Wednesday, 1 February 2023 - Monthly Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC13R0

South Australia in January 2023: wet in the west, drier and warmer in the east

Rainfall totals in January were generally higher than average in the state's west, but close to average or drier than average in the east. Both daytime and night-time temperatures were generally warmer than average in the state's east, but days were cooler than average in the west and night-time temperatures were close to average in southern areas of the state.

Wetter than average in the west, drier in the east

• Rainfall totals in January were generally higher than average in the state's west, but close to average or drier than average in the east.
• For South Australia as a whole, January rainfall was 1% above the 1961–1990 average, which was much less than in January 2022 but higher than in January 2021.
• The wettest day for South Australia as a whole was on the 29th as a low pressure trough and cold front crossed the state, with daily rainfall totals on the Eyre Peninsula and areas of the Pastoral districts in the 99th percentile (top 1% of historical January daily rainfall totals for those areas since 1900).
• The highest daily totals for the month were recorded in the Adelaide Hills on the 24th, with Lobethal (Maidment Road) recording 46.8 mm, its highest January daily rainfall on record.
• During January, moderate to major flood levels continued along the River Murray in South Australia.
• There were strong winds at times during the month, including gusts up to 100 km/h at Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome) during the evening of the 14th.

Cooler than average in the west, warmer in the east

• Both daytime and night-time temperatures were generally warmer than average in the state's east.
• Mean maximum temperatures were below average in the west, and very much below average in the far north-west.
• The mean maximum temperature averaged across South Australia was 0.56 °C above the 1961–1990 average, the highest since 2020.
• On the 14th, a fire burnt through steep terrain in Black Hill Conservation Park in the Adelaide Hills, threatening the town of Montacute, with a total fire ban in place.
• Mean minimum temperatures were generally close to average or below average in agricultural districts.
• The mean minimum temperature averaged across South Australia was 0.83 °C above the 1961–1990 average.
• Robe had its lowest January mean daily minimum temperature since 1992.
• Overall, the January mean temperature for South Australia as a whole was 0.70 °C above average, which was cooler than January 2022 but warmer than January 2021.

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Maps
	Observed	Anomaly	Decile rank
Total rainfall
Mean daily maximum temperatures
Mean daily minimum temperatures

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Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top