Friday, 1 March 2019 - Seasonal Climate Summary for Greater Adelaide - Product code IDCKGC23L0

Greater Adelaide in summer 2018–19: warmer and drier than average

Rainfall totals for summer were below average throughout Adelaide and the Hills. Several heatwave events resulted in many sites setting new temperature records during the season and both daytime and night-time temperatures were warmer than average for summer.

Drier than average

• Rainfall totals for summer were below average throughout Adelaide and the Hills
• Edinburgh RAAF had its driest summer for 27 years; Adelaide Airport and Noarlunga had their driest summer since 2000–01; several other sites around Greater Adelaide had their driest summer for at least 10 years
• The wettest sites were in the Adelaide Hills where Ashton recorded 90.0 mm for the season
• The lowest totals for summer were generally in suburbs north of the city, with Regency Park recording just 10.4 mm for the season
• Mount Lofty had 47 consecutive days with no recorded rainfall from 21 December 2018 to 5 February 2019, exceeding the site's previous longest run of 24 such dry days from 4–27 February 2015
• Rainfall totals ranged from 24% of average at Edinburgh RAAF to 74% of average at Kuitpo Forest Reserve
• Edinburgh RAAF had its lowest total summer rainfall since 1990–91

Warmer than average

• On 24 January, several sites had their highest summer temperature on record, including 46.6 °C in the city at Adelaide (West Terrace / ngayirdapira), which was highest temperature on record at the Bureau's official Adelaide city site
• Mean maximum temperature differences from average ranged from +1.8 °C at Noarlunga to +4.6 °C at Mount Lofty
• Mean minimum temperatures ranged from 0.7 °C warmer than average at Parafield Airport to 1.9 °C warmer than average at Mount Barker
• Adelaide (Kent Town) and Kuitpo Forest Reserve had their highest summer mean daily maximum temperature on record
• Further information about the heatwaves that affected large areas of the country during summer can be found in the Special Climate Statement Widespread heatwaves during December 2018 and January 2019

Adelaide (West Terrace / ngayirdapira)

• The Adelaide (West Terrace / ngayirdapira) site suffered an equipment outage on 19 December 2018 and total rainfall on that day is not known; based on surrounding sites, it is estimated that at least 3 mm fell at the site on the day, in addition to the 26.4 mm on the remaining days of summer, compared to a long-term average of 66.9 mm
• The mean daily maximum temperature for Adelaide (West Terrace / ngayirdapira) was 30.9 °C, which is 2.9 °C above the long-term average of 28.0 °C. The warmest day was 46.6 °C on 24 January, and the coolest day was on 13 December when the temperature reached 16.5 °C
• The mean daily minimum temperature for Adelaide (West Terrace / ngayirdapira) was 17.2 °C, which is 1.0 °C above the long-term average of 16.2 °C. The coldest morning was 10.6 °C on 23 December, and the warmest morning was on 24 January when the minimum temperature was 30.7 °C

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

* note: data are missing for 19 December 2018 when at least 3 mm is estimated to have fallen at the site

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top