Wednesday, 1 September 2021 - Seasonal Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC23R0

South Australia in winter 2021: Warm days and nights, close to average rainfall across most districts

Winter rainfall was close to average across most of South Australia. Daytime temperatures were above average in most of the state, and very much above average in parts of the far north. Night-time temperatures were above average across most of South Australia, with coastal areas and parts of the southeast districts experiencing very much above average night-time temperatures. In terms of the mean temperature, it was the eighth warmest winter on record, and the warmest since 2013.

Near average rainfall

• Winter rainfall was close to average for most of South Australia.
• It was wetter than average across the western parts of Eyre Peninsula, parts of the Flinders Ranges and Mt. Lofty Ranges, and southern parts of the lower Murray Valley.
• Parts of inland pastoral districts and the far northwest had below average winter rainfall.
• Averaged across South Australia, rainfall was around 11% below the winter average but it was the highest winter rainfall for the state since 2016.
• Throughout the season, cold fronts brought heavy rainfall that saw several locations report their highest winter daily rainfall on record in June and July.
• Some sites on the Eyre Peninsula and across the Mt. Lofty Ranges reported their highest total winter rainfall on record and some other sites had their highest total winter rainfall for at least 20 years.
• Piccadilly (Woodhouse) was the wettest location overall this winter with a total of 621.9 mm of rainfall recorded during the season.

Warm days and nights across most of the state

• Night-time temperatures were above average across most of South Australia, with coastal areas and much of the state's south-east experiencing night-time temperatures that were very much above average.
• Kingscote Aero had its warmest winter night (highest daily minimum temperature) on record in June, and some sites in the state's south-east had their highest winter mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years.
• State-wide, minimum temperatures for winter were the warmest since 2016.
• Daytime temperatures during winter were above average in most of the state with very much above average daytime temperatures across the state's north.
• Across the state as a whole, maximum temperature was 1.28 °C warmer than average, the highest since 2018 and coming in ninth warmest on record.
• Despite the above average daytime temperatures for most of the state, Streaky Bay on the western coast of the Eyre Peninsula reported its lowest winter mean daily maximum temperature since 1997.
• In July, a cold front saw several locations report their coldest winter day (lowest maximum temperature) on record.
• For the state as a whole, mean temperature was 1.00 °C warmer than average, the highest since 2013 and coming in eighth warmest on record that also resulted in Mount Barker reporting the highest winter mean temperature for at least 20 years.

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

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

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

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

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

* note: This includes an estimated rainfall total of 14 mm for the 22nd and 23rd July at Adelaide (West Terrace / ngayirdapira).

^ note: This includes an estimated rainfall total of 44 mm for the 25th to 27th July at Mount Lofty.

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top