Tuesday, 3 January 2023 - Monthly Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC13R0

South Australia in December 2022: mixed rainfall and close to average temperatures for most areas

Rainfall was below average for December in parts of the south and west, but above average for parts of the north. Mean temperatures were typical for December in most parts, with some areas of warmer than average in the west and cooler than average in the east.

Drier than average for the state overall

  • The month started with a mostly dry week, and most of the monthly rainfall was recorded in the second half of December.
  • Rainfall for December was 7% below average for South Australia as a whole.
  • Parts of the Southern Agricultural Areas had below average rainfall while parts of the Northern Agricultural Areas had above average rainfall.
  • Rainfall was above average for much of the North East Pastoral district and southern parts of the North West Pastoral district.
  • A low pressure trough extending across northern and central Australia brought strong winds across central Australia on the 19th with maximum wind gusts of 87 km/h at Roxby Downs, 74 km/h at Woomera Aerodrome and 81 km/h at Minlaton Aero.

Close to average temperatures for most

  • The mean maximum temperature for South Australia as a whole was 0.22 °C warmer than average (1961-1990), but not as warm as December 2021 (+1.02 °C).
  • A low and trough over Western Australia pushing into the far north-west of South Australia saw maximum temperatures more than 12 °C cooler than average in the north-west on the 16th.
  • Hot conditions towards the end of the month saw maximum temperatures more than 12 °C above average for parts of the south from the 25th to the 27th.
  • Minimum temperatures were more than 12 °C warmer than average for parts of the Eyre Peninsula on the 27th.
  • The mean minimum temperature for South Australia as a whole was 0.34 °C warmer than average (1961-1990), similar to December 2021 (+0.35 °C).
  • A few sites in the Agricultural Areas with relatively short historical records had their lowest December temperature.
  • Keith had its lowest December mean daily minimum and its lowest December mean temperature since 2001.

Further information

Media
(03) 9669 4057

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes in December 2022
Hottest day 45.0 °C at Oodnadatta Airport on the 6th
Warmest days on average 35.7 °C at Marree Aero
Coolest days on average 20.7 °C at Cape Willoughby
Coldest day 11.8 °C at Mount Lofty on the 13th
Coldest night 0.5 °C at Keith (Munkora) on the 6th
Coolest nights on average 9.1 °C at Keith (Munkora)
Warmest nights on average 21.6 °C at Moomba Airport
Warmest night 29.6 °C at Andamooka on the 28th
29.6 °C at Oodnadatta Airport on the 28th
Warmest on average overall 28.4 °C at Moomba Airport
Coolest on average overall 16.4 °C at Mount Lofty
Wettest overall 50.6 mm at Port Augusta Aero
Wettest day 31.2 mm at Blyth on the 22nd
Strongest wind gust 133 km/h at Sellicks Hill (Mount Terrible Radar) on the 25th

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 December temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
December
Cleve Aerodrome 6.6 on the 8th 6.7 on the 1st in 2001 27 14.0
Minnipa PIRSA 6.3 on the 8th 6.4 on the 21st in 1998 27 14.3
Yunta Airstrip 5.1 on the 14th 5.6 on the 3rd in 2005 25 14.6
Keith (Munkora) 0.5 on the 6th 0.6 on the 8th in 2008 22 10.5
Hindmarsh Island AWS 7.6 on the 6th 8.1 on the 5th in 2011 20 14.7


Lowest December mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years
Observed
(°C)		 Most recent
lower		 Average for
December
Keith 10.3 9.7 in 2001 11.9


Lowest December mean temperature for at least 20 years
Observed
(°C)		 Most recent
lower		 Average for
December
Hawker 22.3 21.7 in 2001 24.1
Keith 18.1 16.9 in 2001 19.8


Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Summary statistics for December 2022
Maximum temperatures
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
(°C)		 Rainfall
(millimetres)
Mean for
December
2022		 Diff
from
average		 Highest for
December
2022		 Mean for
December
2022		 Diff
from
average		 Lowest for
December
2022		 Total for
December
2022		 Average
for
December		 Rank of
December
2022		 Fraction of
December
average
Northwest (district 16)
Andamooka 33.7 -1.0 40.8 26th 19.6 0.0 13.0 9th 17.1 18.7 average 91%
Coober Pedy Airport 34.8 +0.1 42.6 6th 19.8 -0.3 12.9 12th 2.4 18.2 low 13%
Ernabella (Pukatja) 33.1 -0.5 40.3 6th 19.0 -0.4 11.3 18th 27.6 57.9 average 48%
Mount Ive 32.3   42.0 27th 15.3   8.5 8th 32.6 16.9 high 193%
Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome) 33.3 -1.4 41.0 27th 18.7 -0.3 12.3 14th 23.0 15.7 high 146%
Tarcoola Aero 34.3 +0.1 43.2 27th 17.2 -0.4 8.4 13th 0.4 19.1 v low 2%
Woomera Aerodrome 32.4 -0.1 41.5 27th 17.7 -0.1 11.1 14th 16.4 14.2 average 115%
Far North (district 17)
Arkaroola 31.2 -1.7 38.4 11th 16.8 -1.2 12.4 2nd 44.4 25.3 high 175%
Leigh Creek Airport 33.1 -0.4 40.4 27th 19.1 +0.2 12.0 14th 14.0 21.2 average 66%
Marree Aero 35.7 -0.6 42.2 31st 20.5 -0.1 12.8 16th 0.4 14.0 v low 3%
Moomba Airport 35.3 -1.6 43.0 11th 21.6 -1.0 14.9 15th 42.2 15.0 v high 281%
Western Agricultural (district 18)
Ceduna AMO 28.0 +0.5 44.2 27th 14.9 +0.8 8.1 8th 13.8 20.3 average 68%
Cleve 26.8 0.0 41.0 27th 14.9 +0.8 8.9 8th 19.6 25.8 average 76%
Cleve Aerodrome 27.2 -0.2 41.9 27th 13.9 -0.1 6.6 8th 17.2 22.8 average 75%
Coffin Bay (Point Avoid) 24.4   37.7 26th 14.5   11.3 12th 4.4
Cultana (Defence) 31.1   42.2 27th 15.7   9.1 13th 15.2
Cummins Aero 28.4 0.0 43.9 27th 12.9 0.0 4.8 8th 8.6 18.6 low 46%
Elliston 26.3 +1.5 40.0 27th 14.8 +0.1 8.2 8th 8.8 16.4 average 54%
Minnipa PIRSA 30.6 -0.1 42.4 27th 13.7 -0.6 6.3 8th 22.4 18.6 high 120%
Neptune Island 21.1 +0.6 28.1 27th 15.2 +0.3 11.6 12th 3.8 16.3 low 23%
North Shields (Port Lincoln AWS) 23.4 -1.4 34.5 10th 13.4 -0.5 9.4 13th 6.4 16.9 low 38%
Nullarbor 27.4 +0.3 44.1 26th 14.8 +0.4 8.8 24th 9.0 15.7 average 57%
Port Augusta Aero 31.3 -1.0 42.2 27th 16.9 -0.5 10.8 14th 50.6 24.4 high 207%
Streaky Bay 28.0 +0.5 42.2 27th 14.6 -0.3 8.4 8th 21.8 14.6 high 149%
Whyalla Aero 28.2 -0.2 43.0 27th 16.2 +0.2 9.7 13th 9.0 23.3 low 39%
Wudinna Aero 31.2 -0.2 43.9 27th 13.1 -0.5 4.6 8th 11.4 16.1 average 71%
Upper North (district 19)
Hawker 30.2 -1.9 38.1 27th 15.2 -0.9 8.0 13th 25.9 22.1 high 117%
Northeast (district 20)
Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot) 30.9 -0.7 41.5 27th 13.1 -0.8 4.5 15th 8.6 29.8 low 29%
Yunta Airstrip 30.5 -1.0 39.6 27th 14.0 -0.6 5.1 14th 22.8 17.3 average 132%
Lower North (district 21)
Clare High School 26.8 -0.9 38.0 27th 11.9 -0.8 4.2 14th 38.8 36.4 average 107%
Port Pirie Aerodrome AWS 30.9   43.4 27th 15.0   6.3 8th 15.6
Snowtown (Rayville Park) 30.9 +0.3 42.6 27th 12.1 -0.3 5.9 13th 8.0 26.8 low 30%
Yorke Peninsula (district 22A)
Edithburgh 23.8 -0.3 40.6 27th 14.8 -0.1 10.7 12th 9.2 15.6 average 59%
Kadina AWS 29.0 -0.4 41.9 27th 13.0 -0.5 6.0 15th 30.2 26.8 average 113%
Minlaton Aero 28.2 +0.4 42.6 27th 13.4 -0.1 5.8 14th 10.4 17.1 average 61%
Stenhouse Bay 23.3 -0.1 42.4 27th 15.1 0.0 11.2 12th 8.4 15.3 average 55%
Warooka 25.4 -0.2 39.0 27th 13.6 -0.2 8.5 13th 12.7 17.7 average 72%
Kangaroo Island (district 22B)
Cape Borda 21.4 -1.3 30.5 3rd 12.5 -0.5 8.2 8th 2.0 22.5 v low 9%
Cape Willoughby 20.7 0.0 38.5 27th 14.7 +0.2 10.8 12th 10.4 22.7 low 46%
Kingscote Aero 24.7 -0.4 39.5 27th 10.9 -0.1 5.1 8th 7.2 18.6 low 39%
Parndana CFS AWS 23.8 -1.2 40.5 27th 11.1 -0.2 5.9 8th 9.0 26.4 low 34%
Adelaide Plains (district 23A)
Adelaide (West Terrace / ngayirdapira) 27.3 +0.4 41.0 27th 14.6 -0.5 8.3 8th 11.2 25.9 low 43%
Adelaide Airport 26.5 +0.6 40.0 27th 14.9 +0.2 9.7 15th 7.4 23.1 low 32%
Edinburgh RAAF 28.1 0.0 42.2 27th 14.1 -0.7 7.2 8th 18.0 24.2 average 74%
Parafield Airport 28.6 +0.7 42.2 27th 14.2 -0.7 6.6 8th 16.8 24.2 average 69%
County Light (district 23B)
Nuriootpa PIRSA 26.1 -1.5 38.6 27th 11.3 -1.2 4.3 8th 20.6 29.9 average 69%
Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23C)
Hindmarsh Island AWS 24.0 -0.7 42.1 27th 13.8 -0.9 7.6 6th 11.0 21.8 low 50%
Kuitpo Forest Reserve 23.4 -0.6 37.6 27th 12.0 -0.6 7.1 8th 14.6 33.0 low 44%
Mount Barker 25.8 +0.6 37.9 27th 11.2 +0.7 6.6 6th 15.6 34.6 average 45%
Mount Crawford AWS 24.3 -0.9 37.5 27th 11.1 -1.1 5.1 15th 20.6 31.7 average 65%
Mount Lofty 22.2 +1.9 35.3 27th 10.5 -0.3 4.9 6th 13.8 44.8 v low 31%
Noarlunga 26.9 +0.3 40.8 27th 15.0 -0.4 8.8 14th 7.0 19.6 v low 36%
Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS) 21.5 -0.3 38.2 27th 11.9 -0.1 7.8 12th 12.2 34.1 low 36%
Victor Harbor (Encounter Bay) 23.4 -0.7 40.7 27th 12.3 -0.5 8.0 25th 11.4 25.5 low 45%
Upper Murray Valley (district 24A)
Loxton Research Centre 29.3 -0.8 39.9 27th 13.0 -0.2 6.5 15th 12.6 22.7 average 56%
Renmark Aero 29.8 -1.6 41.6 27th 13.7 -0.7 6.6 14th 5.2 20.5 low 25%
Lower Murray Valley (district 24B)
Eudunda 26.8 -0.4 38.6 27th 12.3 -0.1 6.4 14th 12.4 26.2 average 47%
Meningie 24.9 +0.2 39.5 27th 12.7 -0.3 5.8 6th 16.0 23.6 average 68%
Murray Bridge 28.2 +0.3 41.8 27th 13.1 -0.2 7.9 6th 6.8 23.4 low 29%
Murray Bridge (Pallamana Aerodrome) 28.1 -0.8 42.9 27th 11.9 -0.5 6.2 6th 7.8 23.8 low 33%
Strathalbyn Racecourse 25.5 -0.8 41.0 27th 12.1 -0.9 7.7 6th 9.0 21.4 low 42%
Murray Mallee (district 25A)
Karoonda 29.3 -0.3 41.6 27th 12.4 -0.3 6.6 16th 6.7 24.2 low 28%
Upper Southeast (district 25B)
Keith 26.5 -1.3 41.2 27th 10.3 -1.6 4.2 8th 17.4 26.4 average 66%
Keith (Munkora) 27.8 -1.2 42.5 27th 9.1 -1.4 0.5 6th 0 27.4 lowest 0%
Lameroo (Austin Plains) 28.4 -1.4 41.2 27th 11.0 -1.2 3.8 14th 8.2 23.6 low 35%
Lower Southeast (district 26)
Cape Jaffa (The Limestone) 23.3 +0.4 39.2 27th 11.5 -0.9 5.5 9th 16.6 22.2 average 75%
Coonawarra 24.6 -0.5 39.6 27th 9.5 -0.7 1.8 9th 29.0 35.3 average 82%
Mount Gambier Aero 23.3 +0.2 40.3 27th 10.2 +0.2 2.1 9th 39.4 38.2 average 103%
Naracoorte Aerodrome 26.3 -1.1 40.5 27th 9.7 -0.4 1.5 9th 31.2 34.5 average 90%
Padthaway South 26.1 -0.8 40.0 27th 9.5 -1.2 2.6 6th 24.2 30.4 average 80%
Robe     29.5 19th 12.0 -0.7 7.1 6th 19.6 27.8 average 71%
Robe Airfield 22.3 -0.7 38.1 27th 11.3 -0.6 5.4 25th 15.8 29.2 average 54%

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Notes

The Monthly climate summary, usually published in the first week of the following 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 11 am on Tuesday 3 January 2023. 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.

Information about Australian Indigenous seasonal calendars is available at the Indigenous Weather Knowledge website.

Further information

Media
(03) 9669 4057

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