Thursday, 1 September 2016 - Monthly Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC13R0

South Australia in August 2016: above average rainfall with warmer than average days

August was generally wetter than average across most of South Australia. Overall, temperatures were close to average across South Australia in August, but days were warm in the southeast and nights were cool around Spencer Gulf.

Wetter than average

  • Above average to very much above rainfall throughout the State's north and east
  • August rainfall was average to below average for much of the south and far west of South Australia
  • Strong winds in excess of 80 km/h were recorded in the south on the 9th and 18th ahead of cold fronts that brought heavy rain across southern areas
  • In the last few days of the month, a northwest cloud band brought rain to most areas of the State
  • A few sites had their highest August daily rainfall on record

Near-average temperatures

  • Mean temperatures were close to average across most of the State in August
  • Daytime temperatures were warmer than average in the southeast
  • Overnight temperatures were cooler than average around Spencer Gulf and the Flinders Ranges
  • Temperatures in several parts of the State were more than 6 °C cooler than average around the 25th
  • Maximum temperatures on the 18th were more than 8 °C warmer than average in a broad strip running from the State's mid-northwest to the southeast: the warmest temperatures since May
  • Ernabella (Pukatja) recorded its coldest August day on record on the 23rd, and Cleve recorded its coldest August temperature on record on the morning of the 24th

Further information

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Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes in August 2016
Hottest day 30.1 °C at Coober Pedy Airport on the 18th
Warmest days on average 22.0 °C at Moomba Airport
22.0 °C at Oodnadatta Airport
Coolest days on average 11.4 °C at Mount Lofty
Coldest day 6.5 °C at Mount Lofty on the 4th
Coldest night -3.1 °C at Yunta Airstrip on the 5th
Coolest nights on average 2.8 °C at Hawker
Warmest nights on average 11.8 °C at Neptune Island
Warmest night 16.9 °C at Oodnadatta Airport on the 29th
Warmest on average overall 15.0 °C at Moomba Airport
Coolest on average overall 8.6 °C at Mount Lofty
Wettest overall 179.8 mm at Cherry Gardens
Driest overall 13.8 mm at Yunta Airstrip
Wettest day 49.8 mm at Marree (Farina) on the 30th
Strongest wind gust 100 km/h at Kuitpo Forest Reserve on the 18th

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 highest August daily rainfall
New record
(mm)		 Old
record		 Years of
record
Marree (Witchelina Station) 38.0 on the 30th 34.0 on the 29th in 1992 101
Petersville 36.4 on the 1st 33.3 on the 27th in 1973 52
Beltana Roadhouse 33.2 on the 30th 27.0 on the 10th in 2010 31
Leigh Creek Airport 39.8 on the 30th 25.8 on the 6th in 1985 30
Cape Jaffa (The Limestone) 33.6 on the 21st 29.0 on the 24th in 2003 23
Clare High School 30.4 on the 19th 30.0 on the 9th in 1999 23
Tieyon 31.6 on the 30th 15.2 on the 30th in 2008 22
Ernabella (Pukatja) 19.4 on the 30th 19.2 on the 10th in 2003 20


Record highest August total rainfall
New record
(mm)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
August
Beltana Roadhouse 59.4 53.8 in 1992 31 15.1
Leigh Creek Airport 64.4 51.0 in 2000 30 16.6
Tieyon 31.6 24.4 in 2008 22 5.4
Ernabella (Pukatja) 48.6 21.4 in 2003 20 6.5

Highest August total rainfall for at least 20 years
Observed
(mm)		 Most recent
higher		 Average for
August
Karoonda 70.4 71.0 in 1932 38.3
Woomera (Pernatty Station) 48.0 54.4 in 1958* 14.3
Marree (Farina) 59.6 107.0 in 1973 10.7
Mount Dare 21.7 70.0 in 1975* 7.2
Marree (Witchelina Station) 46.0 51.0 in 1975* 8.9
Parachilna (Motpena) 41.8 45.0 in 1985 16.4
Port Parham 64.8 75.0 in 1986* 39.9
Orroroo (Black Rock) 57.4 67.6 in 1992 35.5
Bute 73.2 77.2 in 1996 46.9

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



Record lowest August daily maximum temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
August
Ernabella (Pukatja) 10.7 on the 23rd 12.0 on the 1st in 1998 20 21.1


Record lowest August temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
August
Cleve Aerodrome 1.4 on the 24th 1.5 on the 10th in 2006 21 7.4


Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Summary statistics for August 2016
Maximum temperatures
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
(°C)		 Rainfall
(millimetres)
Mean for
August
2016		 Diff
from
average		 Highest for
August
2016		 Mean for
August
2016		 Diff
from
average		 Lowest for
August
2016		 Total for
August
2016		 Average
for
August		 Rank of
August
2016		 Fraction of
August
average
Northwest (district 16)
Andamooka 20.8 +0.2 27.3 17th 7.5 +0.3 3.2 12th 31.4 13.1 high 240%
Coober Pedy Airport 20.7 -0.4 30.1 18th 7.2 -0.4 1.9 3rd 20.8 6.7 high 310%
Ernabella (Pukatja) 19.7 -1.4 27.2 18th 6.0 -0.1 -0.4 6th 48.6 6.5 highest 748%
Mount Ive 18.9   26.7 18th 5.3   0.1 3rd
Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome) 20.7 -0.2 27.7 18th 5.5 +0.1 -0.1 12th 26.6 9.9 v high 269%
Tarcoola Aero 20.6 -0.7 29.2 18th 5.4 -0.2 0.6 11th 26.6 12.1 high 220%
Woomera Aerodrome 19.8 +0.9 27.5 18th 7.2 +0.4 3.6 20th 28.6 13.5 high 212%
Far North (district 17)
Arkaroola 18.6 -0.5 26.3 17th 4.6 0.0 -1.0 12th 25.7 14.6 high 176%
Leigh Creek Airport 19.2 0.0 26.0 17th 6.4 +0.3 2.4 4th 64.4 16.6 highest 388%
Marree Aero 21.4 -0.5 28.2 17th 6.7 0.0 1.6 5th 50.4 7.5 v high 672%
Moomba Airport 22.0 -0.7 28.9 29th 8.3 +0.3 2.8 5th 8.0 4.7 high 170%
Oodnadatta Airport 22.0 -0.2 29.8 18th 7.7 +0.3 1.9 5th 29.6 8.0 high 370%
Western Agricultural (district 18)
Ceduna AMO 19.4 +0.7 26.3 28th 5.2 -0.9 -1.0 26th 17.4 33.9 low 51%
Cleve 17.6 +1.0 24.0 18th 7.6 +0.2 4.0 7th 35.0 47.8 low 73%
Cleve Aerodrome 17.2 +0.3 23.9 18th 6.9 -0.5 1.4 24th 27.4 43.1 low 64%
Coulta (Coles Point) 16.9 +0.4 21.8 29th 7.0 -0.8 2.5 3rd 41.2 47.5 average 87%
Cummins Aero 17.2   21.8 28th 4.9   -0.2 26th 30.8 52.7 low 58%
Elliston 18.1 +0.9 24.9 29th 8.4 +0.1 2.2 22nd
Kimba 17.5 +0.5 23.0 17th 5.7 +0.2 2.0 21st 32.2 41.8 average 77%
Kyancutta 19.8 +1.2 24.9 28th 4.5 -0.4 -2.6 26th 19.2 38.5 low 50%
Minnipa Pirsa 18.0 +0.2 23.8 28th 6.5 -0.2 1.9 22nd 26.6 37.0 average 72%
Neptune Island 15.9 +0.6 19.5 18th 11.8 +0.7 8.4 20th 37.2 61.5 low 60%
North Shields (Port Lincoln AWS) 17.5 +0.7 23.1 29th 7.1 0.0 2.5 6th 26.6 47.8 low 56%
Nullarbor 20.0 +0.3 27.2 7th 5.3 -0.5 1.0 12th 20.4 24.3 average 84%
Port Augusta Aero 20.1 0.0 28.0 18th 5.4 +0.1 0.0 27th 30.8 15.6 high 197%
Streaky Bay 18.3 +0.7 22.2 29th 8.8 0.0 3.8 25th 23.6 49.7 low 47%
Whyalla Aero 18.9 +0.4 27.3 18th 6.0 +0.1 1.0 6th 38.4 21.7 high 177%
Wudinna Aero 19.1 +0.4 24.9 28th     -2.0 26th 18.6 33.8 low 55%
Upper North (district 19)
Hawker 17.9 +0.1 25.0 18th 2.8 -1.4 -2.0 4th 56.0 31.9 high 176%
Yongala 15.3 +0.9 22.0 18th     -2.4 14th
Northeast (district 20)
Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot) 19.1 +0.2 26.6 18th 4.3 0.0 -2.1 5th 38.6 19.5 high 198%
Yunta Airstrip 17.9 +0.3 25.6 17th 3.8 -0.1 -3.1 5th 13.8 13.4 average 103%
Lower North (district 21)
Clare High School 14.9 +0.7 21.8 18th 4.6 +0.2 -0.9 14th 76.2 65.2 average 117%
Port Pirie Aerodrome AWS 18.5   25.5 18th 5.5   0.1 27th 63.4
Snowtown (Rayville Park) 16.9 +0.1 23.2 18th 3.9 -0.4 -0.7 6th 74.8 42.4 v high 176%
Yorke Peninsula (district 22A)
Edithburgh 16.6 +0.8 22.6 18th 7.8 +0.4 1.9 22nd 53.8 45.8 average 117%
Kadina AWS 17.1 0.0 21.9 29th 4.7 0.0 -0.2 15th 45.2 30.5 high 148%
Maitland 17.1 +1.6 21.5 18th 6.9 -0.3 3.9 25th 82.4 61.3 high 134%
Minlaton Aero 16.9 +0.5 22.9 18th 6.4 -0.4 2.3 25th 43.0 41.8 average 103%
Stenhouse Bay 16.8 +0.6 20.4 29th 9.3 -0.1 5.3 27th 43.0 57.0 average 75%
Warooka 16.5 +0.8 20.2 17th 8.1 +0.4 5.0 25th 35.2 58.7 low 60%
Kangaroo Island (district 22B)
Cape Borda 15.0 +0.4 18.0 18th 9.1 0.0 5.1 24th 56.0 69.6 average 80%
Cape Willoughby 15.1 +0.6 18.7 18th 10.1 +0.5 6.9 20th 68.2 73.6 average 93%
Kingscote Aero 16.4 +0.3 19.1 30th 5.4 -0.3 0.7 25th 50.2 55.9 average 90%
Parndana Cfs AWS 14.8   17.8 28th 6.9   2.9 6th 62.8
Adelaide Plains (district 23A)
Adelaide (Kent Town) 17.7 +1.1 24.7 18th 7.7 -0.5 3.4 6th 58.8 67.3 average 87%
Adelaide Airport 17.0 +1.1 25.4 18th 7.9 +0.3 2.3 6th 44.0 50.2 average 88%
Edinburgh RAAF 17.2 +0.7 24.6 18th 6.3 -0.2 2.3 25th 62.8 49.4 high 127%
Parafield Airport 17.5 +1.2 24.9 18th 6.2 -0.5 1.0 6th 56.6 53.4 average 106%
Roseworthy AWS 17.0 +0.5 23.1 18th 5.4 +0.2 -0.2 25th 61.6 44.7 high 138%
County Light (district 23B)
Nuriootpa Pirsa 15.5 +0.7 23.0 18th 4.4 -0.6 -0.7 27th 58.6 54.2 average 108%
Rosedale (Turretfield Research Centre) 17.1 +1.3 24.6 18th 5.2 -0.4 -0.1 25th 59.6 57.3 average 104%
Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23C)
Hindmarsh Island AWS 17.3 +0.9 25.2 18th 7.9 -0.3 4.0 6th 22.2 46.2 low 48%
Kuitpo Forest Reserve 14.4 +0.8 21.5 18th 7.0 +0.1 3.2 27th 80.6 85.8 average 94%
Mount Barker 16.1 +1.9 23.0 18th 5.6 +0.6 0.0 25th 77.2 101.8 average 76%
Mount Crawford AWS 13.0 +0.6 20.4 18th 6.4 +0.3 2.3 25th 84.8 83.8 average 101%
Mount Lofty 11.4 +1.4 18.6 18th 5.5 +0.2 1.7 25th 124.0
Noarlunga 16.5 +0.6 23.3 18th 8.8 0.0 4.2 25th 68.6 50.5 average 136%
Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS) 13.2 +0.7 18.6 29th 7.3 +0.3 4.7 6th 117.4 101.8 average 115%
Victor Harbor (Encounter Bay) 17.1 +0.7 23.9 18th 6.2 -0.5 0.9 25th 48.0 70.7 low 68%
Upper Murray Valley (district 24A)
Loxton Research Centre 18.3 +0.7 26.3 18th 4.5 +0.1 -1.0 27th 29.4 26.5 average 111%
Renmark Aero 18.6 0.0 27.0 18th 4.4 0.0 -1.8 27th 32.0 21.9 high 146%
Lower Murray Valley (district 24B)
Eudunda 15.2 +0.8 22.7 18th 5.1 -0.2 1.2 5th 42.0 55.4 average 76%
Meningie 16.9 +0.8 22.6 18th 7.3 +0.1 1.4 25th 53.2 56.7 average 94%
Murray Bridge (Pallamana Aerodrome) 17.3 +0.1 25.4 18th 4.5 +0.1 -1.8 27th 24.8 26.2 average 95%
Strathalbyn Racecourse 16.9 +0.7 24.2 18th 6.6 0.0 1.4 6th 29.4 49.4 low 60%
Murray Mallee (district 25A)
Karoonda 17.7 +0.4 25.7 18th 5.1 +0.1 0.0 25th 70.4 38.3 v high 184%
Upper Southeast (district 25B)
Keith 16.9 +0.7 25.4 18th 6.2 +0.3 0.0 25th 58.1 57.7 average 101%
Keith (Munkora) 16.5 +0.4 24.4 18th 5.0 +0.2 -1.6 25th 53.0 51.8 average 102%
Lameroo (Austin Plains) 16.4 -0.1 24.5 18th 4.3 -0.2 -0.5 25th 38.6 33.7 average 115%
Lower Southeast (district 26)
Cape Jaffa (The Limestone) 15.1 +0.5 20.2 28th 8.2 +0.4 3.8 6th 103.6 70.1 high 148%
Coonawarra 15.4 +0.6 23.7 18th 6.3 +1.0 0.2 24th 86.2 81.4 average 106%
Mount Gambier Aero 15.2 +1.1 23.3 18th 6.2 +0.7 0.2 23rd 80.6 95.1 average 85%
Naracoorte Aerodrome 15.4 0.0 23.8 18th 6.3 +0.9 -0.6 24th 100.6 69.5 high 145%
Padthaway South 16.1 +0.7 24.4 18th 6.6 +0.8 0.3 24th 58.6 66.6 average 88%
Robe Airfield 15.8 +0.5 22.8 18th 7.2 0.0 0.6 6th 109.0 91.2 average 120%

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Notes

The Monthly climate summary 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. Later information, including data that has had greater opportunity for quality control, will be presented in the Monthly Weather Review.

A climate summary is generally published on the first working day of each month.

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 10 am on Thursday 1 September 2016. Some checks have been made on the data, but it is possible that results will change as new information becomes available.

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.

The ACORN-SAT dataset is used for temperature area averages.

Further information

Media
(03) 9669 4057
Enquiries