Thursday, 6 January 2022 - Monthly Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC13R0

South Australia in December 2021: much drier than average, hot days at times

Rainfall in December was below average across eastern South Australia and very much below average in most agricultural districts, with only an area near Tarcoola in the Northwest Pastoral District recording a wetter than average month. Both days and nights were warmer than average across the far north of the state, but days were generally cooler than average in the south-west and nights were cooler than average in the southern agricultural districts.

Drier than average, particularly in the east

• Rainfall in December was below average across eastern South Australia and very much below average in most agricultural districts.
• For many sites, it was the driest December for at least 20 years, but followed South Australia's wettest November on record.
• The only wetter than average region of the state for December was near Tarcoola in the Northwest Pastoral District; on 6 December, Tarcoola (Commonwealth Hill) recorded 16.2 mm, its wettest December day since 2011 and the broader region around Tarcoola recorded more than 20 mm in 2 days.
• On the 1st, isolated thunderstorms were observed in the early hours of the morning about the west coast of the Eyre Peninsula and the Mid North, before developing during the afternoon about the Riverland, and western parts of the Mid North and Flinders districts.
• For South Australia as a whole, rainfall in December was 57% below average and was in the bottom 20% of all Decembers since 1900 (decile 2).
• Despite the record wet conditions in November across much of the rest of the state, consecutive months of below average rainfall for the South East districts has resulted in below to very much below average root zone soil moisture for the region.

Several hot days late in the month

• Daytime temperatures were above average across the far north of the state and in the east, but were below average in parts of the West Coast District.
• On the 18th, a high pressure system over the Bight and low pressure trough over central Australia directed hot air into the state's north and Oodnadatta Airport recorded a daily maximum temperature of 46.0 °C, the hottest temperature recorded during the month.
• A low-intensity heatwave affected much of southern and eastern South Australia during the last few days of the month, with daily maximum temperatures more than 12 °C above average on the 31st in central and eastern agricultural districts.
• The mean maximum temperature for South Australia as a whole was 1.02 °C above average.
• Night-time temperatures were above to very much above average in the state's north, but were average to below average in the south.
• The mean minimum temperature for South Australia as a whole was 0.35 °C above average.
• Ceduna AMO had its lowest December mean daily maximum temperature since 2001 and, along with Nullarbor, its lowest December mean temperature since 2001.
• Several sites had their lowest December mean daily minimum temperature since 2001.

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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

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

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top