 | 27th | 47.8 | 13.4 | v high | 357% |
Lameroo (Austin Plains) | 29.3 | -1.8 | 36.2 | 13th | 14.0 | +0.3 | 4.9 | 27th | 59.2 | 14.5 | v high | 408% |
Lower Southeast (district 26) | ||||||||||||
Cape Jaffa (The Limestone) | 22.1 | -2.4 | 31.2 | 8th | 13.9 | +0.2 | 8.8 | 4th | 37.8 | 17.2 | high | 220% |
Coonawarra | 25.3 | -2.3 | 33.5 | 13th | 12.9 | +1.1 | 5.4 | 27th | 40.0 | 18.1 | high | 221% |
Mount Gambier Aero | 23.5 | -1.8 | 31.3 | 13th | 12.7 | +1.0 | 5.1 | 4th | 86.2 | 26.6 | v high | 324% |
Naracoorte Aerodrome | 26.7 | -2.6 | 34.7 | 13th | 12.1 | +0.2 | 3.9 | 4th | 24.6 | 18.3 | average | 134% |
Padthaway South | 26.3 | -2.4 | 34.2 | 13th | 12.6 | +0.3 | 5.0 | 27th | 37.8 | 16.8 | v high | 225% |
Robe Airfield | 22.5 | -1.9 | 31.3 | 8th | 13.2 | +0.3 | 6.2 | 4th | 42.8 | 22.6 | high | 189% |
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 9 am on Monday 2 March 2020. 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