Monday, 3 June 2013 - Monthly Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC23R0

South Australia in May 2013: Record heat and variable rainfall

• Warmest May nights, and fourth warmest May days on record.
• Temperatures 1 to 3 °C warmer across the State.
• Average to above average rainfall across SA, with record at some locations.

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Rainfall

Rainfall throughout May 2013 was patchy. Bursts of tropical activity produced rain across northern districts mid-month with coastal areas receiving persistent showers. Another rainfall event in the third week of May brought welcome rainfall to most of the state, while another widespread rainfall event started right at months end.

Much of the pastoral areas in the north of the state, and the Riverland ended up with above average rainfall for the month. The eastern and central agricultural districts generally ended up with near average rainfall, though tending slightly drier than average in the Mount Lofty Ranges, the Mallee and the south-eastern districts.

Pastoral Districts

Rainfall totals across the Pastoral districts were generally above average, though patchy, ranging between 20 and 40 mm for most locations. Marla in the Northwest district recorded 54.6 mm, a May record rainfall at that site and the highest total this month in the pastoral districts. Mintabie also had record May rainfall with a total of 54.0 mm.

Agricultural Districts

Rainfall totals across agricultural districts were generally 30 to 50 mm, with higher totals of 60 to 90mm at some locations in the Flinders and Mount Lofty Ranges and the Lower South East. Angaston (Trig Point Hill) in the Barossa recorded the highest rainfall total for the month in the state of 101.0 mm.

Some sites had their highest total May rainfall on record.
Some sites had their highest total May rainfall for at least 20 years.
Some sites had their lowest total May rainfall for at least 20 years. See a map of rainfall deciles.

Temperature

The first 10 days of May 2013 were warmer than average, with temperatures 8 to 12 °C higher than the long-term mean across wide areas of the State, peaking on the 8th. Conditions throughout the remainder of the month were closer to the long-term mean.

The average temperature (combining daily maximum and daily minimum temperatures) for South Australia as a whole in May 2013 was 2.3 °C above the long-term May average, the highest May average temperature since observations began in 1910. By way of contrast, May 2012 saw temperatures cooler than average by 0.5 °C. The previous hottest had been in May 1921 when the month was 2.1 °C warmer than average.

Maximum Temperature

Maximum temperatures for the month were widely 1 to 2 °C above average, with several locations more than 2 °C warmer across the northern half of the state.

Maximum temperatures averaged across the month ranged from 14.8 °C at Mount Lofty to 26.0 °C at Moomba in the North-east pastoral district of the State.

The hottest day of the month for any location was recorded at Tarcoola on the 4th where the maximum temperature reached 34.2 °C, a record hottest May temperature at that site. Several other sites including Adelaide, Leigh Creek, Elliston and Maitland also had record hottest May temperatures this month. Mount Lofty had the coldest day on the 22nd with a maximum of 9.4 °C.

Some sites had their highest May temperature on record.
Some sites had their highest May mean daily maximum temperature on record.
Some sites had their highest May mean daily maximum temperature for at least 20 years.
See a map of maximum temperature anomalies.

Minimum Temperature

Overnight minimum temperatures for the month were warmer than average by 2 to 3 °C across most of the state. Several locations around South Australia had record warmest May nights, including Adelaide, Marla, Kyancutta, and Maitland.

For the month as a whole, night time minimum temperatures across the State ranged from 7.0 °C at Yongala in the Upper North district to 15.2 °C at Neptune Island off Eyre Peninsula. Noarlunga observed the warmest night of the month with a minimum of 22.5°C on the 10th.

The coldest nights of the month for many locations in South Australia were near months end under a strong high pressure system centred over Victoria. The coldest night this month was observed on the 5th at Naracoorte where the temperature dropped to -1.5 °C.

The warmest on average was Oodnadatta Airport with 19.3 °C.

The coolest on average was Mount Lofty with 11.9 °C.

Some sites had their warmest May night (highest daily minimum temperature) on record.
Some sites had their highest May mean daily minimum temperature on record.
Some sites had their highest May mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years.
See a map of minimum temperature anomalies.

Further information

Bureau of Meteorology
South Australian Regional Office
South Australian Climate Services Centre
Bureau of Meteorology
Phone Phone (08) 8366 2600
Email climate.sa@bom.gov.au

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Extremes in May 2013
Hottest day	34.2 °C at Tarcoola Aero on the 4th
Warmest days on average	26.0 °C at Moomba Airport
Coolest days on average	14.8 °C at Mount Lofty
Coldest day	9.4 °C at Mount Lofty on the 22nd
Coldest night	-1.5 °C at Naracoorte Aerodrome on the 5th
Coolest nights on average	7.0 °C at Yongala
Warmest nights on average	15.2 °C at Neptune Island
Warmest night	22.5 °C at Noarlunga on the 10th
Warmest on average overall	19.3 °C at Oodnadatta Airport
Coolest on average overall	11.9 °C at Mount Lofty
Wettest overall	94.2 mm at Crafers (Mt Lofty)
Driest overall	0.4 mm at Monarto Zoological Park
Wettest day	67.8 mm at Cherryville (Dewnr) on the 31st
Highest wind gust	100 km/h at Cape Willoughby on the 3rd

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Record highest total May rainfall
	Total rainfall for May 2013 (mm)	Previous wettest for May		Years of record	Average for May
Marla Police Station	54.6	45.9	in 1988	27	13.4
Mintabie	54.0	49.8	in 1997	21	11.7

Highest total May rainfall for at least 20 years
	Total rainfall for May 2013 (mm)	Most recent May at least this wet		Years since wetter	Average for May
Mount Eba	31.2	35.4	in 1989	24	12.7
Bute	58.8	73.2	in 1987*	23	43.7
Hallett	70.2	80.0	in 1988*	23	41.8
Mount Barry Station	26.7	40.0	in 1989*	23	10.1
Owen	66.6	74.2	in 1989*	22	44.1

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

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Lowest total May rainfall for at least 20 years
	Total rainfall for May 2013 (mm)	Most recent May at least this dry		Years since drier	Average for May
Hahndorf	1.4	0.3	in 1934*	78	96.6
Woodside	40.4	29.4	in 1976*	25	92.3

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

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Record highest May temperature
	Highest temperature in May 2013 (°C)		Previous warmest for May		Years of record	Average for May
Marree Comparison	34.0	on the 4th	33.9	on the 1st in 1942	75	23.1
Woomera Aerodrome	31.4	on the 4th	31.1	on the 24th in 1994	65	20.6
Adelaide Airport	30.4	on the 9th	29.2	on the 4th in 1967	59	18.5
Mount Barker	28.9	on the 8th	27.4	on the 3rd in 2002	57	16.5
Parafield Airport	31.1	on the 8th	30.4	on the 8th in 2002	57	18.9
Elliston	33.0	on the 8th	32.0	on the 8th in 2002	52	19.4
Rosedale (Turretfield Research Centre)	31.0	on the 8th	30.5	on the 4th in 2005	51	18.7
Kimba	30.0	on the 8th	29.8	on the 2nd in 2002	45	19.4
Andamooka	33.0	on the 4th	31.8	on the 3rd in 1997	42	22.3
Edinburgh RAAF	31.2	on the 8th	31.0	on the 4th in 2005	41	19.1
Hawker	30.0	on the 4th	29.4	on the 5th in 1978	40	20.0
Adelaide (Kent Town)	31.1	on the 8th	29.2	on the 4th in 2005	37	18.9
Maitland	29.0	on the 8th	= 29.0	on the 19th in 1973	33	18.1
Leigh Creek Airport	32.1	on the 4th	30.3	on the 1st in 2002	31	20.9
Cape Jaffa (The Limestone)	27.2	on the 9th	26.7	on the 4th in 2005	22	16.9
Coulta (Coles Point)	32.2	on the 8th	29.8	on the 8th in 2002	22	18.8
North Shields (Port Lincoln AWS)	32.7	on the 8th	31.6	on the 4th in 2005	22	19.4

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Record highest May mean daily maximum temperature
	Mean daily maximum temperature for May 2013 (°C)	Previous warmest for May		Years of record	Average for May
Adelaide Airport	20.6	20.4	in 2005	58	18.5
Elliston	22.0	21.5	in 2002	51	19.4
Neptune Island	19.2	19.0	in 1980	51	17.7
Maitland	20.5	= 20.5	in 2002	32	18.1
Whyalla Aero	22.4	22.3	in 1988	26	20.5
North Shields (Port Lincoln AWS)	21.7	21.6	in 1994	21	19.4

Highest May mean daily maximum temperature for at least 20 years
	Mean daily maximum temperature for May 2013 (°C)	Most recent May at least this warm		Years since warmer	Average for May
Streaky Bay	22.2	22.8	in 1972*	40	20.1
Cleve	21.3	21.6	in 1980	33	18.9

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

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Record highest May daily minimum temperature
	Highest daily minimum temperature in May 2013 (°C)		Previous warmest for May		Years of record	Average for May
Parafield Airport	20.9	on the 10th	19.7	on the 5th in 1990	57	9.3
Elliston	20.5	on the 10th	19.9	on the 4th in 2005	52	10.3
Neptune Island	19.7	on the 10th	18.0	on the 4th in 2005	52	13.7
Hawker	18.3	on the 10th	18.0	on the 5th in 1988	39	7.1
Maitland	19.0	on the 9th	17.9	on the 7th in 2002	33	9.9
Nullarbor	19.9	on the 9th	19.0	on the 4th in 2005	26	8.9
Cape Jaffa (The Limestone)	17.6	on the 10th	15.9	on the 8th in 2002	22	9.2

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Record highest May mean daily minimum temperature
	Mean daily minimum temperature for May 2013 (°C)	Previous warmest for May		Years of record	Average for May
Streaky Bay	13.4	= 13.4	in 1958	86	10.8
Kyancutta	10.7	10.0	in 1950	83	7.3
Cleve	12.6	12.0	in 2007	72	10.0
Ceduna AMO	12.2	10.7	in 1990	71	8.5
Oodnadatta Airport	12.9	12.8	in 1973	64	9.7
Woomera Aerodrome	11.9	11.5	in 1988	64	9.4
Elliston	12.8	12.5	in 1975	51	10.3
Neptune Island	15.2	14.6	in 2008	51	13.7
Kimba	10.6	10.0	in 2005	44	8.3
Edinburgh RAAF	11.5	11.2	in 1988	40	9.1
Adelaide (Kent Town)	12.3	12.1	in 2007	36	10.2
Maitland	12.0	11.9	in 2007	32	9.9
Marla Police Station	11.5	11.2	in 1988	26	8.9
Nullarbor	11.8	10.9	in 1990	25	8.9
Coulta (Coles Point)	11.4	= 11.4	in 1994	21	9.8
Edithburgh	12.4	11.9	in 2009	20	10.8

Highest May mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years
	Mean daily minimum temperature for May 2013 (°C)	Most recent May at least this warm		Years since warmer	Average for May
Parafield Airport	11.4	11.6	in 1950*	45	9.3
Rosedale (Turretfield Research Centre)	10.5	10.9	in 1988	25	8.2
Andamooka	12.1	12.4	in 1988*	24	9.9
Leigh Creek Airport	10.9	11.4	in 1988*	24	8.7

* 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

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Summary statistics for May 2013
	Maximum temperatures for May (°C)				Minimum temperatures for May (°C)				Rainfall for May (millimetres)
	Mean for May 2013	Diff from average	Highest for May 2013		Mean for May 2013	Diff from average	Lowest for May 2013		Total for May 2013	Average for May	Rank of May 2013	Fraction of May average
Northwest (district 16)
Andamooka	24.1	+1.8	33.0	4th	12.1	+2.2	7.2	26th	13.8	15.5	average	89%
Coober Pedy Airport	24.2		33.0	4th	12.4		7.3	25th	27.8
Ernabella (Pukatja)	22.8		31.0	4th	10.3		2.1	17th	54.0
Marla Police Station	24.7	+1.6	33.2	4th	11.5	+2.6	4.0	27th	54.6	13.4	highest	407%
Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome)	24.1		33.0	4th	10.9		4.5	18th	11.4
Tarcoola Aero	24.8		34.2	4th	12.1		5.6	17th	19.0
Woomera Aerodrome	23.1	+2.5	31.4	4th	11.9	+2.5	6.6	14th	17.8	18.5	average	96%
Far North (district 17)
Arkaroola	21.9	+1.7	28.6	4th	7.7	+0.6	1.5	14th	18.2	17.2	high	106%
Leigh Creek Airport	22.8	+1.9	32.1	4th	10.9	+2.2	4.0	14th	26.8	16.1	average	166%
Marree Aero	24.7		32.6	4th	11.4		5.3	25th	14.2
Marree Comparison	25.8	+2.7	34.0	4th			5.9	25th	14.6	13.3	average	110%
Moomba Airport	26.0		34.1	10th	11.7		6.2	14th	6.8
Oodnadatta Airport	25.6	+2.4	33.4	4th	12.9	+3.2	5.0	25th	9.6	12.7	average	76%
Western Agricultural (district 18)
Ceduna AMO	22.8	+2.0	33.4	3rd	12.2	+3.7	5.4	26th	31.8	32.3	average	98%
Cleve	21.3	+2.4	30.0	8th	12.6	+2.6	7.1	13th	46.6	40.8	average	114%
Cleve Aerodrome	21.2		30.6	8th	12.7		7.3	26th	47.2	38.0	high	124%
Coulta (Coles Point)	20.8	+2.0	32.2	8th	11.4	+1.6	6.7	28th	47.6
Cummins Aero	21.6		32.1	8th	10.8		4.5	18th	29.2
Elliston	22.0	+2.6	33.0	8th	12.8	+2.5	6.8	28th	32.4	52.1	low	62%
Kimba	20.7	+1.3	30.0	8th	10.6	+2.3	4.8	28th	31.8	35.5	average	90%
Kyancutta	23.0	+1.9	31.8	8th	10.7	+3.4	2.2	26th	27.3	32.2	average	85%
Minnipa Pirsa	21.7		30.9	8th	11.9		7.1	28th	27.2
Neptune Island	19.2	+1.5	22.7	8th	15.2	+1.5	10.4	13th	47.4	54.3	average	87%
North Shields (Port Lincoln AWS)	21.7	+2.3	32.7	8th	11.6	+1.2	6.4	17th	34.2
Nullarbor	22.9	+1.5	33.9	8th	11.8	+2.9	5.1	25th	34.4	29.7	average	116%
Port Augusta Aero	23.5		32.2	8th	10.3		4.5	18th	20.6
Streaky Bay	22.2	+2.1	30.2	7th	13.4	+2.6	8.0	18th	38.9	45.8	average	85%
Whyalla Aero	22.4	+1.9	31.7	8th	10.6	+1.8	3.8	28th	22.8	24.5	average	93%
Wudinna Aero	23.0		32.3	8th	11.1		2.9	26th	22.2
Upper North (district 19)
Hawker	21.6	+1.6	30.0	4th	9.5	+2.4	2.4	18th	29.2	30.6	average	95%
Yongala	18.4	+1.3	27.1	8th	7.0	+2.5	1.4	19th	43.2	34.9	average	124%
Northeast (district 20)
Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot)	21.0		30.0	8th	7.1		0.5	19th	30.9
Yunta Airstrip	20.3		28.6	8th	7.7		0.3	18th	19.2
Lower North (district 21)
Clare High School	18.6		28.7	8th	8.9		1.7	18th	91.4
Port Pirie Aerodrome	22.3		30.8	8th	11.8		5.2	18th	45.4
Snowtown (Rayville Park)	21.4		30.9	8th	9.8		3.6	28th	55.8
Yorke Peninsula (district 22A)
Edithburgh	19.7	+1.4	26.4	3rd	12.4	+1.6	6.7	19th	61.4	44.4	high	138%
Kadina AWS	21.4		29.4	8th	9.8		3.6	18th	50.6
Maitland	20.5	+2.4	29.0	8th	12.0	+2.1	7.5	18th	68.4	62.7	average	109%
Minlaton Aero	21.4		30.9	8th	11.5		6.7	17th	30.2
Stenhouse Bay	20.5		29.8	8th	13.0		8.7	28th	48.0
Warooka	20.2	+1.7	26.8	8th	11.9	+1.5	6.8	13th	34.4	53.5	average	64%
Kangaroo Island (district 22B)
Cape Borda	18.3		24.6	8th	12.1		8.3	2nd	54.4
Cape Willoughby	18.1	+1.2	25.8	8th	13.3	+0.8	8.5	13th	59.8	61.5	average	97%
Kingscote Aero	19.7		26.9	10th	8.9		2.2	2nd	65.6	46.9	high	140%
Parndana Cfs AWS	18.5		27.1	8th	10.2		5.4	13th	49.2
Adelaide Plains (district 23A)
Adelaide (Kent Town)	20.6	+1.7	31.1	8th	12.3	+2.1	6.7	24th	54.8	60.0	average	91%
Adelaide Airport	20.6	+2.1	30.4	9th	11.7	+2.2	5.7	24th	57.2	53.9	average	106%
Edinburgh RAAF	20.7	+1.6	31.2	8th	11.5	+2.4	5.0	24th	50.8	44.2	average	115%
Parafield Airport	20.9	+2.0	31.1	8th	11.4	+2.1	4.3	24th	68.0	48.1	high	141%
Roseworthy AWS	21.0		31.9	8th	10.9		5.2	24th	50.8
County Light (district 23B)
Nuriootpa Viticultural	18.6		28.3	8th	8.9		2.6	24th	46.4
Rosedale (Turretfield Research Centre)	20.1	+1.4	31.0	8th	10.5	+2.3	3.0	24th	55.3	53.2	average	104%
Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23C)
Hindmarsh Island AWS	20.0		30.4	8th	11.1		6.8	29th	33.2
Kuitpo Forest Reserve	17.8		27.9	9th	10.2		5.8	13th	73.8
Mount Barker	17.9	+1.4	28.9	8th	8.9	+2.2	3.8	18th	48.0	87.4	low	55%
Mount Crawford (Mt Crawford AWS)	16.5		26.8	8th	9.8		5.2	13th	71.2
Mount Lofty	14.8		24.5	8th	9.0		4.2	13th	87.4
Noarlunga	20.0		29.2	8th	13.0		8.6	18th	52.4
Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS)	16.7		25.7	9th	10.7		6.4	13th	59.2
Victor Harbor (Encounter Bay)	20.2		29.9	9th	9.0		3.4	28th	52.2
Upper Murray Valley (district 24A)
Loxton Research Centre	20.1	+0.6	28.6	8th	7.2	+0.9	2.3	19th	33.2	23.2	high	143%
Renmark Aero	20.6		29.4	8th	7.6		2.0	28th	40.6
Lower Murray Valley (district 24B)
Eudunda	18.4	+1.5	27.6	8th	9.0	+1.4	4.2	28th	47.4	45.1	average	105%
Meningie	19.7	+1.5	28.3	8th	9.8	+1.0	4.4	2nd	76.9	54.7	high	141%
Murray Bridge (Pallamana Aerodrome)	20.7		30.7	8th	8.6		3.6	5th	23.6
Murray Bridge Comparison	21.1	+1.5	30.8	8th	9.3	+1.3	5.0	18th	32.6	35.3	average	92%
Strathalbyn Racecourse	20.3		30.5	8th	10.1		4.4	5th	27.2
Murray Mallee (district 25A)
Karoonda	20.0		29.5	8th	8.4		2.5	2nd	29.3	35.3	average	83%
Upper Southeast (district 25B)
Keith	19.4	+1.1	28.8	9th	8.5	+0.8	2.0	2nd	54.1	52.3	average	103%
Keith (Munkora)	20.0		29.3	9th	7.6		-0.3	2nd	53.6
Lameroo (Austin Plains)	19.3		28.4	8th	7.6		2.3	2nd	24.0
Lameroo Comparison	19.4	+0.8	28.4	8th	8.4	+1.4	3.8	2nd	33.6	39.5	average	85%
Lower Southeast (district 26)
Cape Jaffa (The Limestone)	18.3	+1.4	27.2	9th	9.8	+0.6	3.8	5th	66.2
Coonawarra	18.3	+1.1	28.4	9th	7.2	+0.4	-1.3	2nd	43.2	51.3	average	84%
Mount Gambier Aero	17.3	+1.2	27.8	9th	7.7	+0.4	0.7	21st	65.6	70.1	average	94%
Naracoorte Aerodrome	18.5		28.2	9th	7.5		-1.5	5th	39.8
Padthaway South	18.7		28.4	9th	7.8		-0.1	2nd	58.8
Robe Airfield	18.9		29.1	9th	8.6		-1.1	5th	82.4
Robe Comparison	16.9	+0.5	22.3	10th	10.8	+0.6	4.8	5th	74.5	73.0	average	102%

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Further information

Bureau of Meteorology
South Australian Regional Office
South Australian Climate Services Centre
Bureau of Meteorology
Phone Phone (08) 8366 2600
Email climate.sa@bom.gov.au

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