Tuesday, 1 June 2021 - Monthly Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC13R0
South Australia in May 2021: drier than average
Rainfall in May was below average for most Agricultural districts of South Australia. Daytime temperatures for May were generally close to or warmer than average, but night-time temperatures tended to be cooler than average across much of eastern South Australia.
Drier in the south
- Rainfall in May was below average for most Agricultural districts of South Australia and large areas of the state recorded less than 60% of their May monthly average rainfall.
- The highest monthly totals were in central and south-eastern districts, with 79.2 mm at Ashton being the state's highest total recorded for May.
- Less than 10 mm was recorded across most of the northern Pastoral districts, but the largest differences from average were in the south, with parts of Kangaroo Island and the Adelaide Hills recording totals that were at least 50 mm below their May average.
- For South Australia as a whole, rainfall in May was 58% below average.
- The state's wettest day was the 25th, as a rain band and cold front crossed the state, with 35.2 mm at Mount Hope (Fairview) the highest daily total for the month.
- Ahead of the front on the 24th, strong and gusty northerly winds raised dust in many areas, reducing visibility and affecting local transport.
Some warm days, cold nights in the east
- Daytime temperatures were generally close to or warmer than average during May.
- It was a warm start to the month and Oodnadatta Airport recorded the state's highest temperature of 31.7 °C on the 1st.
- Mount Lofty recorded a maximum temperature of 23.0 °C on the 1st, its highest May temperature on record.
- The mean maximum temperature for South Australia as a whole was 0.96 °C above average.
- Night-time temperatures tended to be cooler than average across much of eastern South Australia, but were above average in the far west of the state.
- The mean minimum temperature averaged across South Australia as a whole was 0.27 °C below average.
- On the 30th and 31st, settled weather with clear skies resulted in frosty mornings and numerous sites had their lowest May temperature on record.
- The cold nights at the end of the month contributed to Eudunda having its lowest May mean daily minimum temperature on record.
Further information
- Media
- media@bom.gov.au (03) 9669 4057
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
| Extremes in May 2021 | |
|---|---|
| Hottest day |
31.7 °C at Oodnadatta Airport on the 1st |
| Warmest days on average |
23.9 °C at Oodnadatta Airport |
| Coolest days on average |
13.6 °C at Mount Lofty |
| Coldest day |
8.9 °C at Mount Lofty on the 11th |
| Coldest night |
-5.5 °C at Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot) on the 31st |
| Coolest nights on average |
4.6 °C at Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot) |
| Warmest nights on average |
14.5 °C at Neptune Island |
| Warmest night |
18.5 °C at Noarlunga on the 1st |
| Warmest on average overall |
16.5 °C at Andamooka
and Oodnadatta Airport |
| Coolest on average overall |
10.9 °C at Mount Lofty |
| Wettest overall |
79.2 mm at Ashton |
| Wettest day |
35.2 mm at Mount Hope (Fairview) on the 25th |
| Strongest wind gust |
98 km/h at Neptune Island on the 25th |
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
| Maps | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Observed | Anomaly | Decile rank | |
| Total rainfall |
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| Mean daily maximum temperatures |
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| Mean daily minimum temperatures |
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Click on a map to show it full size in a pop-up window
| Record highest May temperature | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for May |
|||
| Mount Lofty | 23.0 | on the 1st | 21.8 | on the 4th in 2005 | 21 | 12.3 |
| Record lowest May temperature | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for May |
|||
| Eudunda | -1.0 | on the 31st | 0.3 | on the 24th in 2006 | 57 | 7.7 |
| Loxton Research Centre | -3.5 | on the 31st | -3.3 | on the 30th in 2006 | 37 | 6.5 |
| Kingscote Aero | -0.8 | on the 30th | -0.6 | on the 15th in 2010 | 28 | 8.0 |
| Renmark Aero | -5.1 | on the 31st | -4.1 | on the 24th in 2006 | 26 | 6.6 |
| Strathalbyn Racecourse | -0.4 | on the 30th | 0.7 | on the 25th in 2006 | 25 | 9.2 |
| Roseworthy AWS | 0.4 | on the 30th | 0.7 | on the 20th in 2012 | 24 | 8.6 |
| Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot) | -5.5 | on the 31st | -4.6 | on the 12th in 2004 | 23 | 6.1 |
| Naracoorte Aerodrome | -4.4 | on the 30th | -4.0 | on the 30th in 2006 | 23 | 7.3 |
| Victor Harbor (Encounter Bay) | -1.4 | on the 31st | -0.9 | on the 11th in 2004 | 21 | 8.8 |
| Record lowest May mean daily minimum temperature | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for May |
||
| Eudunda | 5.3 | 5.8 | in 2006 | 56 | 7.7 |
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
| Summary statistics for May 2021 | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum temperatures (°C) |
Minimum temperatures (°C) |
Rainfall (millimetres) |
||||||||||
| Mean for May 2021 |
Diff from average |
Highest for May 2021 |
Mean for May 2021 |
Diff from average |
Lowest for May 2021 |
Total for May 2021 |
Average for May |
Rank of May 2021 |
Fraction of May average |
|||
| Northwest (district 16) | ||||||||||||
| Andamooka | 22.3 | 0.0 | 29.5 | 2nd | 10.2 | +0.2 | 2.8 | 30th | 9.2 | 15.2 | average | 61% |
| Coober Pedy Airport | 22.0 | -0.1 | 30.1 | 1st | 9.5 | -0.5 | 3.5 | 30th | 10.0 | 9.5 | average | 105% |
| Ernabella (Pukatja) | 22.1 | +0.3 | 29.1 | 2nd | 8.8 | +0.5 | 1.0 | 29th | 6.2 | 13.9 | average | 45% |
| Mount Ive | 20.6 | 29.0 | 1st | 10.9 | 24.6 | low | 44% | |||||
| Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome) | 22.0 | -0.3 | 29.3 | 1st | 8.4 | +0.3 | 1.7 | 30th | 9.0 | 8.8 | average | 102% |
| Tarcoola Aero | 22.0 | -0.4 | 31.0 | 1st | 7.5 | -0.6 | 0.5 | 18th | 9.8 | 10.7 | average | 92% |
| Woomera Aerodrome | 21.2 | +0.5 | 29.8 | 1st | 9.2 | -0.2 | 3.1 | 30th | 6.6 | 17.5 | average | 38% |
| Far North (district 17) | ||||||||||||
| Arkaroola | 20.8 | +0.4 | 29.5 | 2nd | -0.3 | 31st | 8.4 | 17.2 | average | 49% | ||
| Leigh Creek Airport | 21.5 | +0.4 | 29.6 | 2nd | 8.6 | -0.2 | 2.3 | 17th | 8.4 | 16.7 | average | 50% |
| Marree Aero | 23.2 | -0.1 | 30.9 | 2nd | 9.2 | 0.0 | 2.4 | 30th | 10.4 | 7.1 | high | 146% |
| Moomba Airport | 23.5 | -0.3 | 31.0 | 3rd | 9.3 | -1.4 | 3.2 | 17th | 0 | 9.6 | lowest | 0% |
| Oodnadatta Airport | 23.9 | +0.6 | 31.7 | 1st | 9.1 | -0.7 | 3.2 | 18th | 0.2 | 12.0 | low | 2% |
| Western Agricultural (district 18) | ||||||||||||
| Ceduna AMO | 21.2 | +0.3 | 26.9 | 21st | 8.7 | +0.1 | 2.4 | 17th | 17.8 | 32.2 | average | 55% |
| Cleve | 19.5 | +0.5 | 25.6 | 21st | 10.6 | +0.5 | 4.5 | 30th | 20.6 | 40.2 | low | 51% |
| Cleve Aerodrome | 19.8 | +0.6 | 29.1 | 1st | 10.5 | +0.1 | 4.6 | 30th | 17.6 | 36.4 | low | 48% |
| Coffin Bay (Point Avoid) | 19.1 | 24.0 | 23rd | 12.0 | 7.0 | 29th | 32.0 | |||||
| Cultana (Defence) | 20.8 | 29.8 | 1st | 9.9 | 5.0 | 30th | 5.2 | |||||
| Cummins Aero | 20.2 | +0.6 | 29.5 | 1st | 7.0 | -1.7 | 1.5 | 4th | 41.2 | 43.7 | average | 94% |
| Elliston | 20.7 | +1.2 | 27.3 | 1st | 9.5 | -0.9 | 3.5 | 22nd | 37.0 | 52.1 | average | 71% |
| Kimba | 19.8 | +0.5 | 28.2 | 1st | 8.7 | +0.3 | 3.0 | 30th | 16.4 | 35.0 | low | 47% |
| Kyancutta | 22.1 | +1.0 | 31.0 | 1st | 6.8 | -0.6 | 0.7 | 17th | 14.1 | 31.7 | low | 44% |
| Minnipa PIRSA | 20.1 | -0.1 | 28.4 | 1st | 9.7 | -0.1 | 5.6 | 30th | 21.8 | 27.5 | average | 79% |
| Neptune Island | 18.2 | +0.5 | 23.6 | 1st | 14.5 | +0.7 | 12.1 | 26th | 21.8 | 53.1 | v low | 41% |
| North Shields (Port Lincoln AWS) | 20.1 | +0.6 | 29.7 | 1st | 10.4 | 0.0 | 5.7 | 21st | 27.2 | 43.3 | average | 63% |
| Nullarbor | 21.8 | +0.3 | 27.8 | 23rd | 8.8 | -0.1 | 3.8 | 17th | 9.6 | 29.5 | low | 33% |
| Port Augusta Aero | 21.8 | +0.3 | 30.2 | 1st | 8.3 | -0.4 | 1.7 | 31st | 6.6 | 16.9 | low | 39% |
| Whyalla Aero | 20.6 | +0.1 | 30.1 | 1st | 8.7 | -0.1 | 0.0 | 30th | 7.8 | 23.5 | v low | 33% |
| Wudinna Aero | 21.2 | +0.4 | 30.3 | 1st | 8.4 | -0.2 | 2.1 | 17th | 16.4 | 23.1 | low | 71% |
| Upper North (district 19) | ||||||||||||
| Hawker | 19.9 | -0.1 | 27.8 | 1st | 7.6 | +0.4 | 1.8 | 17th | 23.0 | 30.2 | average | 76% |
| Yongala | 18.1 | +1.0 | 24.9 | 1st | 5.4 | +0.8 | -1.3 | 12th | 10.4 | 34.4 | low | 30% |
| Northeast (district 20) | ||||||||||||
| Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot) | 20.9 | +0.4 | 29.0 | 1st | 4.6 | -1.5 | -5.5 | 31st | 5.4 | 17.9 | v low | 30% |
| Yunta Airstrip | 19.5 | +0.2 | 28.4 | 2nd | 5.8 | +0.1 | -4.8 | 30th | 13.8 | 11.1 | high | 124% |
| Lower North (district 21) | ||||||||||||
| Clare High School | 17.7 | +0.6 | 26.3 | 1st | 6.3 | -0.2 | 0.3 | 12th | 23.4 | 52.8 | low | 44% |
| Port Pirie Aerodrome AWS | 20.6 | 29.9 | 1st | 8.6 | 2.1 | 30th | 8.4 | |||||
| Snowtown (Rayville Park) | 20.1 | +0.2 | 29.5 | 1st | 7.3 | -0.1 | 0.3 | 30th | 39.8 | 35.7 | average | 111% |
| Yorke Peninsula (district 22A) | ||||||||||||
| Edithburgh | 19.0 | +0.5 | 29.5 | 1st | 10.2 | -0.6 | 3.5 | 31st | 14.2 | 44.2 | v low | 32% |
| Kadina AWS | 19.7 | +0.3 | 28.2 | 1st | 7.7 | -0.6 | 0.1 | 30th | 15.6 | 38.0 | low | 41% |
| Minlaton Aero | 19.6 | +0.2 | 29.1 | 1st | 9.6 | -0.3 | 5.0 | 30th | 23.6 | 39.5 | low | 60% |
| Stenhouse Bay | 19.3 | +0.7 | 28.2 | 1st | 12.1 | +0.1 | 5.5 | 30th | 31.6 | 52.9 | v low | 60% |
| Warooka | 19.1 | +0.6 | 25.5 | 2nd | 10.3 | -0.2 | 6.6 | 13th | 33.8 | 53.8 | average | 63% |
| Kangaroo Island (district 22B) | ||||||||||||
| Cape Borda | 16.9 | 0.0 | 21.3 | 1st | 11.9 | +0.7 | 7.1 | 30th | 42.2 | 68.3 | low | 62% |
| Cape Willoughby | 17.6 | +0.6 | 25.0 | 1st | 13.0 | +0.4 | 10.5 | 14th | 28.8 | 61.4 | low | 47% |
| Kingscote Aero | 19.4 | +0.9 | 26.4 | 1st | 7.4 | -0.6 | -0.8 | 30th | 23.6 | 48.7 | low | 48% |
| Parndana CFS AWS | 17.6 | 25.6 | 1st | 9.6 | 4.6 | 30th | 41.6 | 64.0 | low | 65% | ||
| Adelaide Plains (district 23A) | ||||||||||||
| Adelaide (West Terrace / ngayirdapira) | 19.6 | +1.0 | 29.0 | 1st | 10.7 | +0.3 | 3.5 | 30th | 38.0 | 67.8 | low | 56% |
| Adelaide Airport | 19.1 | +0.5 | 28.9 | 1st | 9.9 | +0.2 | 2.2 | 30th | 30.4 | 53.3 | low | 57% |
| Edinburgh RAAF | 19.8 | +0.6 | 29.7 | 1st | 9.2 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 30th | 23.2 | 44.7 | low | 52% |
| Parafield Airport | 20.3 | +1.3 | 29.9 | 1st | 8.3 | -1.1 | -0.1 | 30th | 26.2 | 48.0 | low | 55% |
| Roseworthy AWS | 20.2 | +0.5 | 29.8 | 1st | 7.4 | -1.2 | 0.4 | 30th | 25.2 | 37.9 | low | 66% |
| County Light (district 23B) | ||||||||||||
| Nuriootpa PIRSA | 17.9 | +0.5 | 27.1 | 1st | 6.1 | -0.9 | -0.1 | 18th | 19.8 | 46.8 | v low | 42% |
| Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23C) | ||||||||||||
| Hindmarsh Island AWS | 18.9 | +0.4 | 29.5 | 1st | 10.5 | 0.0 | 0.9 | 31st | 14.2 | 43.2 | v low | 33% |
| Kuitpo Forest Reserve | 16.1 | +0.2 | 26.2 | 1st | 9.5 | +0.2 | 5.1 | 30th | 58.2 | 86.5 | low | 67% |
| Mount Barker | 17.6 | +1.0 | 26.2 | 1st | 7.8 | +1.0 | 2.5 | 30th | 52.9 | 87.3 | low | 61% |
| Mount Crawford AWS | 15.5 | +0.6 | 25.2 | 1st | 8.9 | +0.3 | 3.8 | 29th | 40.6 | 68.6 | low | 59% |
| Mount Lofty | 13.6 | +1.3 | 23.0 | 1st | 8.2 | +0.5 | 3.4 | 29th | 62.8 | 106.2 | low | 59% |
| Noarlunga | 18.7 | +0.3 | 28.0 | 1st | 11.5 | 0.0 | 5.6 | 30th | 37.4 | 53.4 | low | 70% |
| Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS) | 15.4 | +0.5 | 25.0 | 1st | 10.0 | +0.4 | 4.4 | 30th | 42.0 | 97.0 | v low | 43% |
| Victor Harbor (Encounter Bay) | 19.1 | +0.5 | 29.1 | 1st | 8.1 | -0.7 | -1.4 | 31st | 29.4 | 61.7 | v low | 48% |
| Upper Murray Valley (district 24A) | ||||||||||||
| Loxton Research Centre | 20.0 | +0.4 | 27.6 | 1st | 5.5 | -1.0 | -3.5 | 31st | 7.0 | 22.4 | low | 31% |
| Renmark Aero | 20.4 | +0.4 | 28.3 | 1st | 5.9 | -0.7 | -5.1 | 31st | 5.0 | 15.8 | low | 32% |
| Lower Murray Valley (district 24B) | ||||||||||||
| Eudunda | 17.6 | +0.6 | 25.8 | 1st | 5.3 | -2.4 | -1.0 | 31st | 17.0 | 45.0 | low | 38% |
| Meningie | 19.1 | +0.8 | 27.4 | 1st | 8.8 | -0.1 | 0.6 | 30th | 31.6 | 54.9 | low | 58% |
| Murray Bridge | 20.0 | +0.4 | 28.3 | 1st | 8.0 | -0.1 | -1.5 | 30th | 20.4 | 35.2 | low | 58% |
| Murray Bridge (Pallamana Aerodrome) | 19.4 | +0.2 | 29.0 | 1st | 6.9 | -0.6 | -4.1 | 30th | 27.0 | 31.4 | average | 86% |
| Strathalbyn Racecourse | 18.6 | +0.1 | 29.1 | 1st | 8.6 | -0.6 | -0.4 | 30th | 40.6 | 44.1 | average | 92% |
| Upper Southeast (district 25B) | ||||||||||||
| Keith | 19.2 | +0.8 | 27.5 | 1st | 6.7 | -1.1 | -0.5 | 30th | 25.3 | 51.9 | low | 49% |
| Keith (Munkora) | 18.6 | -0.1 | 25.1 | 7th | 5.1 | -2.0 | -1.9 | 30th | 21.0 | 40.6 | low | 52% |
| Lameroo (Austin Plains) | 19.3 | +0.7 | 27.1 | 1st | 5.6 | -1.6 | -1.1 | 31st | 12.6 | 28.9 | v low | 44% |
| Lower Southeast (district 26) | ||||||||||||
| Cape Jaffa (The Limestone) | 17.3 | +0.4 | 25.4 | 1st | 9.3 | -0.2 | 1.2 | 30th | 28.0 | 55.2 | low | 51% |
| Mount Gambier Aero | 16.9 | +0.8 | 23.9 | 1st | 7.6 | +0.2 | -0.5 | 30th | 47.0 | 73.0 | low | 64% |
| Naracoorte Aerodrome | 18.2 | +0.5 | 27.0 | 1st | 6.7 | -0.6 | -4.4 | 30th | 27.0 | 42.4 | low | 64% |
| Padthaway South | 17.8 | +0.2 | 26.9 | 1st | 6.3 | -0.8 | -1.7 | 30th | 39.6 | 45.2 | average | 88% |
| Robe | 16.4 | 0.0 | 22.2 | 1st | 10.4 | +0.2 | 3.1 | 30th | 37.5 | 73.6 | low | 51% |
| Robe Airfield | 17.6 | +0.2 | 27.6 | 1st | 8.4 | -0.3 | -0.8 | 29th | 38.0 | 67.6 | v low | 56% |
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 10 am on Tuesday 1 June 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
- media@bom.gov.au (03) 9669 4057
Unless otherwise noted, all maps, graphs and diagrams in this page are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence
