Wednesday, 1 December 2010 - Seasonal Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC13R0

South Australia in spring 2010

Wettest spring on record and below average temperatures.

  • Spring 2010 was the wettest spring on record across South Australia as a whole.
  • Spring 2010 was also the wettest spring on record for Australia as a whole.
  • 23 locations set new highest daily rainfall records for spring.
  • Several locations also set new highest total spring rainfall records.
  • Maximum temperatures were the third lowest on record for the State as a whole.
Please note that the Bureau of Meteorology's annual climate summary for South Australia will be released, and published on this web site, on Wednesday 5 January, as will a comprehensive summary for all of Australia.

Details Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Rainfall

Rainfall totals were well above average across large parts of South Australia this spring, due to the combination of a La Niña event in the Pacific Ocean and a negative Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) event in the Indian Ocean. See the ENSO Wrap-up for more information. This resulted in South Australia recording its wettest spring on record. Spring 1975 was the previous wettest spring on record. 1975 was the last time that both a La Niña event and an IOD event of this strength occurred simultaneously.

South Australia had a wet start to spring, with September rainfall totals well above average for many locations. October rainfall was also above average across most parts of the State, apart from the southeast which was close to average. November saw above average rainfall predominantly in the north and east.

Pastoral Districts

Spring rainfall was well above average across the Pastoral districts, with several locations setting new highest total spring rainfall records as well as new highest spring daily rainfall records. Rainfall totals were typically from 50 to 200mm, with some locations recording larger totals in isolated thunderstorm events. Blinman recorded 256.7 mm as the highest spring total in the pastoral districts.

Agricultural Districts

Rainfall totals were above average across most parts, tending close to average in parts of the southeast. Several locations set new highest spring daily rainfall records, with two locations setting new highest total spring rainfall records.14:34 1/12/2010 Rainfall totals were typically 100 to 200mm throughout for the spring season. Several locations recorded in excess of 200mm in various parts South Australia. The highest total for the State was 317.0mm at Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS).  

Some sites had their highest total spring rainfall on record. Some sites had their highest total spring rainfall for at least 25 years. Some sites had their highest spring daily rainfall on record. See a map of rainfall deciles.

Temperature

Maximum

Maximum temperatures were the third lowest on record for the State as a whole, with an average maximum temperature of 25.3°C ( Spring 1956 is the coldest spring on record for South Australia overall, with an average maximum temperature of 25.0°C).Maximum temperatures were 3°C to 4°C below average in the north and west of the State, grading to just below average in the Lower Southeast. Oodnadatta Airport and Whyalla Aero also had their lowest mean daily maximum temperatures on record for spring with 27.3°C and 21.6°C respectively.
Mean maximum temperatures ranged from 15.0 °C at Mount Lofty in the Mount Lofty Ranges to 27.5 °C at Marree Comparison in the Far North District. The warmest spring daily maximum temperature was 40.9°C recorded at Nullarbor in the Western Agricultural District on 11 November. The coldest daily maximum was 7.1 °C at Mount Lofty on 15 October.

Some sites had their lowest spring mean daily maximum temperature on record. Some sites had their lowest spring mean daily maximum temperature for at least 25 years.

Minimum

Minimum temperatures were generally very close to the long-term mean for spring. Mean minimum temperatures ranged from 6.2°C at Yongala in the Upper North District to 14.7°C at Oodnadatta Airport. The lowest overnight spring minimum temperature recorded was at -1.8 °C at Keith (Munkora) on 25 October.  The highest minimum temperature recorded was 7.3°C at Marree Comparison and at Oodnadatta Airport on 12 November.

Some sites had their warmest spring night (highest daily minimum temperature) on record.

Further information

Media
(03) 9669 4057
Enquiries
Extremes in spring 2010
Hottest day 40.9 °C at Nullarbor on 11 Nov
Warmest days on average 27.5 °C at Marree Comparison
Coolest days on average 15.0 °C at Mount Lofty
Coldest day 7.1 °C at Mount Lofty on 15 Oct
Coldest night -1.8 °C at Keith (Munkora) on 25 Oct
Coolest nights on average 6.2 °C at Yongala
Warmest nights on average 14.7 °C at Oodnadatta Airport
Warmest night 27.3 °C at Marree Comparison on 12 Nov
27.3 °C at Oodnadatta Airport on 12 Nov
Wettest overall 317.0 mm at Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS)
Highest wind gust 117 km/h at Cape Willoughby on 4 Sep

Details Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Record highest spring daily rainfall
Highest daily rainfall
in spring 2010 (mm) 		Previous highest
for spring		 Years of
record
Blinman 117.0 on 4 Sep 86.1 on 6 Sep 1892 128
Angaston 67.8 on 6 Sep 54.4 on 2 Sep 1937 127
Hamley Bridge 56.6 on 4 Sep 45.6 on 31 Oct 1997 127
Manna Hill 64.0 on 27 Nov 62.5 on 29 Nov 1933 120
Cook 39.6 on 3 Sep =39.6 on 2 Oct 1992 93
Blinman (Narrina) 55.8 on 4 Sep 51.2 on 21 Oct 1995 71
Tarcoola (Commonwealth Hill) 51.0 on 27 Nov 46.8 on 8 Oct 1992 68
Blinman (Moolooloo) 125.6 on 4 Sep 52.1 on 12 Sep 1958 64
Mount Dare 53.8 on 15 Oct 47.0 on 3 Oct 1974 58
Cowell (Winter Springs) 59.6 on 4 Sep 47.2 on 6 Oct 1980 42
Upper Hermitage 52.0 on 4 Sep 48.4 on 6 Oct 1980 41
Mount Victor (Mt Victor) 56.0 on 3 Sep 50.0 on 7 Nov 2005 39
Oodla Wirra (McCoys Well) 50.0 on 4 Sep 44.6 on 3 Oct 1976 39
Mount Remarkable (Alligator Gorge) 100.8 on 16 Oct 76.0 on 31 Oct 1997 37
Wilpena (Martins Well) 78.0 on 4 Sep 76.0 on 12 Nov 2000 34
Quondong 44.3 on 4 Sep 44.0 on 22 Oct 1995 29
Innamincka (Dullingari) 37.0 on 14 Oct 30.6 on 10 Sep 1998 27
Loxton Research Centre 51.8 on 4 Sep 47.8 on 22 Oct 1995 27
Marree (Mundowdna) 40.4 on 4 Sep 34.3 on 21 Sep 1946 27
Pelican Lagoon 39.0 on 4 Sep 37.8 on 9 Oct 1992 27
Beltana Roadhouse 66.2 on 4 Sep 33.8 on 3 Oct 1993 25
Leigh Creek Airport 97.6 on 4 Sep 50.0 on 24 Nov 1989 25
Wilpena (Oraparinna) 84.4 on 4 Sep 66.0 on 19 Oct 2005 25


Record highest total spring rainfall
Total rainfall
for spring 2010 (mm) 		Previous highest
for spring		 Years of
record		 Average for
spring
Marree Comparison 139.7 122.0 in 1958 126 36.0
Cowell 207.3 175.4 in 1992 124 77.2
Manna Hill 195.6 182.0 in 1975 121 56.5
Oodnadatta Airport 140.2 116.2 in 1974 62 37.1
Mount Dare 143.4 129.8 in 1974 58 35.3
Cleve Aerodrome 185.4 182.4 in 1979 46 88.1
Mount Barry Station 137.0 91.5 in 2009 27 41.5
Beltana Roadhouse 173.0 111.0 in 2001 25 58.0
Leigh Creek Airport 201.4 104.8 in 2009 25 58.5
Marla Police Station 168.4 140.6 in 1995 25 55.6

Highest total spring rainfall for at least 25 years
Total rainfall
for spring 2010 (mm) 		Most recent higher
for spring		 Years since
higher		 Average for
spring
Blinman 256.7 268.8 in 1920 90 72.7
Arkaroola 169.1 179.4 in 1958 51 52.7
Tarcoola (Commonwealth Hill) 135.9 158.6 in 1974 34 45.7
Todmorden 134.4 141.0 in 1975 34 42.6
Koonamore 172.0 183.6 in 1975 32 54.6
Tumby Bay 163.2 182.6 in 1979 29 85.0
Mannum Council Depot 187.0 187.2 in 1983 25 78.9


Record lowest spring mean daily maximum temperature
Mean daily maximum
temperature
for spring 2010 (°C) 		Previous lowest
for spring		 Years of
record		 Average for
spring
Oodnadatta Airport 27.3 = 27.3 in 1974 60 30.2
Whyalla Aero 21.6 22.4 in 1984 25 24.0

Lowest spring mean daily maximum temperature for at least 25 years
Mean daily maximum
temperature
for spring 2010 (°C) 		Most recent lower
for spring		 Years since
lower		 Average for
spring
Arkaroola 24.1 23.4 in 1978 32 26.6
Hawker 23.3 22.7 in 1976 27 25.6


Record highest spring daily minimum temperature
Highest daily minimum
temperature
in spring 2010 (°C) 		Previous highest
for spring		 Years of
record		 Average for
spring
Robe Comparison 21.7 on 24 Nov 21.6 on 18 Nov 1921 127 10.3


Details Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Summary statistics for spring 2010
Maximum temperatures
for spring
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
for spring
(°C)		 Rainfall
for spring
(millimetres)
Mean for
spring
2010		 Diff
from
average		 Highest for
spring
2010		 Mean for
spring
2010		 Diff
from
average		 Lowest for
spring
2010		 Total for
spring
2010		 Average
for
spring		 Rank of
spring
2010		 Fraction of
spring
average
Northwest (district 16)
Andamooka 26.0 -2.1 38.3 11 Nov 13.5 -0.1 6.5 30 Sep 81.2 48.1 high 169%
Coober Pedy Airport 25.3   38.2 11 Nov 13.5   6.0 5 Sep 72.0
Ernabella (Pukatja) 24.8   35.7 24 Nov 12.0   4.7 5 Sep 207.6
Nonning 23.2 -1.9 36.8 23 Nov 9.9 +0.2 3.2 24 Sep 112.0 65.1 high 172%
Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome) 25.8   38.7 11 Nov 11.8   1.8 30 Sep 71.2
Tarcoola Aero 26.0   40.5 23 Nov 11.3   2.9 11 Sep 52.6
Woomera Aerodrome 24.8 -1.4 38.6 11 Nov 12.5 +0.1 5.8 6 Sep 63.6 48.2 high 132%
Far North (district 17)
Arkaroola 24.1 -2.5 36.5 11 Nov 11.6 0.0 3.0 7 Sep 169.1 52.7 v high 321%
Leigh Creek Airport 24.6 -2.2 37.5 11 Nov 12.1 -0.5 2.6 30 Sep 201.4 58.5 highest 344%
Marree Aero 26.8   39.3 11 Nov 13.5   4.5 30 Sep 128.4
Marree Comparison 27.5 -1.9 39.0 11 Nov 13.0 -0.3 1.0 16 Oct 139.7 36.0 highest 388%
Moomba Airport 27.3   38.4 12 Nov 14.3   7.6 6 Sep 213.8
Oodnadatta Airport 27.3 -2.9 38.9 11 Nov 14.7 -0.3 7.2 21 Sep 140.2 37.1 highest 378%
Western Agricultural (district 18)
Ceduna AMO 22.1 -1.6 40.4 22 Nov 9.8 -0.2 1.6 24 Sep 80.6 73.3 average 110%
Cleve 20.1 -2.1 36.0 22 Nov 10.4 +0.1 4.9 7 Oct 208.8 106.7 v high 196%
Cleve Aerodrome 19.9   36.6 22 Nov 9.8   4.4 30 Sep 185.4 88.1 highest 210%
Coulta (Coles Point) 19.4   35.5 22 Nov 9.9   3.4 24 Sep 145.0
Cummins Aero 20.3   37.7 22 Nov 8.5   1.0 7 Oct 136.8
Elliston 19.9 -1.5 37.2 22 Nov 11.0 -0.2 5.6 26 Sep 158.4 89.8 v high 176%
Kimba 21.0 -2.7 35.5 23 Nov 8.8 -0.6 2.2 31 Oct 177.3 91.6 v high 194%
Kyancutta 22.9 -2.3 38.1 23 Nov 8.5 +0.1 0.4 7 Oct 134.8 80.0 high 169%
Minnipa DPI 22.2   37.3 22 Nov 9.2   1.4 7 Oct 117.0
Neptune Island 17.0 -0.6 30.1 22 Nov 12.5 0.0 8.4 15 Oct 179.0 92.6 v high 193%
North Shields (Port Lincoln AWS) 19.4   36.1 22 Nov 9.6   3.5 30 Sep 139.2
Nullarbor 21.2 -3.1 40.9 11 Nov 10.0 -0.1 2.8 18 Oct 113.8 53.2 v high 214%
Port Augusta Aero 24.2   37.4 11 Nov 11.5   3.1 30 Sep 121.4
Streaky Bay 21.6 -1.2 38.4 22 Nov 11.1 -0.4 6.0 17 Sep 145.0 80.9 v high 179%
Whyalla Aero 21.6 -2.4 37.1 23 Nov 11.0 +0.2 2.9 30 Sep 127.8 73.3 high 174%
Wudinna Aero 23.1   38.1 22 Nov 8.3   -1.4 7 Oct 128.8
Upper North (district 19)
Hawker 23.3 -2.3 37.0 11 Nov 9.4 -0.6 1.3 30 Sep 148.0 76.0 v high 195%
Yongala 20.5 -1.3 34.5 11 Nov 6.2 -0.2 -1.2 18 Sep 134.1 100.5 high 133%
Northeast (district 20)
Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot) 23.3   38.3 11 Nov 9.3   -0.5 30 Sep 163.7
Yunta Airstrip 22.4   37.0 11 Nov 9.6   0.9 7 Sep 129.4
Lower North (district 21)
Clare High School 18.9   32.5 23 Nov 8.2   0.6 29 Sep 217.8
Port Pirie Aerodrome 22.8   37.4 22 Nov 10.0   1.2 24 Sep 109.6
Port Pirie Nyrstar Comparison 22.9 -1.6 37.0 22 Nov 11.9 -0.1 5.0 7 Sep 123.3 92.7 high 133%
Snowtown (Rayville Park) 21.9   37.3 22 Nov 7.2   -0.1 7 Sep 116.6
Yorke Peninsula (district 22A)
Edithburgh 18.7   30.6 23 Nov 10.8   3.2 7 Sep 136.4
Kadina AWS 21.6   37.0 23 Nov 7.7   -0.1 7 Sep 136.6
Maitland 20.0 -1.3 35.5 22 Nov 10.4 +0.3 5.0 1 Nov 165.8 122.1 high 136%
Minlaton Aero 20.3   36.0 22 Nov 9.0   1.9 29 Sep 155.8
Stenhouse Bay 18.7   37.7 22 Nov 11.5   5.1 30 Sep 133.0
Warooka 19.3 -1.3 34.6 22 Nov 10.2 0.0 4.8 7 Oct 179.7 104.7 v high 172%
Kangaroo Island (district 22B)
Cape Borda 16.8   31.1 22 Nov 9.9   5.8 30 Sep 151.5
Cape Willoughby 16.9 -0.6 32.4 22 Nov 11.7 +0.1 7.4 28 Sep 157.4 127.2 high 124%
Kingscote Aero 19.3   34.8 22 Nov 7.4   -0.3 25 Oct 149.2
Adelaide Plains (district 23A)
Adelaide (Kent Town) 20.9 -1.1 36.4 23 Nov 11.7 0.0 4.1 7 Sep 124.6 136.3 average 91%
Adelaide Airport 19.9 -1.1 34.9 22 Nov 11.0 +0.3 3.7 30 Sep 110.8 109.8 average 101%
Edinburgh RAAF 21.0 -1.2 36.7 23 Nov 10.2 -0.1 2.3 29 Sep 141.2 113.4 high 125%
Parafield Airport 21.8 -0.1 37.6 23 Nov 9.9 -0.5 1.6 7 Oct 112.2 113.7 average 99%
Roseworthy AWS 21.5   37.0 23 Nov 7.6   0.2 24 Sep 126.8
County Light (district 23B)
Nuriootpa Viticultural 19.3   33.9 22 Nov 8.4   0.6 7 Oct 153.4
Rosedale (Turretfield Research Centre) 20.8 -1.1 36.1 23 Nov 8.3 -0.4 -0.4 29 Sep 159.4 127.0 high 126%
Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23C)
Hindmarsh Island AWS 19.1   36.5 23 Nov 11.1   5.6 14 Oct 140.2
Kuitpo Forest Reserve 17.2   32.2 22 Nov 9.0   4.0 30 Sep 180.0
Mount Barker 19.2 -0.3 33.2 22 Nov 7.6 +0.3 0.5 30 Sep 205.8 192.6 average 107%
Mount Crawford (Mt Crawford AWS) 17.1   32.7 22 Nov 8.3   2.9 30 Sep 198.8
Mount Lofty 15.0   30.7 23 Nov 7.4   2.3 7 Sep 222.2
Noarlunga 19.7   34.9 22 Nov 11.3   5.2 29 Sep 127.4
Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS) 15.6   31.3 22 Nov 8.9   4.7 30 Sep 317.0
Victor Harbor (Encounter Bay) 19.0   35.7 22 Nov 9.6   2.2 25 Oct 162.2
Upper Murray Valley (district 24A)
Loxton Research Centre 22.6 -1.5 35.1 22 Nov 8.8 +0.2 0.9 24 Sep 147.4 77.0 v high 191%
Renmark Aero 23.0   36.8 11 Nov 9.4   0.5 24 Sep 151.4
Lower Murray Valley (district 24B)
Eudunda 19.3 -1.4 32.4 11 Nov 8.2 0.0 1.7 30 Sep 183.0 119.8 high 153%
Meningie 19.7 -0.8 36.1 22 Nov 9.8 +0.2 3.7 25 Oct 156.4 115.2 high 136%
Murray Bridge (Pallamana Aerodrome) 21.0   37.8 22 Nov 7.6   -1.4 30 Sep 161.8
Murray Bridge Comparison 21.8 -0.9 37.2 22 Nov 9.4 +0.2 1.5 30 Sep 191.2 96.5 v high 198%
Strathalbyn Racecourse 19.5   36.1 23 Nov 9.2   3.2 2 Oct 149.0
Murray Mallee (district 25A)
Karoonda 21.4   35.8 22 Nov 8.1   0.0 29 Sep 142.7 92.4 v high 154%
Upper Southeast (district 25B)
Keith 20.8 -0.9 36.0 22 Nov 8.8 +0.4 1.0 30 Sep 103.2 125.3 average 82%
Keith (Munkora) 21.0   38.3 22 Nov 7.0   -1.8 25 Oct 104.2
Lameroo (Austin Plains) 21.5   37.2 22 Nov 7.7   -0.3 30 Sep 100.4
Lameroo Comparison 21.7 -1.0 36.0 22 Nov 8.8 +0.9 1.6 30 Sep 115.2 106.2 average 108%
Lower Southeast (district 26)
Cape Jaffa (The Limestone) 18.0   33.5 22 Nov 9.6   4.5 25 Oct 126.2
Coonawarra 19.3 -0.2 35.3 22 Nov 7.8 +0.4 0.4 24 Oct 103.8 143.5 low 72%
Mount Gambier Aero 18.1 +0.1 34.9 23 Nov 7.8 +0.6 1.2 25 Oct 179.6 181.6 average 99%
Naracoorte Aerodrome 19.9   35.6 22 Nov 7.4   -0.1 24 Oct 134.8
Padthaway South 19.9   34.7 22 Nov 8.3   1.1 30 Sep 116.2
Robe Airfield 17.9   32.1 22 Nov 9.0   0.8 25 Oct 127.2
Robe Comparison 17.5 -0.1 30.1 22 Nov 10.6 +0.3 5.6 14 Sep 140.6 133.8 average 105%

Details Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Notes

A Seasonal Climate Summary is prepared to list 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. Later information, including data that has had greater opportunity for quality control, will be presented in the Monthly Weather Review, usually published in the fourth week of the month.

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 10 am on Wednesday 1 December 2010. Some checks have been made on the data, but it is possible that results will change as new information becomes available.

Averages 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 20 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.

Further information

Media
(03) 9669 4057
Enquiries

Creative Commons By Attribution logo Unless otherwise noted, all maps, graphs and diagrams in this page are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence

Climate