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South Australia in January 2021: heavy rain at times, generally mild temperatures

Rainfall totals for January were close to average across large areas of South Australia, but it was a wetter than average month for parts of the West Coast and across southern areas of the Pastoral districts. There were widespread heavy falls later in the month, particularly on the 25th. Mean maximum and minimum temperatures for January were generally close to average across most of South Australia, though days were cooler than average in parts of the west.

Heavy rain at times

  • Rainfall totals for January were generally close to average across large areas of South Australia.
  • January rainfall for South Australia as a whole was 21% below the long-term average.
  • Rainfall was above to very much above average in parts of the West Coast, the Lower Eyre Peninsula, and across southern areas of the Pastoral districts.
  • It was a drier than average month in parts of the state's south-east and across much of the north-east.
  • On the 25th, the remnants of a tropical low combined with a cold front to bring widespread showers, rain and thunderstorms to South Australia.
  • A rain band with embedded thunderstorms saw Panaramitee (near Yunta) record 107.8 mm for the 24 hours to 9am on the 26th and was one of several sites that had their highest January daily rainfall on record.
  • Widespread rain continued to fall on most days during the last week of the month.
  • Wilpena (Oraparinna) recorded 105.4 mm in the 24 hours to 9am on the 26th and with more rain recorded 2 days later was enough for its highest total January rainfall on record.

Many cool to mild days, some hot spells

  • Mean maximum and minimum temperatures for January were generally close to average across most of South Australia.
  • Daytime temperatures for January were generally close to average in the east, but cooler than average in the state's west.
  • The mean maximum temperature for South Australia as a whole was 0.03 °C below average, the lowest since 2015.
  • The hottest day was the 24th, when the state's highest temperature for the month of 45.3 °C was recorded at Port Augusta Aero and Cape Jaffa (The Limestone) equalled its highest January temperature on record.
  • Hawker had its lowest January mean daily maximum temperature since 1992.
  • Night-time temperatures for January were close to average throughout most of the state.
  • The mean minimum temperature for South Australia as a whole was 0.19 °C above average, the lowest since 2005.
  • After having a January record of 11 consecutive nights with minimum temperatures below 15 °C from the 13th to the 23rd, Renmark Aero recorded a minimum of 31.0 °C on the 25th, its warmest January night on record.
  • Robe had its lowest January mean daily minimum temperature since 1996.

Fires

  • Severe to locally Catastrophic fire weather conditions affected the state several times during the month.
  • On the 11th, a grassfire started in the state's Lower South East and travelled in an easterly direction towards the town of Lucindale. The fire burnt through 16,800 hectares of land, with some properties damaged or destroyed, and significant losses to livestock and fencing. Electricity was also cut to over 3,000 homes.
  • From the 24th, fires in the Adelaide Hills at Cherry Gardens destroyed property and burnt more than 2,500 hectares of land, while another fire began at Clarendon and burnt through 1,200 hectares.

Further information

Media
(03) 9669 4057

Extremes in January 2021
Hottest day 45.3 °C at Port Augusta Aero on the 24th
Warmest days on average 37.6 °C at Moomba Airport
Coolest days on average 21.2 °C at Cape Willoughby
Coldest day 16.3 °C at Cape Willoughby on the 5th
16.3 °C at Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS) on the 16th
Coldest night 3.9 °C at Naracoorte Aerodrome on the 20th
Coolest nights on average 10.7 °C at Keith (Munkora)
Warmest nights on average 24.1 °C at Moomba Airport
Warmest night 33.2 °C at Oodnadatta Airport on the 24th
Warmest on average overall 30.8 °C at Moomba Airport
Coolest on average overall 17.5 °C at Robe
Wettest overall 110.4 mm at Yunta (Panaramitee)
Wettest day 107.8 mm at Yunta (Panaramitee) on the 26th
Strongest wind gust 85 km/h at Port Augusta Aero on the 25th

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 highest January daily rainfall
New record
(mm)
Old
record
Years of
record
Yunta (Panaramitee) 107.8 on the 26th 66.2 on the 21st in 2007 115
Wilpena (Oraparinna) 105.4 on the 26th 45.4 on the 20th in 2017 32
Belair 34.0 on the 26th 22.8 on the 21st in 2007 24
Adelaide (Keswick) 28.2 on the 26th 25.2 on the 20th in 2005 20
Longwood Alert 36.8 on the 26th 32.2 on the 20th in 2020 20



Record highest January total rainfall
New record
(mm)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
January
Wilpena (Oraparinna) 110.0 91.0 in 2007 32 23.1



Record highest January temperature
New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
January
Cape Jaffa (The Limestone) 41.8 on the 24th = 41.8 on the 24th in 2019 30 24.7



Lowest January mean daily maximum temperature for at least 20 years
Observed
(°C)
Most recent
lower
Average for
January
Hawker 32.2 31.6 in 1992* 34.4

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




Record highest January daily minimum temperature
New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
January
Renmark Aero 31.0 on the 25th 30.4 on the 31st in 2020 26 16.4



Lowest January mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years
Observed
(°C)
Most recent
lower
Average for
January
Robe 13.0 =13.0 in 1996 13.6



Summary statistics for January 2021
Maximum temperatures
(°C)
Minimum temperatures
(°C)
Rainfall
(millimetres)
Mean for
January
2021
Diff
from
average
Highest for
January
2021
Mean for
January
2021
Diff
from
average
Lowest for
January
2021
Total for
January
2021
Average
for
January
Rank of
January
2021
Fraction of
January
average
Northwest (district 16)
Andamooka 35.4 -1.2 43.6 23rd 20.9 -0.6 15.3 16th 16.6 18.1 average 92%
Coober Pedy Airport 34.9 -2.0 44.2 23rd 20.7 -1.6 14.2 4th 5.6 13.4 average 42%
Ernabella (Pukatja) 34.3 -1.2 40.4 13th 20.8 -0.4 14.5 17th 41.4 28.9 high 143%
Mount Ive 32.9   42.0 24th       17.0 14.8 high 115%
Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome) 34.8 -2.4 43.3 23rd 20.2 -1.1 14.8 16th 15.4 13.0 high 118%
Tarcoola Aero 34.6 -2.2 44.6 23rd 18.1 -1.7 12.9 6th 3.4 11.7 average 29%
Woomera Aerodrome 34.0 -0.7 42.9 23rd 19.1 -0.5 13.4 16th 47.0 16.7 v high 281%
Far North (district 17)
Arkaroola 33.3 -1.3 41.4 24th 20.1 -0.2 13.2 16th 48.6 34.3 high 142%
Leigh Creek Airport 34.7 -1.2 42.7 24th 20.3 -0.7 13.6 6th 44.4 23.1 high 192%
Marree Aero 37.3 -1.7 44.2 24th 22.0 -1.1 17.4 6th 6.4 17.0 average 38%
Moomba Airport 37.6 -1.4 42.7 23rd 24.1 -0.8 16.8 17th 3.6 13.3 average 27%
Oodnadatta Airport 37.3 -0.7 44.9 23rd 22.2 -0.9 17.7 4th 26.8 23.5 high 114%
Western Agricultural (district 18)
Ceduna AMO 27.6 -1.1 44.7 23rd 15.4 +0.1 8.7 17th 21.6 12.6 high 171%
Cleve 27.0 -1.4 42.1 24th 16.5 +0.8 11.1 15th 12.8 16.0 average 80%
Cleve Aerodrome 27.4 -1.8 42.8 24th 15.7 -0.4 10.9 15th 7.6 16.0 average 48%
Coffin Bay (Point Avoid) 23.9   37.6 10th 15.3   12.7 20th 17.2
Cultana (Defence) 32.0   42.9 24th 17.4   12.0 15th 4.8
Cummins Aero 28.7 -1.8 42.6 23rd 14.5 -0.7 6.3 15th 13.4 14.7 high 91%
Elliston 26.3 +0.3 41.3 23rd 16.1 +0.3 12.3 18th 20.2 10.8 high 187%
Kimba 30.7 -0.9 41.5 23rd 15.4 -0.3 9.0 16th 15.0 17.4 average 86%
Kyancutta 32.5 -0.6 45.1 23rd 14.8 +0.3 6.6 16th 12.4 14.5 average 86%
Minnipa PIRSA 30.9 -2.2 42.7 23rd 15.3 -0.8 9.3 16th 18.0 11.5 high 157%
Neptune Island 21.4 -0.7 30.2 24th 16.1 -0.1 14.1 6th 20.2 13.1 high 154%
North Shields (Port Lincoln AWS) 25.3 -1.0 37.4 24th 15.3 -0.5 11.7 14th 11.4 15.0 average 76%
Nullarbor 26.4 -1.7 43.1 23rd 15.9 -0.1 10.0 27th 50.4 12.6 v high 400%
Port Augusta Aero 33.0 -1.3 45.3 24th 18.5 -1.1 14.2 16th 0.6 12.3 low 5%
Streaky Bay 28.5 -0.9 42.9 23rd 15.5 -0.6 10.1 16th 41.2 11.2 v high 368%
Whyalla Aero 29.4 -0.9 43.7 24th 17.6 -0.2 14.2 23rd 13.8 16.8 average 82%
Wudinna Aero 31.6 -2.0 43.8 23rd 15.1 -0.5 7.1 16th 14.0 14.1 average 99%
Upper North (district 19)
Hawker 32.2 -2.2 41.5 23rd 17.2 -0.9 10.6 16th 18.5 20.0 high 93%
Yongala 30.9 0.0 40.0 24th 13.9 +0.3 4.4 16th 2.4 23.0 low 10%
Northeast (district 20)
Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot) 32.9 -1.1 43.7 24th 14.6 -1.3 7.3 16th 9.0 17.9 average 50%
Yunta Airstrip 31.9 -2.1 40.5 23rd 15.6 -1.1 9.2 16th 34.4 21.0 high 164%
Lower North (district 21)
Clare High School 29.6 -0.8 41.2 24th 13.8 -1.1 7.4 18th 11.6 22.6 average 51%
Port Pirie Aerodrome AWS 32.3   44.9 24th 15.4   8.9 16th 7.0
Snowtown (Rayville Park) 31.7 -1.2 43.8 24th 13.9 -0.7 9.5 15th 6.6 16.1 average 41%
Yorke Peninsula (district 22A)
Edithburgh 25.1 -0.4 44.5 24th 16.4 -0.4 11.5 13th 10.8 12.8 average 84%
Kadina AWS 30.1 -2.0 43.8 24th 15.1 -0.6 10.5 19th 14.8 13.7 average 108%
Minlaton Aero 28.9 -0.8 41.9 24th 14.9 -0.4 8.7 14th 5.2 13.2 average 39%
Stenhouse Bay 24.0 -1.3 37.4 24th 16.2 -0.6 13.8 6th 1.6 13.8 low 12%
Warooka 27.1 -0.2 39.6 24th 16.0 +0.4 11.1 14th 13.8 14.3 average 97%
Kangaroo Island (district 22B)
Cape Borda 23.6 -1.2 37.0 24th 14.5 0.0 10.6 13th 22.4 15.6 high 144%
Cape Willoughby 21.2 -0.6 37.8 24th 15.8 -0.1 13.1 15th 19.6 18.4 high 107%
Kingscote Aero 25.7 -1.1 40.9 24th 13.2 -0.2 8.0 21st 16.0 14.8 average 108%
Parndana CFS AWS 25.0   40.5 24th 13.0   8.8 14th 19.0 17.5 average 109%
Adelaide Plains (district 23A)
Adelaide (West Terrace / ngayirdapira) 28.9 +0.3 42.7 24th 16.7 +0.1 12.2 14th 30.6 19.9 high 154%
Adelaide Airport 27.9 -0.3 42.0 24th 16.6 +0.5 12.4 18th 26.0 17.9 high 145%
Edinburgh RAAF 29.8 -0.3 44.6 24th 15.6 -1.0 10.0 19th 15.0 20.9 average 72%
Parafield Airport 30.5 +0.7 43.9 24th 15.6 -0.8 9.0 18th 16.8 20.9 average 80%
Roseworthy AWS 30.8 -1.2 44.8 24th 13.1 -1.9 5.9 18th 16.4 17.0 average 96%
County Light (district 23B)
Nuriootpa PIRSA 29.5 -0.7 41.4 24th 13.4 -1.2 5.5 14th 5.8 16.0 low 36%
Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23C)
Hindmarsh Island AWS 24.4 -1.3 43.1 24th 15.7 -0.5 9.9 20th 10.0 16.9 average 59%
Kuitpo Forest Reserve 25.2 -1.1 40.1 24th 13.6 -0.7 9.9 15th 30.0 27.5 average 109%
Mount Barker 27.9 +0.6 41.0 24th 12.5 +0.6 8.2 20th 27.8 26.0 average 107%
Mount Crawford AWS 26.9 -0.8 40.1 24th 13.3 -0.8 8.7 18th 27.4 23.1 average 119%
Mount Lofty 24.6 +2.1 37.2 24th 12.3 -0.1 8.0 18th 33.0 36.2 average 91%
Noarlunga 27.8 -1.0 42.9 24th 16.7 -0.5 12.0 14th 16.2
Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS) 23.1 -0.7 39.7 24th 13.6 -0.3 10.4 6th 33.2 27.9 average 119%
Victor Harbor (Encounter Bay) 24.4 -0.8 42.8 24th 13.4 -1.3 7.9 20th 15.2 21.1 average 72%
Upper Murray Valley (district 24A)
Loxton Research Centre 31.9 -0.2 43.2 24th 14.4 -0.4 9.1 14th 12.6 18.6 average 68%
Renmark Aero 32.4 -1.4 44.7 24th 15.3 -1.1 8.0 16th 13.4 18.6 average 72%
Lower Murray Valley (district 24B)
Eudunda 29.8 +0.4 41.2 24th 13.7 -0.4 8.5 16th 10.6 22.0 average 48%
Meningie 26.4 +0.1 43.2 24th 14.4 +0.3 9.2 20th 12.6 18.6 average 68%
Murray Bridge (Pallamana Aerodrome) 29.2 -1.5 45.1 24th 13.7 -0.8 8.3 22nd 18.8 13.6 high 138%
Strathalbyn Racecourse 27.1 -1.0 43.8 24th 14.1 -0.7 8.3 20th 23.8 17.2 high 138%
Upper Southeast (district 25B)
Keith 30.5 +0.4 43.6 24th 13.2 0.0 7.0 16th 18.2 19.2 average 95%
Keith (Munkora) 30.5 -0.5 40.0 11th 10.7 -1.6 4.1 16th 10.0 20.6 average 49%
Lameroo (Austin Plains) 31.6 -0.8 43.4 24th 13.0 -1.3 5.4 16th 24.8 25.7 average 96%
Lower Southeast (district 26)
Cape Jaffa (The Limestone) 23.6 -1.1 41.8 24th 13.3 -0.4 7.6 20th 28.2 18.4 high 153%
Coonawarra 28.1 +0.6 42.3 24th 12.0 +0.3 6.0 17th 13.4 27.4 average 49%
Mount Gambier Aero 26.2 +0.8 42.6 24th 12.2 +0.9 5.7 20th 39.6 27.1 high 146%
Naracoorte Aerodrome 29.6 -0.2 43.9 24th 11.5 -0.2 3.9 20th 12.6 21.8 average 58%
Padthaway South 29.2 -0.1 42.6 24th 12.3 -0.2 6.7 20th 15.6 22.7 average 69%
Robe 21.9 -0.6 35.4 24th 13.0 -0.6 8.1 16th 53.0 20.5 v high 259%
Robe Airfield 23.6 -0.9 42.1 24th 12.9 0.0 7.8 20th 47.2 22.2 high 213%

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 February 2021. 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
(03) 9669 4057

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