Thursday, 1 June 2017 - Monthly Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC13R0

South Australia in May 2017: drier than average with warmer than average days

South Australia during May was drier than average, particularly on the Eyre Peninsula. Daytime temperatures were warmer than average, while nights tended to be cooler than average.

Drier than average

  • South Australian rainfall was 62% below the May average
  • Very much drier than average around Eyre Peninsula
  • Little or no rain for the month in parts of the northern pastoral districts: Marree Aero recorded 0.0 mm of rainfall for the month
  • May rainfall was close to average in the southeast
  • Two sites had their lowest total May rainfall for at least 20 years

Warm days, cooler than average nights

  • Warmer than average daytime temperatures for the State as a whole
  • Mean maximum temperatures were 1.34 °C warmer than average for the State as a whole
  • Very much warmer than average in the Northeast Pastoral district
  • Cooler than average nights in western and southern districts
  • Overall, mean minimum temperatures were 0.41 ° cooler than the May average
  • A warm spell in mid-May resulted in 32.0 °C at Oodnadatta on the 16th, the hottest temperature recorded in the State this month
  • The month ended with a large high pressure system and clear skies over much of South Australia, resulting in the coldest night of the year: the coldest temperature recorded in the State was −2.8 °C at Yunta on the morning of the 31st
  • Keith had a run of 10 consecutive nights below 5 °C from 7-16 May, which was the site's the longest such run during May in at least 56 years
  • Strathalbyn Racecourse equalled its lowest May mean daily minimum temperature on record
  • Two sites had their lowest May mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years

Strong winds at times

  • Neptune Island recorded the State's strongest wind gusts during May, 83 km/h on both the 22nd and 28th

Further information

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Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes in May 2017
Hottest day 32.0 °C at Oodnadatta Airport on the 16th
Warmest days on average 25.1 °C at Oodnadatta Airport
Coolest days on average 13.5 °C at Mount Lofty
Coldest day 8.5 °C at Mount Lofty on the 28th
Coldest night -2.8 °C at Yunta Airstrip on the 31st
Coolest nights on average 4.2 °C at Yongala
Warmest nights on average 14.3 °C at Neptune Island
Warmest night 18.9 °C at Oodnadatta Airport on the 17th
Warmest on average overall 17.5 °C at Moomba Airport
Coolest on average overall 10.4 °C at Mount Lofty
Wettest overall 102.8 mm at Uraidla
Driest overall 0 mm at Marree Aero
Wettest day 38.0 mm at Parrakie on the 19th
Strongest wind gust 83 km/h at Neptune Island on the 22nd
83 km/h at Neptune Island on the 28th

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 May total rainfall for at least 20 years
Observed
(mm)		 Most recent
lower		 Average for
May
Kingscote 13.1 11.7 in 1930* 58.2
Cleve Aerodrome 9.8 8.0 in 1985 37.6

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



Record lowest May mean daily minimum temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
May
Strathalbyn Racecourse 7.6 = 7.6 in 2004 20 9.3

Lowest May mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years
Observed
(°C)		 Most recent
lower		 Average for
May
Meningie 7.6 7.2 in 1991 8.9
Kingscote Aero 6.2 5.9 in 1996 8.0


Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Summary statistics for May 2017
Maximum temperatures
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
(°C)		 Rainfall
(millimetres)
Mean for
May
2017		 Diff
from
average		 Highest for
May
2017		 Mean for
May
2017		 Diff
from
average		 Lowest for
May
2017		 Total for
May
2017		 Average
for
May		 Rank of
May
2017		 Fraction of
May
average
Northwest (district 16)
Andamooka 22.1 -0.3 26.5 6th 9.6 -0.5 6.2 5th 5.6 15.8 average 35%
Coober Pedy Airport 23.0 +0.9 30.6 16th 9.8 -0.4 6.2 5th 5.2 10.3 average 50%
Ernabella (Pukatja) 22.9 +1.0 28.0 22nd 6.7 -1.8 1.1 11th 1.0 15.4 low 6%
Mount Ive 20.9   24.1 15th 6.5   -1.4 31st 6.3 25.5 low 25%
Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome) 22.0 -0.4 26.8 6th 8.1 -0.2 2.2 10th 9.6 9.3 average 103%
Tarcoola Aero 22.5 0.0 27.2 6th 7.4 -1.0 2.5 24th 0.4 11.6 low 3%
Woomera Aerodrome 20.9 +0.2 26.1 6th 9.3 -0.2 5.6 9th 10.4 18.1 average 57%
Far North (district 17)
Arkaroola 21.2 +0.9 25.5 22nd 5.6 -1.6 1.0 4th 0.9 17.8 low 5%
Leigh Creek Airport 21.6 +0.5 25.7 22nd 8.1 -0.8 4.5 30th 0.8 17.7 low 5%
Marree Aero 23.9 +0.6 28.9 16th 8.3 -1.1 4.4 9th 0 7.6 v low 0%
Moomba Airport 24.7 +0.8 30.3 5th 10.3 -0.5 6.8 11th 8.6 10.8 average 80%
Oodnadatta Airport 25.1 +1.8 32.0 16th 9.5 -0.4 4.0 10th 0.4 12.7 low 3%
Western Agricultural (district 18)
Ceduna AMO 21.8 +0.9 27.5 14th 7.8 -0.8 2.8 31st 17.6 32.7 low 54%
Cleve 19.7 +0.7 25.0 15th 10.2 +0.1 6.8 10th 16.6 40.7 low 41%
Cleve Aerodrome 19.8 +0.5 26.0 15th 9.7 -0.8 4.8 9th 9.8 37.6 v low 26%
Cummins Aero 20.3   26.4 15th 7.5   1.5 9th 14.8 38.8 low 38%
Elliston 20.5 +1.0 25.9 21st 9.7 -0.7 2.5 31st 16.2 52.0 v low 31%
Kimba 19.8 +0.4 24.5 15th 8.8 +0.4 5.0 9th 10.6 35.4 low 30%
Kyancutta 22.2 +1.1 26.6 15th 6.7 -0.7 0.4 12th 22.1 31.9 average 69%
Minnipa Pirsa 21.0 +0.7 25.7 14th 9.4 -0.5 4.3 31st 15.2 27.6 low 55%
Neptune Island 18.1 +0.3 22.4 22nd 14.3 +0.5 11.1 31st 44.4 54.3 average 82%
North Shields (Port Lincoln AWS) 20.2 +0.6 26.0 21st 9.7 -0.8 5.6 12th 13.6 42.9 v low 32%
Nullarbor 21.9 +0.4 28.3 21st 7.7 -1.4 2.3 23rd 14.0 30.0 low 47%
Port Augusta Aero 20.9 -0.8 24.7 15th 7.2 -1.7 2.9 10th 15.4 17.1 average 90%
Streaky Bay 21.0 +0.9 26.8 14th 10.3 -0.6 4.5 31st 21.8 46.0 low 47%
Whyalla Aero 20.5 -0.1 24.9 15th 7.4 -1.5 1.7 31st 9.2 23.7 low 39%
Wudinna Aero 21.8 +0.9 26.2 22nd 7.4 -1.3 0.6 12th 14.0 23.2 low 60%
Upper North (district 19)
Hawker 19.9 -0.2 25.0 22nd 5.7 -1.6 2.5 29th 5.0 30.6 low 16%
Yongala 16.8 -0.3 20.7 15th 4.2 -0.4 -1.2 31st 20.2 34.9 average 58%
Northeast (district 20)
Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot) 20.0 -0.6 25.0 22nd 4.4 -2.0 -2.0 31st 11.1 19.9 low 56%
Yunta Airstrip 19.4 0.0 24.2 6th 4.6 -1.3 -2.8 31st 2.6 11.9 low 22%
Lower North (district 21)
Clare High School 17.2 0.0 22.2 15th 6.0 -0.6 0.3 31st 31.2 52.6 low 59%
Port Pirie Aerodrome AWS 20.6   23.9 12th 7.8   2.1 31st 13.2
Snowtown (Rayville Park) 20.2 +0.2 24.6 15th 6.2 -1.3 0.0 31st 14.4 35.8 low 40%
Yorke Peninsula (district 22A)
Edithburgh 18.7 +0.2 23.6 22nd 10.2 -0.7 5.0 10th 33.2 43.8 low 76%
Kadina AWS 19.8 +0.2 23.2 15th 7.0 -1.6 1.6 9th 12.4 42.7 v low 29%
Minlaton Aero 19.4 -0.1 23.8 15th 9.1 -1.0 5.6 9th 27.0 39.5 low 68%
Stenhouse Bay 18.8 +0.1 22.7 21st 11.6 -0.5 7.7 4th 33.0 51.6 low 64%
Warooka 18.6 0.0 21.8 11th     7.2 19th 31.4 53.5 low 59%
Kangaroo Island (district 22B)
Cape Borda 17.1 +0.1 19.4 22nd 11.0 -0.3 5.2 31st 42.2 67.0 low 63%
Kingscote Aero 18.6 0.0 21.5 11th 6.2 -1.8 0.9 10th 30.8 47.4 low 65%
Parndana Cfs AWS 17.2   20.8 11th 7.9   4.1 9th 34.4
Adelaide Plains (district 23A)
Adelaide (Kent Town) 19.2 +0.2 22.9 21st 9.4 -0.9 4.8 31st 51.2 60.8 average 84%
Adelaide Airport 19.0 +0.4 22.4 18th 9.1 -0.5 4.1 10th 27.2 53.8 low 51%
Edinburgh RAAF 19.7 +0.5 23.3 21st 8.4 -0.9 2.7 31st 23.6 44.8 low 53%
Parafield Airport 19.9 +1.0 23.7 21st 8.1 -1.3 2.2 31st 20.2 48.2 low 42%
Roseworthy AWS 20.0 +0.2 23.4 21st 8.0 -0.7 2.3 31st 25.6 38.1 low 67%
County Light (district 23B)
Nuriootpa Pirsa 17.5 0.0 21.8 21st 5.9 -1.2 -1.0 31st 19.8 47.2 low 42%
Rosedale (Turretfield Research Centre) 19.1 +0.4 23.2 21st 7.4 -0.9 0.8 31st 14.2 53.1 low 27%
Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23C)
Hindmarsh Island AWS 18.3 -0.3 24.2 22nd 9.7 -0.9 3.7 15th 37.2 40.0 average 93%
Kuitpo Forest Reserve 15.8 -0.2 20.1 21st 8.9 -0.5 4.4 31st 44.6 84.8 low 53%
Mount Barker 17.2 +0.6 21.3 21st 8.2 +1.4 2.0 31st 42.2 87.4 low 48%
Mount Crawford AWS 15.0 0.0 19.3 21st 8.2 -0.5 3.8 31st 44.4 68.7 low 65%
Mount Lofty 13.5 +1.4 17.2 15th 7.4 -0.4 1.5 31st 92.8 103.4 average 90%
Noarlunga 18.3 -0.3 21.5 21st 11.1 -0.5 6.0 8th 25.8 53.7 v low 48%
Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS) 14.7 -0.3 18.1 21st 9.2 -0.4 6.0 31st 63.6 95.9 low 66%
Victor Harbor (Encounter Bay) 18.0 -0.7 22.9 22nd 7.4 -1.5 1.0 15th 39.2 59.0 low 66%
Upper Murray Valley (district 24A)
Loxton Research Centre 19.3 -0.3 24.9 22nd 5.4 -1.1 -1.2 31st 14.2 23.4 average 61%
Renmark Aero 19.6 -0.5 25.0 22nd 5.0 -1.7 -2.3 31st 14.0 16.9 average 83%
Lower Murray Valley (district 24B)
Eudunda 17.1 +0.1 21.0 21st 7.0 -0.7 1.9 31st 24.0 45.4 low 53%
Meningie 18.1 -0.2 21.5 21st 7.6 -1.3 1.5 15th 47.4 54.6 average 87%
Murray Bridge (Pallamana Aerodrome) 19.2 -0.1 23.8 21st 5.3 -2.4 -0.2 10th 16.6 29.9 v low 56%
Strathalbyn Racecourse 18.2 -0.4 23.0 22nd 7.6 -1.7 2.8 9th 36.2 43.6 low 83%
Murray Mallee (district 25A)
Karoonda 19.0 -0.2 22.9 22nd 6.5 -0.8 0.1 31st 30.1 35.4 average 85%
Upper Southeast (district 25B)
Keith 18.0 -0.4 22.2 21st 6.7 -1.1 0.0 15th 74.2 52.1 high 142%
Keith (Munkora) 17.7 -1.2 21.3 21st 5.5 -1.7 -1.6 15th 69.4 40.3 high 172%
Lameroo (Austin Plains) 18.0 -0.8 23.7 22nd 6.3 -1.0 1.0 31st 48.2 28.9 v high 167%
Lower Southeast (district 26)
Cape Jaffa (The Limestone) 16.3 -0.7 18.6 22nd 9.2 -0.2 4.3 15th 54.4 53.6 average 101%
Coonawarra 16.7 -0.5 21.5 22nd 6.1 -0.9 -0.4 10th 56.6 54.4 average 104%
Mount Gambier Aero 16.0 -0.1 21.0 21st 6.7 -0.7 0.0 13th 86.0 71.8 high 120%
Naracoorte Aerodrome 16.4 -1.5 20.8 22nd 6.6 -0.7 -0.1 15th 55.8 40.8 high 137%
Padthaway South 16.9 -0.8 21.2 21st 5.8 -1.3 -1.1 31st 69.6 42.7 high 163%
Robe Airfield 17.0 -0.6 20.9 22nd 7.7 -1.0 1.1 15th 60.0 66.3 low 90%

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 11 am on Thursday 1 June 2017. 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
Enquiries