Thursday, 1 November 2018 - Monthly Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC13R0

South Australia in October 2018: warmer than average temperatures, dry in the east

October rainfall for South Australia as a whole was below average, but heavy rain during the last week of the month brought above average totals to the State's west. Both daytime and night time temperatures were above average across most of the State.

Wet in the west, dry in the east

  • October rainfall for South Australia as a whole was 17% below average
  • A significant rain event in the last week of the month brought daily totals in excess of 20 mm to western areas of the State
  • The rain towards the end of the month resulted in some western areas of the State being very much wetter than average, but eastern Agricultural districts finished the month drier than average
  • Little rain fell in the Northeast Pastoral district, where Moomba Airport had no recorded rainfall for the month
  • Uraidla in the Adelaide Hills had the State's highest monthly total of 67.4 mm, but it was still below its October average
  • Two rain events in the first half of the month saw Coffin Bay and Naracoorte have their highest October daily rainfall on record

Warmer than average daytime and night time temperatures

  • Daytime temperatures were above average in most areas of the State, including a large area of very much above average in the Northeast Pastoral district
  • The mean maximum temperature for the State as a whole was 2.11 °C warmer than average, the highest in October since 2015
  • Night time temperatures were warmer than average across most of South Australia, including large areas of very much above average in northern and western parts
  • Minimum temperatures were close to average in the State's far southeast
  • The mean minimum temperature for South Australia as a whole was 1.91 °C warmer than average, the third-highest for October on record and highest since 2015
  • For overall mean temperature, it was South Australia's sixth-warmest October on record

Strong winds at times

  • On the 15th, severe winds and storms resulted in fallen trees and power outages to more than 35000 homes in Adelaide. Mount Crawford recorded a maximum wind gust of 107 km/h in the early hours of the morning and many other sites across the State recorded gusts in excess of 80 km/h.
  • Severe winds raised dust in some areas of the State on the 19th. There were dust storms across a broad area of eastern Eyre Peninsula and the dust was visible over Spencer Gulf on satellite images. In the State's north, Oodnadatta Airport recorded a maximum wind gust during the afternoon of 102 km/h and many other sites across the State recorded gusts in excess of 80 km/h.

Further information

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Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes in October 2018
Hottest day 41.1 °C at Oodnadatta Airport on the 14th
Warmest days on average 32.8 °C at Moomba Airport
Coolest days on average 18.1 °C at Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS)
Coldest day 9.1 °C at Mount Lofty on the 17th
Coldest night -2.5 °C at Keith (Munkora) on the 24th
Coolest nights on average 6.2 °C at Keith (Munkora)
Warmest nights on average 17.2 °C at Oodnadatta Airport
Warmest night 26.6 °C at Oodnadatta Airport on the 31st
Warmest on average overall 25.0 °C at Moomba Airport
Coolest on average overall 13.3 °C at Mount Lofty
Wettest overall 67.4 mm at Uraidla
Driest overall 0 mm at Moomba Airport
Wettest day 47.0 mm at Coffin Bay on the 15th
Strongest wind gust 107 km/h at Mount Crawford AWS on the 15th

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 October daily rainfall
New record
(mm)		 Old
record		 Years of
record
Coffin Bay 47.0 on the 15th 37.2 on the 18th in 2000 30
Naracoorte Aerodrome 27.4 on the 9th 27.0 on the 8th in 2005 21


Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Summary statistics for October 2018
Maximum temperatures
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
(°C)		 Rainfall
(millimetres)
Mean for
October
2018		 Diff
from
average		 Highest for
October
2018		 Mean for
October
2018		 Diff
from
average		 Lowest for
October
2018		 Total for
October
2018		 Average
for
October		 Rank of
October
2018		 Fraction of
October
average
Northwest (district 16)
Andamooka 30.3 +2.0 39.9 31st 15.6 +2.0 8.7 5th 1.6 17.6 low 9%
Coober Pedy Airport 30.5 +1.6 40.5 31st 15.1 +0.9 9.1 5th 4.6 10.5 average 44%
Ernabella (Pukatja) 30.1 +0.9 36.8 31st 15.5 +1.3 11.0 5th 40.6 23.2 high 175%
Mount Ive 26.5   35.5 14th 12.5   7.0 11th 34.3 22.2 high 155%
Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome) 30.0 +1.4 39.9 31st 14.7 +2.1 6.2 21st 2.2 11.3 average 19%
Tarcoola Aero 29.5 +1.0 40.7 31st 13.5 +1.5 5.3 5th 19.8 16.2 average 122%
Woomera Aerodrome 28.4 +2.0 36.0 30th 14.2 +1.8 7.2 5th 9.6 15.0 average 64%
Far North (district 17)
Leigh Creek Airport 29.6 +2.5 38.4 31st 14.7 +2.2 7.0 5th 2.4 16.2 low 15%
Marree Aero 31.6 +1.4 40.3 31st 15.2 +1.2 7.2 5th 2.0 9.0 average 22%
Moomba Airport 32.8 +2.0 40.4 15th 17.1 +1.3 8.0 1st 0 8.6 lowest 0%
Oodnadatta Airport 32.6 +2.1 41.1 14th 17.2 +2.0 9.8 5th 19.2 13.2 high 145%
Western Agricultural (district 18)
Ceduna AMO 25.2 +1.2 39.0 31st 11.5 +1.5 3.4 5th 38.0 24.7 high 154%
Cleve 23.1 +0.7 35.5 31st 11.6 +1.4 8.3 25th 34.8 35.7 average 97%
Cleve Aerodrome 23.2 0.0 36.3 31st 11.1 +1.2 7.8 25th 29.8 27.9 average 107%
Coffin Bay (Point Avoid) 20.6   31.7 13th 12.1   8.2 21st 38.6
Cultana (Defence) 26.8   38.5 31st 12.6   6.2 5th 16.2
Cummins Aero 23.7 +0.2 35.5 31st 9.0 +1.0 2.5 21st 21.4 19.8 average 108%
Elliston 22.4 +0.7 29.6 14th 12.0 +0.8 6.1 24th 39.4 29.8 high 132%
Kimba 25.6 +1.6 38.0 31st     6.0 5th 7.4 29.9 low 25%
Kyancutta 26.8 +1.4 39.5 31st 9.8 +1.5 2.6 11th 19.5 25.5 average 76%
Minnipa Pirsa 25.7 +0.3 38.5 31st 11.5 +1.3 4.6 5th 29.0 20.7 high 140%
North Shields (Port Lincoln AWS) 21.1 +0.2 30.8 19th 10.1 +0.5 6.1 1st 22.4 24.4 average 92%
Nullarbor 25.3 +0.7 36.1 18th 11.7 +1.4 5.6 20th 30.8 17.8 high 173%
Port Augusta Aero 27.9 +0.7 39.8 31st 13.0 +1.3 7.8 11th 13.2 15.8 average 84%
Whyalla Aero 25.1 +1.0 38.8 31st 11.6 +0.9 6.9 21st 6.0 21.8 low 28%
Wudinna Aero 26.8 +0.7 39.9 31st 9.7 +1.0 0.8 5th 19.2 19.0 average 101%
Northeast (district 20)
Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot) 27.1 +1.2 37.0 31st 9.5 +0.8 2.0 1st 9.7 20.7 average 47%
Yunta Airstrip 26.3 +1.0 34.7 15th 10.4 +1.1 3.4 18th 9.8 17.6 average 56%
Lower North (district 21)
Clare High School 23.1 +2.0 34.6 31st 8.8 +0.9 3.7 21st 26.4 43.7 average 60%
Port Pirie Aerodrome AWS 26.6   38.6 31st 11.9   2.0 5th 3.4
Snowtown (Rayville Park) 26.5 +2.0 37.2 31st 8.0 +1.0 0.4 5th 7.8 25.6 low 30%
Yorke Peninsula (district 22A)
Edithburgh 20.6 +0.2 31.0 19th 11.4 +0.6 6.8 30th 18.4 26.9 low 68%
Kadina AWS 24.6 +0.3 37.1 31st 9.4 +1.3 2.6 5th 17.2 21.5 average 80%
Minlaton Aero 23.2 +0.6 33.9 31st 10.2 +0.9 2.9 29th 15.4 22.8 average 68%
Stenhouse Bay 20.0 -0.1 30.1 13th 12.3 +0.6 8.4 21st 19.8 27.9 average 71%
Warooka 21.9 +1.2 30.3 31st 11.0 +0.9 6.9 20th 15.2 34.8 low 44%
Kangaroo Island (district 22B)
Cape Borda 18.2 +0.1 24.0 13th 9.8 -0.3 4.5 24th 32.4 30.0 average 108%
Cape Willoughby 18.3 +0.6 24.5 19th 12.3 +0.8 9.5 23rd 10.8 41.1 v low 26%
Kingscote Aero 21.1 +0.9 27.9 31st 7.5 +0.3 0.9 1st 11.8 28.4 low 42%
Parndana Cfs AWS 19.2   29.7 31st 8.5   3.5 24th 23.8
Adelaide Plains (district 23A)
Adelaide (Kent Town) 24.1 +2.0 35.6 31st 12.4 +0.9 7.6 21st 21.8 41.4 low 53%
Adelaide (West Terrace / ngayirdapira) 23.7 +2.4 35.1 31st 12.2 +1.1 6.5 11th 19.2 44.2 low 43%
Adelaide Airport 23.0 +1.9 33.2 31st 12.1 +1.4 7.5 24th 13.0 36.0 low 36%
Edinburgh RAAF 24.6 +2.3 36.0 31st 11.4 +1.4 5.8 11th 17.6 36.8 low 48%
Parafield Airport 24.9 +2.9 36.1 31st 11.3 +1.2 5.6 30th 20.8 39.9 low 52%
Roseworthy AWS 25.8 +2.2 36.7 31st 8.8 +1.2 0.9 24th 13.4 30.9 average 43%
County Light (district 23B)
Nuriootpa Pirsa 23.3 +1.9 34.5 31st 9.3 +1.1 3.0 21st 18.2 34.2 low 53%
Rosedale (Turretfield Research Centre) 24.6 +2.5 36.2 31st 9.7 +1.4 3.2 21st 23.6 43.0 average 55%
Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23C)
Hindmarsh Island AWS 21.9 +0.8 30.5 14th 10.7 -0.2 6.1 1st 10.6 25.4 low 42%
Kuitpo Forest Reserve 20.3 +1.5 29.1 31st 9.9 +0.7 5.1 11th 36.8 51.1 average 72%
Mount Barker 22.1 +2.6 31.3 31st 8.1 +0.8 3.8 11th 27.2 65.7 low 41%
Mount Crawford AWS 20.2 +2.0 31.9 31st 9.0 +0.5 3.0 5th 27.0 45.0 average 60%
Mount Lofty 18.3 +3.5 30.0 31st 8.3 +0.9 2.7 10th 65.0 59.9 high 109%
Noarlunga 23.1 +1.7 33.6 31st 12.3 +0.8 7.2 24th 11.8 31.0 low 38%
Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS) 18.1 +1.2 28.7 31st 9.3 +0.3 5.6 24th 40.6 58.3 average 70%
Victor Harbor (Encounter Bay) 20.7 +0.1 28.1 14th 8.7 -0.3 2.9 1st 16.2 36.1 low 45%
Upper Murray Valley (district 24A)
Loxton Research Centre 26.3 +1.9 35.7 31st 9.8 +1.4 3.0 21st 10.2 23.7 average 43%
Renmark Aero 27.1 +1.7 36.3 31st 10.6 +1.6 3.0 21st 8.8 24.0 average 37%
Lower Murray Valley (district 24B)
Eudunda 23.5 +2.6 34.7 31st 9.1 +1.0 3.9 5th 10.6 39.4 low 27%
Murray Bridge (Pallamana Aerodrome) 25.3 +1.2 35.3 31st 8.0 +0.5 2.2 21st 7.0 16.0 average 44%
Strathalbyn Racecourse 23.3 +1.8 31.4 31st 8.9 0.0 4.5 11th 7.2 32.4 low 22%
Upper Southeast (district 25B)
Keith 23.7 +2.0 31.5 31st 8.3 +0.1 0.6 24th 18.3 41.1 low 45%
Keith (Munkora) 23.8 +1.2 31.6 2nd 6.2 +0.2 -2.5 24th 18.6 26.6 average 70%
Lameroo (Austin Plains) 24.9 +0.7 34.6 31st 8.4 +1.0 1.1 5th 12.2 18.5 average 66%
Lower Southeast (district 26)
Cape Jaffa (The Limestone) 19.9 +1.2 26.7 13th 9.1 -0.2 3.6 25th 17.4 31.3 low 56%
Coonawarra 20.6 +1.0 27.5 2nd 8.1 +0.8 1.0 24th 31.4 45.0 average 70%
Mount Gambier Aero 19.8 +1.8 27.5 2nd 7.7 +0.5 1.0 24th 32.8 60.2 low 54%
Naracoorte Aerodrome 20.7 0.0 28.1 2nd 7.8 +0.9 0.7 29th 47.6 37.4 average 127%
Padthaway South 21.7 +0.8 29.1 2nd 8.1 +0.3 0.6 24th 21.6 35.9 low 60%
Robe Airfield 19.3 +0.3 26.3 2nd 8.8 +0.2 1.7 30th 20.8 32.4 low 64%

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 10 am on Thursday 1 November 2018. 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