Wednesday, 1 September 2021 - Monthly Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC13R0

South Australia in August 2021: Below average rainfall, warm days and mild nights

Rainfall in August was below average across most of South Australia with areas in the north and north-west seeing very much below average rainfall. Daytime temperatures were above average across much of the state, though some central districts experienced daytime temperatures closer to average. Night-time temperatures were generally closer to average but areas in the state's lower south-east had warmer than average nights.

A dry month for South Australia

  • Rainfall in August was below average across almost the entire state, with very much below average totals in parts of the north and far north-west pastoral districts.
  • State-wide, August rainfall was around 61% below average.
  • Much of August rainfall fell during the first few days of the month, with southern agricultural areas receiving totals up to 25 mm by the 7th.
  • Little to no rainfall was recorded across pastoral areas during August.

Warm days, mild nights

  • Daytime temperatures were warmer than average across the most of the state, though closer to average across some central districts.
  • Averaged across the state, the mean maximum temperature was 1.66 °C above the average, the warmest August days since 2013.
  • Night-time temperatures were close to average for most of South Australia, but above average in parts of the state's south-east where some sites had their highest August mean daily minimum temperature on record.
  • The mean minimum temperature for South Australia as a whole was 0.25 °C warmer than average.

Further information

Media
(03) 9669 4057

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes in August 2021
Hottest day 34.0 °C at Oodnadatta Airport on the 22nd
Warmest days on average 23.5 °C at Oodnadatta Airport
Coolest days on average 10.9 °C at Mount Lofty
Coldest day 7.6 °C at Mount Lofty on the 3rd
Coldest night -3.5 °C at Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot) on the 27th
Coolest nights on average 2.7 °C at Yongala
Warmest nights on average 11.9 °C at Neptune Island
Warmest night 16.1 °C at Andamooka on the 21st
Warmest on average overall 15.5 °C at Oodnadatta Airport
Coolest on average overall 8.3 °C at Mount Lofty
Wettest overall 149.5 mm at Piccadilly (Woodhouse)
Wettest day 30.0 mm at Yankalilla on the 1st
Strongest wind gust 104 km/h at Neptune Island on the 22nd

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

Lowest August total rainfall for at least 20 years
Observed
(mm)		 Most recent
lower		 Average for
August
Mount Bryan 5.2 3.4 in 1914* 57.3

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



Record highest August mean daily minimum temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
August
Robe 10.2 = 10.2 in 2009 135 8.5
Cape Jaffa (The Limestone) 9.3 = 9.3 in 2013 29 7.8


Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Summary statistics for August 2021
Maximum temperatures
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
(°C)		 Rainfall
(millimetres)
Mean for
August
2021		 Diff
from
average		 Highest for
August
2021		 Mean for
August
2021		 Diff
from
average		 Lowest for
August
2021		 Total for
August
2021		 Average
for
August		 Rank of
August
2021		 Fraction of
August
average
Eucla (district 11)
Eucla (Red Rocks Point) 20.2 +0.7 28.2 9th 7.6 -0.7 2.9 1st 14.6 36.5 low 40%
Northwest (district 16)
Andamooka 21.5 +0.8 30.7 31st 7.8 +0.6 3.0 27th 0.8 12.3 low 7%
Coober Pedy Airport 21.9 +0.9 32.3 20th 7.7 +0.1 4.2 24th 0 7.0 lowest 0%
Ernabella (Pukatja) 21.5 +0.4 30.4 22nd 5.2 -1.0 -2.1 26th 0 6.3 lowest 0%
Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome) 21.2 +0.4 30.8 31st 6.5 +1.0 2.0 18th 0.2 9.0 low 2%
Tarcoola Aero 21.8 +0.6 30.3 31st 5.3 -0.4 0.1 26th 0.8 12.5 v low 6%
Woomera Aerodrome 20.3 +1.3 30.6 31st 7.1 +0.3 3.5 27th 0.6 13.0 v low 5%
Far North (district 17)
Leigh Creek Airport 19.9 +0.7 28.3 31st 6.1 0.0 2.6 5th 1.8 15.1 low 12%
Marree Aero 22.5 +0.7 29.8 31st 6.2 -0.3 2.7 26th 0.4 7.0 low 6%
Moomba Airport 23.3 +0.8 32.6 22nd 7.4 -0.5 3.6 27th 0 5.1 lowest 0%
Oodnadatta Airport 23.5 +1.2 34.0 22nd 7.4 -0.1 2.4 13th 0 8.1 lowest 0%
Western Agricultural (district 18)
Ceduna AMO 19.6 +0.9 25.6 27th 6.1 -0.1 -1.0 26th 29.0 34.3 average 85%
Cleve 17.2 +0.5 24.4 31st 8.1 +0.7 4.6 27th 37.2 48.0 average 78%
Cleve Aerodrome 16.8 0.0 23.8 31st 7.6 +0.3 2.6 27th 29.6 43.1 average 69%
Coffin Bay (Point Avoid) 16.7   20.0 10th 9.6   4.8 27th 61.4
Cultana (Defence) 19.4   28.9 31st 7.2   3.9 26th 10.8
Cummins Aero 17.0 +0.4 21.7 31st 4.7 -0.4 0.0 25th 48.6 60.1 average 81%
Elliston 18.4 +1.2 23.6 10th 8.4 +0.1 3.1 25th 71.2 59.2 average 120%
Kimba 17.3 +0.3 25.0 31st 5.8 +0.3 1.2 27th 24.6 41.5 low 59%
Kyancutta 19.5 +0.8 26.9 31st 4.6 -0.4 -0.8 25th 32.3 38.8 average 83%
Minnipa PIRSA 17.5 -0.3 23.8 31st 7.0 +0.2 3.0 26th 29.2 38.2 average 76%
Neptune Island 15.9 +0.6 20.4 10th 11.9 +0.7 9.4 23rd 53.6 61.3 average 87%
North Shields (Port Lincoln AWS) 17.4 +0.6 22.3 22nd 7.4 +0.3 2.8 27th 34.4 51.0 low 67%
Nullarbor 20.7 +0.9 28.6 9th 5.8 -0.1 1.6 26th 9.8 24.3 low 40%
Port Augusta Aero 20.1 +0.1 30.5 31st 5.5 +0.2 -0.3 27th 12.8 15.4 average 83%
Streaky Bay 17.9 +0.3 22.5 10th 8.9 +0.1 5.0 26th 42.8 49.5 average 86%
Whyalla Aero 19.3 +0.8 29.7 31st 6.1 +0.2 0.3 27th 16.0 21.3 average 75%
Wudinna Aero 18.5 -0.1 25.6 31st 5.4 -0.2 -1.2 25th 28.4 34.7 average 82%
Upper North (district 19)
Hawker 18.0 +0.2 26.0 31st 4.8 +0.6 0.6 25th 4.0 31.4 v low 13%
Yongala 15.0 +0.5 23.5 31st 2.7 +0.2 -1.5 24th 19.7 42.5 low 46%
Northeast (district 20)
Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot) 19.7 +0.9 29.0 31st 4.9 +0.7 -3.5 27th 13.8 19.3 average 72%
Yunta Airstrip 18.3 +0.7 27.3 31st 4.3 +0.4 -1.4 18th 4.2 12.4 low 34%
Lower North (district 21)
Clare High School 14.1 -0.1 21.8 22nd 4.1 -0.2 -0.8 27th 66.8 65.5 average 102%
Port Pirie Aerodrome AWS 18.8   28.8 31st 5.3   -0.7 27th 22.2
Snowtown (Rayville Park) 17.0 +0.2 25.3 31st 4.5 +0.3 -1.5 27th 41.0 42.8 average 96%
Yorke Peninsula (district 22A)
Edithburgh 16.7 +0.9 22.8 22nd 6.6 -0.8 1.3 27th 40.8 48.2 average 85%
Kadina AWS 17.2 +0.2 24.2 22nd 5.3 +0.5 -1.6 27th 14.2 31.3 low 45%
Minlaton Aero 16.2 -0.1 21.8 22nd 7.1 +0.4 2.5 25th 20.8 44.6 low 47%
Stenhouse Bay 17.0 +0.8 21.3 31st 9.5 +0.2 3.2 27th 61.0 60.6 average 101%
Warooka 16.4 +0.7 20.2 31st 7.6 -0.1 4.5 18th 40.8 59.2 low 69%
Kangaroo Island (district 22B)
Cape Borda 14.7 +0.1 18.0 22nd 10.0 +1.0 4.7 27th 60.6 70.9 average 85%
Cape Willoughby 15.2 +0.7 18.6 31st 10.4 +0.8 7.0 23rd 71.8 73.7 average 97%
Kingscote Aero 16.5 +0.5 20.0 31st 6.9 +1.2 1.9 29th 40.2 57.0 low 71%
Parndana CFS AWS 14.7   18.4 22nd 7.8   3.9 27th 56.2 83.3 low 67%
Adelaide Plains (district 23A)
Adelaide (West Terrace / ngayirdapira) 16.8 +0.7 23.8 22nd 8.7 +0.7 1.9 27th 45.6 61.3 average 74%
Adelaide Airport 16.5 +0.6 23.6 22nd 8.4 +0.8 2.0 27th 39.6 50.4 average 79%
Edinburgh RAAF 16.8 +0.3 24.2 22nd 6.6 +0.1 0.4 27th 42.0 49.6 average 85%
Parafield Airport 17.0 +0.7 24.4 22nd 6.3 -0.4 -1.0 27th 35.4 53.1 low 67%
Roseworthy AWS 16.5 0.0 24.0 22nd 6.0 +0.8 1.0 24th 42.2 45.7 average 92%
County Light (district 23B)
Nuriootpa PIRSA 15.0 +0.3 22.1 22nd 5.4 +0.5 -0.3 27th 56.6 57.5 average 98%
Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23C)
Hindmarsh Island AWS 17.0 +0.7 23.7 22nd 8.6 +0.4 4.4 27th 35.8 47.4 average 76%
Kuitpo Forest Reserve 13.7 +0.2 19.9 22nd 7.2 +0.4 3.1 27th 80.8 90.7 average 89%
Mount Barker 15.4 +1.2 20.8 31st 6.7 +1.7 -0.3 27th 87.2 102.5 average 85%
Mount Crawford AWS 12.5 +0.2 19.2 22nd 6.5 +0.4 2.4 26th 77.0 87.0 average 89%
Mount Lofty 10.9 +0.9 18.1 22nd 5.7 +0.5 1.5 27th 111.6 135.0 low 83%
Noarlunga 16.1 +0.3 22.0 22nd 9.3 +0.5 4.5 27th 42.2 54.2 low 78%
Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS) 12.9 +0.4 17.5 22nd 7.5 +0.5 2.9 27th 76.4 103.9 low 74%
Victor Harbor (Encounter Bay) 17.2 +0.9 22.4 22nd 7.2 +0.5 1.8 27th 46.6 72.8 low 64%
Upper Murray Valley (district 24A)
Loxton Research Centre 19.1 +1.5 28.6 31st 5.6 +1.2 -2.3 27th 15.0 26.3 average 57%
Renmark Aero 19.4 +0.9 28.9 31st 5.3 +0.9 -2.4 27th 14.4 21.1 low 68%
Lower Murray Valley (district 24B)
Eudunda 14.9 +0.5 22.5 22nd 5.6 +0.3 -0.5 27th 38.9 55.7 low 70%
Meningie 17.2 +1.1 21.1 22nd 8.2 +1.0 2.0 27th 45.2 56.8 average 80%
Murray Bridge 18.8 +1.2 25.3 22nd 5.8 0.0 0.1 27th 28.9 36.8 average 79%
Murray Bridge (Pallamana Aerodrome) 17.5 +0.5 24.6 22nd 4.4 0.0 -1.6 27th 19.0 29.4 low 65%
Strathalbyn Racecourse 16.8 +0.7 22.6 22nd 7.1 +0.5 2.4 27th 35.2 52.3 average 67%
Upper Southeast (district 25B)
Keith 17.2 +1.1 23.4 22nd 6.2 +0.4 -0.4 26th 44.2 58.1 average 76%
Keith (Munkora) 16.6 +0.6 22.3 22nd 4.6 0.0 -1.6 26th 43.0 53.8 low 80%
Lameroo (Austin Plains) 17.2 +1.0 25.4 31st 4.4 0.0 -2.0 27th 20.2 33.2 low 61%
Lower Southeast (district 26)
Cape Jaffa (The Limestone) 15.2 +0.6 18.7 22nd 9.3 +1.5 3.7 27th 54.0 70.3 average 77%
Coonawarra 15.7 +0.9 20.4 22nd 6.6 +1.3 -0.3 27th 54.4 80.6 low 67%
Mount Gambier Aero 15.2 +1.0 19.3 22nd 6.7 +1.2 1.2 8th 77.2 95.4 average 81%
Naracoorte Aerodrome 16.0 +0.8 21.0 22nd 6.6 +1.2 -0.3 27th 49.0 69.1 average 71%
Padthaway South 16.1 +0.7 21.8 22nd 6.1 +0.3 -0.6 24th 52.6 69.2 low 76%
Robe 15.2 +0.9 18.1 22nd 10.2 +1.7 5.8 27th 63.7 86.0 low 74%
Robe Airfield 15.7 +0.5 20.0 22nd 8.8 +1.7 2.0 27th 65.6 89.5 average 73%

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 12 pm on Wednesday 1 September 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
(03) 9669 4057

Climate