Monday, 2 March 2020 - Seasonal Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC23R0

South Australia in summer 2019-20: warm with average to above average rainfall in some areas

Rainfall in summer was generally close to average or above average over many areas of South Australia, though it was a drier than average season in parts of the Northeast Pastoral district and in the far west. Daytime temperatures were warmer than average across the State, while night-time temperatures were close to average in the south and above average in the northern Pastoral districts.

Average to above average rainfall in central areas and the South East

• For South Australia as a whole, rainfall in summer was 31% below average, but there were many parts of the State, including central districts and the South East, that had near or above average rainfall for the season
• Summer was drier than average in parts of the Northeast Pastoral district and in the far west of the State
• Summer began with the State's driest December since 1972
• Thunderstorms brought heavy rain and localised flash flooding to some areas at the start of February, giving a wet end to the season for central districts and the South East
• A few sites had their highest summer daily rainfall on record

Sixth-warmest summer on record, despite a cool February

• Daytime temperatures were above average to very much above average over most of the State for summer
• The overall mean temperature for South Australia was 1.54 °C above average, the sixth-warmest summer on record
• The season began with South Australia's warmest December on record but ended with a cooler than average February
• Heatwaves in December saw several sites have their highest summer temperature on record
• In early January, a day of cold south to southeasterly winds saw some sites have their coldest summer day on record
• The State's mean maximum temperature for summer was 2.05 °C above average, the fourth-highest on record
• Night-time temperatures for summer were near-average or warmer than average across the State
• Mean minimum temperatures were particularly warm in the north, with areas of very much above average to highest on record in the Pastoral districts
• Areas of cooler than average minimum temperatures in February were offset by South Australia's highest mean minimum temperature on record for December
• In December, several sites had their warmest summer night on record
• The mean minimum temperature for summer was 1.02 °C above average for South Australia as a whole

Strong winds at times

• There were several days of strong northerly winds ahead of cold fronts in December and January
• The strongest recorded wind gust during summer was 128 km/h at Kadina on the Yorke Peninsula during the afternoon of 20 December 2019
• Particularly in December and January, strong winds and low humidity combined with high temperatures to create dangerous fire weather conditions, including some days with catastrophic fire danger ratings

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

Click on a map to show it full size in a pop-up window

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top