Monday, 3 May 2021 - Monthly Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC13R0

South Australia in April 2021: very dry, some warm days, cool nights in the north and east

Rainfall in April was below to very much below average across most of South Australia. It was the state's seventh-driest April on record and driest since 1997. Day-time temperatures for April were above to very much above average across much of southern South Australia, but night-time temperatures were cooler than average in most districts away from the West Coast.

Seventh-driest April on record

  • Rainfall in April was below to very much below average across most of South Australia.
  • Some areas in the Lower South East received close to average rainfall for the month.
  • Little or no rainfall was recorded in the Pastoral districts, but totals were higher in the South East districts, with Mount Schank (Jethia) the wettest location with 69.0 mm for the month.
  • For South Australia as a whole, April rainfall was 87% below average, making it the state's seventh-driest April on record and driest since 1997.
  • On the 13th, strong north to north-westerly winds raised dust that affected visibility at Port Wakefield and Balaklava in the Mid North, parts of the Eyre Peninsula, and across metropolitan Adelaide.

Some warm days, cool nights in the north

  • Mean maximum temperatures for April were above to very much above average across much of southern South Australia.
  • Daytime temperatures were closer to average in the state's north and in the Lower South East.
  • The mean maximum temperature for South Australia as a whole was 1.15 °C above average, the warmest in April since 2019 after last year was closer to average.
  • Night-time temperatures were cooler than average in most districts away from the West Coast, including isolated areas of very much below average in the far north and east.
  • The mean minimum temperature for South Australia as a whole was 0.81 °C below average, the lowest in April since 1999.
  • On the 21st, many sites across south-eastern Australia had their coldest April morning for at least 10 years and Eudunda and Nuriootpa PIRSA had their lowest April temperature on record.
  • Ernabella (Pukatja) had its lowest April mean daily minimum temperature on record and equalled its lowest April mean temperature on record.
  • A few sites had their lowest April mean daily minimum temperature since 1999 or 2001.
  • The overall mean temperature for South Australia was 0.19 °C above the long-term average, the lowest since 2017.

Further information

Media
(03) 9669 4057

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes in April 2021
Hottest day 37.1 °C at Kyancutta on the 8th
Warmest days on average 28.5 °C at Oodnadatta Airport
Coolest days on average 18.3 °C at Mount Lofty
Coldest day 11.2 °C at Mount Lofty on the 21st
Coldest night -1.5 °C at Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot) on the 21st
Coolest nights on average 6.3 °C at Keith (Munkora)
Warmest nights on average 15.6 °C at Neptune Island
Warmest night 21.4 °C at Cape Borda on the 3rd
Warmest on average overall 21.0 °C at Andamooka
Coolest on average overall 14.2 °C at Coonawarra
Wettest overall 69.0 mm at Mount Schank (Jethia)
Wettest day 33.4 mm at Mount Schank (Jethia) on the 20th
Strongest wind gust 107 km/h at Cape Willoughby on the 13th

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 April temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
April
Eudunda -0.9 on the 21st 2.3 on the 22nd in 1999 57 9.9
Nuriootpa PIRSA -0.6 on the 21st = -0.6 on the 23rd in 1999 25 9.2


Record lowest April mean daily minimum temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
April
Ernabella (Pukatja) 10.1 10.2 in 2001 22 13.5

Lowest April mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years
Observed
(°C)		 Most recent
lower		 Average for
April
Clare High School 7.8 6.2 in 1999 9.1
Eudunda 7.8 7.0 in 1999 9.9
Nuriootpa PIRSA 7.4 7.0 in 1999 9.2
Oodnadatta Airport 12.8 12.1 in 1999 14.5
Parafield Airport 9.9 9.4 in 2001 11.8


Record lowest April mean temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
April
Ernabella (Pukatja) 17.9 = 17.9 in 2001 22 20.5


Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Summary statistics for April 2021
Maximum temperatures
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
(°C)		 Rainfall
(millimetres)
Mean for
April
2021		 Diff
from
average		 Highest for
April
2021		 Mean for
April
2021		 Diff
from
average		 Lowest for
April
2021		 Total for
April
2021		 Average
for
April		 Rank of
April
2021		 Fraction of
April
average
Northwest (district 16)
Andamooka 27.6 +0.2 35.3 5th 14.3 +0.2 9.5 19th 0.4 15.9 low 3%
Coober Pedy Airport 27.5 +0.3 35.3 9th 13.5 -1.0 10.0 21st 0 13.4 lowest 0%
Ernabella (Pukatja) 25.6 -1.8 33.3 9th 10.1 -3.4 4.4 20th 3.4 15.0 average 23%
Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome) 27.3 0.0 34.2 8th 12.2 -0.6 7.0 19th 2.6 15.9 average 16%
Tarcoola Aero 28.2 +1.0 36.8 8th 11.0 -1.3 5.9 19th 0 12.1 lowest 0%
Woomera Aerodrome 26.5 +0.9 35.0 8th 13.4 +0.2 8.9 18th 3.2 11.9 average 27%
Far North (district 17)
Leigh Creek Airport 26.7 +0.3 33.9 6th 11.7 -1.4 7.3 19th 0.6 14.1 low 4%
Marree Aero 28.4 -0.6 35.6 9th 12.9 -1.3 7.0 19th 0 8.6 lowest 0%
Moomba Airport 27.6 -1.8 34.2 9th 13.6 -2.2 8.8 19th 0 7.8 lowest 0%
Oodnadatta Airport 28.5 -0.1 35.9 9th 12.8 -1.7 7.7 19th 0 11.2 lowest 0%
Western Agricultural (district 18)
Ceduna AMO 26.4 +2.1 36.0 8th 10.7 -0.1 3.8 25th 1.4 19.7 v low 7%
Cleve 24.0 +1.2 34.7 8th 12.8 +0.4 8.2 21st 12.6 28.6 average 44%
Cleve Aerodrome 23.9 +0.5 34.4 8th 12.4 0.0 7.4 21st 10.2 25.1 low 41%
Coffin Bay (Point Avoid) 22.5   32.6 2nd 13.4   9.1 17th 15.2
Cultana (Defence) 26.1   34.9 8th 12.5   8.1 21st 2.0
Cummins Aero 25.5 +1.6 35.6 2nd 8.4 -2.2 3.7 16th 8.4 27.1 low 31%
Elliston 24.1 +1.7 33.3 2nd 12.2 -0.1 6.2 19th 15.2 27.1 average 56%
Kyancutta 27.9 +2.5 37.1 8th 9.1 -0.4 3.7 21st 1.7 19.3 v low 9%
Minnipa PIRSA 26.0 +1.0 34.9 8th 12.7 +0.5 6.5 21st 2.6 15.8 low 16%
Neptune Island 20.4 +0.9 27.0 3rd 15.6 +0.6 13.2 16th 12.6 29.7 low 42%
North Shields (Port Lincoln AWS) 23.5 +1.1 35.6 8th 11.4 -0.9 6.0 21st 7.8 20.8 low 38%
Nullarbor 27.1 +2.2 36.4 7th 11.4 -0.3 5.8 19th 1.2 22.3 v low 5%
Port Augusta Aero 26.8 0.0 36.3 8th 11.7 -1.3 5.6 19th 0 19.5 lowest 0%
Whyalla Aero 24.4 +0.4 36.3 8th 11.0 -0.9 6.3 29th 7.6 20.8 low 37%
Wudinna Aero 26.9 +1.5 36.5 8th 10.1 -0.1 3.3 21st 4.2 16.2 v low 26%
Upper North (district 19)
Hawker 25.5 0.0 33.5 4th 10.1 -1.0 5.1 19th 0.4 19.9 low 2%
Yongala 23.3 +1.3 31.9 3rd 6.6 -0.7 0.0 21st 0.8 25.2 v low 3%
Northeast (district 20)
Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot) 25.3 +0.3 35.5 3rd 7.0 -1.6 -1.5 21st 0.8 19.8 low 4%
Yunta Airstrip 24.7 +0.1 33.3 4th 7.2 -2.1 2.0 21st 0 10.8 lowest 0%
Lower North (district 21)
Clare High School 22.6 +0.9 32.2 2nd 7.8 -1.3 0.7 21st 15.4 38.4 average 40%
Port Pirie Aerodrome AWS 25.9   35.0 8th 10.1   4.8 21st 0.6
Snowtown (Rayville Park) 25.2 +0.4 34.4 2nd 8.5 -1.0 2.5 12th 6.6 25.6 low 26%
Yorke Peninsula (district 22A)
Edithburgh 22.0 +0.7 34.4 3rd 12.2 -0.9 7.4 21st 21.6 25.5 average 85%
Kadina AWS 24.2 +0.1 33.5 8th 9.9 -0.5 4.1 21st 6.8 25.5 low 27%
Minlaton Aero 23.6 +0.3 32.7 2nd 11.1 -0.8 6.1 21st 24.6 26.7 average 92%
Stenhouse Bay 22.1 +1.0 34.1 3rd 13.9 -0.2 10.4 21st 17.0 27.0 average 63%
Warooka 22.4 +0.3 31.2 1st 11.7 -0.9 7.8 26th 10.4 32.8 low 32%
Kangaroo Island (district 22B)
Cape Borda 19.9 +0.1 28.2 1st 13.0 +0.5 8.8 21st 20.2 38.7 low 52%
Cape Willoughby 20.4 +1.2 32.6 3rd 14.4 +0.2 10.7 21st 16.8 39.0 low 43%
Kingscote Aero 23.1 +1.4 34.3 3rd 7.8 -1.1 3.1 21st 7.0 26.0 low 27%
Parndana CFS AWS 21.5   32.8 3rd 10.5   5.9 12th 13.6 36.6 low 37%
Adelaide Plains (district 23A)
Adelaide (West Terrace / ngayirdapira) 23.1 +0.9 33.7 3rd 11.7 -1.1 6.4 21st 16.8 43.9 low 38%
Adelaide Airport 22.5 +0.2 33.0 3rd 11.4 -0.5 6.7 21st 11.2 34.4 low 33%
Edinburgh RAAF 23.5 +0.3 34.1 3rd 10.7 -1.1 5.1 21st 8.8 30.4 low 29%
Parafield Airport 24.2 +1.3 34.2 3rd 9.9 -1.9 4.1 21st 14.6 38.2 low 38%
Roseworthy AWS 24.6 +0.4 35.4 2nd 9.3 -1.2 2.4 21st 11.4 30.9 low 37%
County Light (district 23B)
Nuriootpa PIRSA 22.9 +0.9 32.9 3rd 7.4 -1.8 -0.6 21st 12.6 35.0 low 36%
Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23C)
Hindmarsh Island AWS 21.9 +0.1 34.4 2nd 12.4 0.0 8.9 21st 14.0 28.4 average 49%
Kuitpo Forest Reserve 20.3 +0.5 30.8 2nd 11.5 +0.2 6.0 21st 36.0 56.8 average 63%
Mount Crawford AWS 20.4 +1.0 30.7 2nd 11.0 +0.4 5.6 21st 16.6 43.8 average 38%
Mount Lofty 18.3 +2.1 28.5 2nd 10.2 +0.3 4.4 21st 34.6 61.0 low 57%
Noarlunga 22.4 0.0 32.7 3rd 12.8 -0.9 7.5 21st 18.0 33.5 low 54%
Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS) 19.2 +0.9 30.2 3rd 11.8 +0.5 8.4 21st 34.2 56.2 average 61%
Victor Harbor (Encounter Bay) 22.0 +0.4 34.0 3rd 10.3 -0.1 5.6 28th 30.2 36.1 average 84%
Upper Murray Valley (district 24A)
Loxton Research Centre 24.7 +0.7 34.8 4th 7.1 -1.6 -1.2 21st 0.8 18.3 v low 4%
Renmark Aero 24.8 +0.2 35.0 4th 7.9 -1.3 -0.9 21st 0 17.6 lowest 0%
Lower Murray Valley (district 24B)
Eudunda 22.7 +1.2 33.2 3rd 7.8 -2.1 -0.9 21st 8.0 33.1 low 24%
Meningie 22.4 +0.6 34.2 4th 10.5 -0.3 5.0 29th 14.6 37.3 low 39%
Murray Bridge 24.5 +0.9 36.3 3rd 10.2 -0.2 3.7 21st 6.4 28.7 low 22%
Murray Bridge (Pallamana Aerodrome) 24.0 +0.5 35.4 3rd 8.7 -0.7 2.8 21st 7.0 25.8 low 27%
Strathalbyn Racecourse 22.9 +0.5 34.5 2nd 10.8 +0.2 6.0 21st 17.6 28.3 average 62%
Upper Southeast (district 25B)
Keith 23.0 +0.5 35.2 3rd 8.3 -1.0 1.4 21st 13.0 32.5 low 40%
Keith (Munkora) 22.6 -0.7 35.4 3rd 6.3 -2.0 -0.8 21st 0 24.1 v low 0%
Lameroo (Austin Plains) 23.8 +0.4 34.9 3rd 7.7 -1.5 0.0 21st 3.0 24.6 v low 12%
Lower Southeast (district 26)
Cape Jaffa (The Limestone) 20.0 0.0 30.6 2nd 11.0 +0.2 6.4 28th 35.6 32.0 average 111%
Coonawarra 21.1 0.0 34.3 3rd 7.3 -0.5 -0.2 21st 21.6 36.5 low 59%
Mount Gambier Aero 20.6 +1.1 34.5 3rd 9.0 +0.2 2.9 21st 50.2 54.0 average 93%
Naracoorte Aerodrome 22.2 +0.2 35.3 3rd 7.9 -0.3 1.2 21st 20.8 27.3 average 76%
Padthaway South 22.0 0.0 34.2 3rd 7.2 -1.0 0.3 21st 26.6 28.8 average 92%
Robe 19.1 +0.2 27.2 2nd 11.9 +0.3 9.1 2nd 42.3 46.0 average 92%
Robe Airfield 20.0 -0.6 29.7 2nd 9.2 -0.4 5.0 16th 35.4 39.5 average 90%

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 8 am on Monday 3 May 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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