Monday, 1 March 2021 - Seasonal Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC23R0
South Australia in summer 2020–21: coolest since 2001–02
Rainfall in summer was above average in South Australia's west and along the southern coasts, but below average in parts of the east. Daytime temperatures for summer were below average across most of South Australia, whereas night-time temperatures were generally close to average in most districts.
Wet in the west
- Rainfall in summer was above average in the state's west and along the southern coasts, but below average in the east.
- Summer rainfall for South Australia as a whole was 14% above average, the highest since summer 2016–17.
- December and February were wetter than average across large areas of the state's west and rainfall in January was average to above average in parts of the east.
- On 26 January, Yunta (Panaramitee) and Wilpena (Oraparinna) had their highest summer daily rainfall on record
Coolest summer since 2001–02
- Daytime temperatures for summer were below to very much below average across much of South Australia, particularly for the western Pastoral districts, but close to average or above average in the far east of the state.
- The mean maximum temperature for South Australia as a whole was 0.48 °C below average, the lowest since summer 2001–02.
- Night-time temperatures were generally close to average, but were below average in some central and eastern districts and above average in the far north-east.
- The state's mean minimum temperature was 0.12 °C below average, the lowest in summer since 2004–05.
- Temperatures were cooler than average for the state as a whole during December and February, but January temperatures were closer to average.
- The overall mean temperature for South Australia in summer was 0.30 °C below average, the lowest for summer since 2001–02.
- South Australia's cooler than average summer followed the state's third-warmest spring.
- On 24 January, Cape Jaffa (The Limestone) equalled its highest summer temperature on record
- Tarcoola Aero had its lowest summer mean daily maximum temperature on record
- On 25 January, Renmark Aero had its warmest summer night on record
- Robe had its lowest summer mean daily minimum temperature since 1995.
Further information
- Media
- media@bom.gov.au (03) 9669 4057
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
Extremes in summer 2020-21 | |
---|---|
Hottest day |
46.6 °C at Moomba Airport on 5 Dec 2020 |
Warmest days on average |
36.6 °C at Moomba Airport |
Coolest days on average |
20.8 °C at Cape Willoughby |
Coldest day |
11.9 °C at Mount Lofty on 7 Dec 2020 |
Coldest night |
1.1 °C at Keith (Munkora) on 28 Dec 2020 |
Coolest nights on average |
10.6 °C at Naracoorte Aerodrome |
Warmest nights on average |
23.3 °C at Moomba Airport |
Warmest night |
33.2 °C at Oodnadatta Airport on 24 Jan 2021 |
Warmest on average overall |
29.9 °C at Moomba Airport |
Coolest on average overall |
17.1 °C at Mount Lofty |
Wettest overall |
211.6 mm at Ernabella (Pukatja) |
Wettest day |
109.4 mm at Ernabella (Pukatja) on 12 Feb 2021 |
Strongest wind gust |
119 km/h at Mount Crawford AWS on 5 Dec 2020 |
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
Maps | |||
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Observed | Anomaly | Decile rank | |
Total rainfall |
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Mean daily maximum temperatures |
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Mean daily minimum temperatures |
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Click on a map to show it full size in a pop-up window
Record highest summer daily rainfall | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New record (mm) |
Old record |
Years of record |
||||
Yunta (Panaramitee) | 107.8 | on 26 Jan 2021 | 100.6 | on 13 Dec 1975 | 116 | |
Wilpena (Oraparinna) | 105.4 | on 26 Jan 2021 | 60.2 | on 5 Feb 2011 | 34 |
Record highest summer temperature | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for summer |
|||
Cape Jaffa (The Limestone) | 41.8 | on 24 Jan 2021 | = 41.8 | on 24 Jan 2019 | 30 | 24.1 |
Record lowest summer mean daily maximum temperature | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for summer |
||
Tarcoola Aero | 33.4 | 33.8 | in 2004 | 22 | 35.6 |
Record highest summer daily minimum temperature | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for summer |
|||
Renmark Aero | 31.0 | on 25 Jan 2021 | 30.4 | on 31 Jan 2020 | 26 | 15.6 |
Lowest summer mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Observed (°C) |
Most recent lower |
Average for summer |
|||
Robe | 12.8 | 12.7 | in 1995 | 13.4 |
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
Summary statistics for summer 2020-21 | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Maximum temperatures (°C) |
Minimum temperatures (°C) |
Rainfall (millimetres) |
||||||||||
Mean for summer 2020-21 |
Diff from average |
Highest for summer 2020-21 |
Mean for summer 2020-21 |
Diff from average |
Lowest for summer 2020-21 |
Total for summer 2020-21 |
Average for summer |
Rank of summer 2020-21 |
Fraction of summer average |
|||
Northwest (district 16) | ||||||||||||
Andamooka | 34.0 | -1.7 | 43.6 | 23 Jan 2021 | 20.1 | -0.7 | 12.5 | 8 Dec 2020 | 59.6 | 59.8 | average | 100% |
Coober Pedy Airport | 33.6 | -2.1 | 44.2 | 23 Jan 2021 | 19.6 | -1.7 | 13.2 | 5 Feb 2021 | 71.0 | 47.8 | high | 149% |
Ernabella (Pukatja) | 32.9 | -1.7 | 40.4 | 13 Jan 2021 | 19.6 | -0.7 | 13.0 | 24 Dec 2020 | 211.6 | 128.9 | high | 164% |
Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome) | 33.5 | -2.4 | 43.3 | 23 Jan 2021 | 19.2 | -1.0 | 11.5 | 8 Dec 2020 | 57.8 | 45.4 | high | 127% |
Tarcoola Aero | 33.4 | -2.2 | 44.6 | 23 Jan 2021 | 17.5 | -1.4 | 9.4 | 8 Dec 2020 | 36.8 | 54.2 | average | 68% |
Woomera Aerodrome | 32.7 | -1.0 | 42.9 | 23 Jan 2021 | 18.2 | -0.7 | 11.0 | 6 Dec 2020 | 74.6 | 50.4 | high | 148% |
Far North (district 17) | ||||||||||||
Leigh Creek Airport | 32.9 | -1.8 | 42.7 | 24 Jan 2021 | 19.2 | -0.9 | 10.1 | 8 Dec 2020 | 91.8 | 71.5 | average | 128% |
Marree Aero | 35.6 | -1.9 | 44.2 | 24 Jan 2021 | 20.7 | -1.2 | 12.7 | 24 Feb 2021 | 41.2 | 57.4 | average | 72% |
Moomba Airport | 36.6 | -1.1 | 46.6 | 5 Dec 2020 | 23.3 | -0.4 | 15.0 | 6 Feb 2021 | 42.4 | 52.1 | average | 81% |
Oodnadatta Airport | 36.1 | -1.0 | 44.9 | 23 Jan 2021 | 21.3 | -1.0 | 14.6 | 9 Dec 2020 | 52.2 | 69.8 | average | 75% |
Western Agricultural (district 18) | ||||||||||||
Ceduna AMO | 27.1 | -1.1 | 44.7 | 23 Jan 2021 | 14.7 | -0.2 | 5.9 | 3 Dec 2020 | 63.4 | 47.2 | high | 134% |
Cleve | 26.3 | -1.3 | 42.1 | 24 Jan 2021 | 15.5 | +0.2 | 7.8 | 8 Dec 2020 | 49.8 | 64.3 | average | 77% |
Cleve Aerodrome | 26.6 | -1.8 | 42.8 | 24 Jan 2021 | 14.9 | -0.6 | 9.1 | 8 Dec 2020 | 37.8 | 58.6 | average | 65% |
Coffin Bay (Point Avoid) | 23.6 | 37.6 | 10 Jan 2021 | 14.8 | 9.0 | 9 Dec 2020 | 66.4 | |||||
Cultana (Defence) | 30.9 | 42.9 | 24 Jan 2021 | 16.4 | 9.6 | 8 Dec 2020 | 33.2 | |||||
Cummins Aero | 27.6 | -1.9 | 42.6 | 23 Jan 2021 | 13.3 | -1.2 | 3.2 | 18 Dec 2020 | 65.0 | 58.0 | average | 112% |
Elliston | 25.7 | +0.2 | 41.4 | 18 Feb 2021 | 15.5 | 0.0 | 8.5 | 23 Dec 2020 | 69.6 | 41.0 | high | 170% |
Minnipa PIRSA | 29.8 | -2.3 | 42.7 | 23 Jan 2021 | 14.7 | -0.8 | 8.0 | 18 Dec 2020 | 56.8 | 44.8 | average | 127% |
Neptune Island | 21.0 | -0.6 | 30.2 | 24 Jan 2021 | 15.7 | -0.2 | 12.8 | 7 Dec 2020 | 48.4 | 43.8 | high | 111% |
North Shields (Port Lincoln AWS) | 24.3 | -1.4 | 37.4 | 24 Jan 2021 | 14.7 | -0.6 | 8.5 | 9 Dec 2020 | 48.6 | 48.8 | average | 100% |
Nullarbor | 26.1 | -1.5 | 43.5 | 10 Feb 2021 | 15.3 | -0.2 | 9.9 | 3 Dec 2020 | 114.4 | 43.3 | v high | 264% |
Port Augusta Aero | 31.9 | -1.4 | 45.3 | 24 Jan 2021 | 17.9 | -0.7 | 10.3 | 6 Dec 2020 | 42.0 | 54.5 | average | 77% |
Streaky Bay | 27.2 | -1.4 | 42.9 | 23 Jan 2021 | 14.8 | -0.9 | 8.5 | 3 Dec 2020 | 101.3 | 40.6 | v high | 250% |
Whyalla Aero | 28.6 | -0.9 | 43.7 | 24 Jan 2021 | 17.0 | -0.2 | 10.4 | 9 Dec 2020 | 39.9 | 60.0 | average | 67% |
Wudinna Aero | 30.8 | -1.8 | 43.8 | 23 Jan 2021 | 14.2 | -0.6 | 4.2 | 8 Dec 2020 | 49.4 | 45.7 | average | 108% |
Upper North (district 19) | ||||||||||||
Yongala | 29.4 | -0.5 | 40.0 | 24 Jan 2021 | 12.9 | 0.0 | 4.4 | 16 Jan 2021 | 51.8 | 68.7 | average | 75% |
Northeast (district 20) | ||||||||||||
Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot) | 31.4 | -1.4 | 43.7 | 24 Jan 2021 | 13.9 | -1.1 | 4.8 | 2 Dec 2020 | 23.2 | 71.6 | low | 32% |
Yunta Airstrip | 30.7 | -2.0 | 40.5 | 23 Jan 2021 | 14.9 | -0.8 | 7.0 | 8 Dec 2020 | 49.0 | 57.7 | average | 85% |
Lower North (district 21) | ||||||||||||
Clare High School | 28.1 | -1.2 | 41.2 | 24 Jan 2021 | 12.9 | -1.3 | 5.1 | 25 Feb 2021 | 64.2 | 85.5 | low | 75% |
Port Pirie Aerodrome AWS | 30.9 | 44.9 | 24 Jan 2021 | 15.1 | 6.3 | 8 Dec 2020 | 47.6 | |||||
Snowtown (Rayville Park) | 30.2 | -1.6 | 43.8 | 24 Jan 2021 | 13.0 | -0.8 | 6.1 | 8 Dec 2020 | 59.0 | 64.1 | average | 92% |
Yorke Peninsula (district 22A) | ||||||||||||
Edithburgh | 24.3 | -0.6 | 44.5 | 24 Jan 2021 | 15.9 | -0.4 | 9.6 | 5 Feb 2021 | 46.4 | 47.5 | average | 98% |
Kadina AWS | 28.8 | -2.0 | 43.8 | 24 Jan 2021 | 14.4 | -0.4 | 6.9 | 8 Dec 2020 | 52.2 | 55.7 | average | 94% |
Minlaton Aero | 27.5 | -1.2 | 41.9 | 24 Jan 2021 | 14.1 | -0.6 | 7.0 | 28 Dec 2020 | 46.8 | 50.4 | average | 93% |
Stenhouse Bay | 23.3 | -1.2 | 38.9 | 18 Feb 2021 | 15.7 | -0.6 | 9.7 | 9 Dec 2020 | 48.0 | 49.3 | average | 97% |
Kangaroo Island (district 22B) | ||||||||||||
Cape Borda | 22.2 | -1.8 | 37.0 | 24 Jan 2021 | 13.7 | -0.3 | 8.1 | 9 Dec 2020 | 83.2 | 58.8 | high | 141% |
Cape Willoughby | 20.8 | -0.7 | 37.8 | 24 Jan 2021 | 15.4 | -0.2 | 10.8 | 7 Dec 2020 | 72.5 | 59.9 | high | 121% |
Kingscote Aero | 24.7 | -1.5 | 40.9 | 24 Jan 2021 | 12.3 | -0.4 | 3.3 | 3 Dec 2020 | 68.6 | 54.5 | average | 126% |
Parndana CFS AWS | 24.0 | 40.5 | 24 Jan 2021 | 12.2 | 4.6 | 28 Dec 2020 | 84.6 | 72.5 | average | 117% | ||
Adelaide Plains (district 23A) | ||||||||||||
Adelaide (West Terrace / ngayirdapira) | 27.4 | -0.6 | 42.7 | 24 Jan 2021 | 15.7 | -0.5 | 9.2 | 28 Dec 2020 | 75.2 | 66.7 | average | 113% |
Adelaide Airport | 26.6 | -0.8 | 42.0 | 24 Jan 2021 | 15.8 | +0.1 | 9.4 | 28 Dec 2020 | 61.6 | 60.3 | average | 102% |
Edinburgh RAAF | 28.4 | -1.0 | 44.6 | 24 Jan 2021 | 15.2 | -0.8 | 7.9 | 28 Dec 2020 | 46.8 | 63.4 | average | 74% |
Parafield Airport | 28.9 | -0.2 | 43.9 | 24 Jan 2021 | 14.9 | -1.0 | 7.2 | 28 Dec 2020 | 54.8 | 64.4 | average | 85% |
Roseworthy AWS | 29.5 | -1.4 | 44.8 | 24 Jan 2021 | 12.6 | -1.6 | 3.7 | 3 Dec 2020 | 44.6 | 62.7 | average | 71% |
County Light (district 23B) | ||||||||||||
Nuriootpa PIRSA | 27.9 | -1.2 | 41.4 | 24 Jan 2021 | 12.5 | -1.4 | 4.1 | 8 Dec 2020 | 37.8 | 72.2 | low | 52% |
Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23C) | ||||||||||||
Hindmarsh Island AWS | 24.0 | -1.1 | 43.1 | 24 Jan 2021 | 15.1 | -0.5 | 9.2 | 3 Dec 2020 | 36.4 | 57.5 | low | 63% |
Kuitpo Forest Reserve | 23.7 | -1.7 | 40.1 | 24 Jan 2021 | 12.8 | -0.9 | 7.7 | 28 Dec 2020 | 110.0 | 87.8 | high | 125% |
Mount Barker | 26.3 | -0.1 | 41.0 | 24 Jan 2021 | 11.8 | +0.3 | 5.5 | 3 Dec 2020 | 85.6 | 87.0 | average | 98% |
Mount Crawford AWS | 25.2 | -1.5 | 40.1 | 24 Jan 2021 | 12.3 | -1.2 | 6.5 | 11 Dec 2020 | 79.6 | 81.9 | average | 97% |
Mount Lofty | 22.7 | +1.1 | 37.2 | 24 Jan 2021 | 11.4 | -0.6 | 5.3 | 11 Dec 2020 | 103.8* | 126.6 | ||
Noarlunga | 26.5 | -1.2 | 42.9 | 24 Jan 2021 | 15.7 | -0.8 | 8.6 | 28 Dec 2020 | 64.0 | 57.0 | average | 112% |
Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS) | 21.7 | -1.3 | 39.7 | 24 Jan 2021 | 12.8 | -0.5 | 7.3 | 3 Dec 2020 | 92.6 | 94.7 | average | 98% |
Victor Harbor (Encounter Bay) | 23.8 | -0.7 | 42.8 | 24 Jan 2021 | 13.2 | -0.8 | 5.0 | 3 Dec 2020 | 70.2 | 73.4 | average | 96% |
Upper Murray Valley (district 24A) | ||||||||||||
Loxton Research Centre | 30.6 | -0.6 | 43.2 | 24 Jan 2021 | 13.8 | -0.4 | 7.4 | 3 Dec 2020 | 25.3 | 60.1 | low | 42% |
Renmark Aero | 31.1 | -1.5 | 44.7 | 24 Jan 2021 | 14.7 | -0.9 | 7.5 | 8 Dec 2020 | 26.4 | 59.3 | low | 45% |
Lower Murray Valley (district 24B) | ||||||||||||
Eudunda | 28.3 | -0.3 | 41.2 | 24 Jan 2021 | 6.0 | 8 Dec 2020 | 38.0 | 70.7 | low | 54% | ||
Meningie | 25.4 | -0.4 | 43.2 | 24 Jan 2021 | 13.6 | -0.1 | 7.0 | 3 Dec 2020 | 71.0 | 59.7 | average | 119% |
Murray Bridge (Pallamana Aerodrome) | 28.1 | -1.7 | 45.1 | 24 Jan 2021 | 13.0 | -0.8 | 4.8 | 3 Dec 2020 | 36.0 | 59.9 | low | 60% |
Strathalbyn Racecourse | 26.1 | -1.2 | 43.8 | 24 Jan 2021 | 13.4 | -0.7 | 6.3 | 3 Dec 2020 | 64.6 | 63.3 | average | 102% |
Upper Southeast (district 25B) | ||||||||||||
Keith | 28.5 | -0.7 | 43.6 | 24 Jan 2021 | 12.2 | -0.6 | 5.0 | 28 Dec 2020 | 73.3 | 66.2 | average | 111% |
Keith (Munkora) | 29.0 | -1.1 | 44.9 | 24 Jan 2021 | 10.7 | -0.9 | 1.1 | 28 Dec 2020 | 57.8 | 65.0 | average | 89% |
Lameroo (Austin Plains) | 29.8 | -1.3 | 43.4 | 24 Jan 2021 | 12.0 | -1.4 | 3.5 | 28 Dec 2020 | 53.0 | 66.3 | average | 80% |
Lower Southeast (district 26) | ||||||||||||
Cape Jaffa (The Limestone) | 22.9 | -1.2 | 41.8 | 24 Jan 2021 | 12.9 | -0.4 | 6.5 | 3 Dec 2020 | 83.6 | 58.5 | high | 143% |
Coonawarra | 26.0 | -0.7 | 42.3 | 24 Jan 2021 | 11.0 | -0.2 | 1.5 | 28 Dec 2020 | 76.6 | 84.5 | average | 91% |
Mount Gambier Aero | 24.3 | -0.3 | 42.6 | 24 Jan 2021 | 11.3 | +0.3 | 2.4 | 3 Dec 2020 | 116.6 | 92.5 | high | 126% |
Naracoorte Aerodrome | 27.6 | -1.2 | 43.9 | 24 Jan 2021 | 10.6 | -0.6 | 2.4 | 3 Dec 2020 | 70.2 | 76.8 | average | 91% |
Padthaway South | 27.2 | -1.1 | 42.6 | 24 Jan 2021 | 11.3 | -0.6 | 4.0 | 11 Dec 2020 | 95.8 | 73.0 | high | 131% |
Robe | 21.6 | -0.5 | 35.4 | 24 Jan 2021 | 12.8 | -0.6 | 6.5 | 3 Dec 2020 | 113.2 | 67.7 | high | 167% |
Robe Airfield | 22.8 | -1.2 | 42.1 | 24 Jan 2021 | 12.4 | -0.2 | 2.6 | 3 Dec 2020 | 114.8 | 76.9 | high | 149% |
* note: a blocked rain gauge at Mount Lofty around 6 February means the summer rainfall total is under-reported.
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
Notes
The Seasonal 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 Monday 1 March 2021. 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
- media@bom.gov.au (03) 9669 4057