Tuesday, 1 December 2020 - Seasonal Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC23R0

South Australia in spring 2020: third-warmest on record

Rainfall for spring was above average over large areas of central and northern South Australia. Both September and October were wetter than average months for the state, but the season ended with a much drier than average November. Both daytime and night-time temperatures were warmer than average for spring, with temperatures in September and November very much above average. The mean temperature for spring was the third-warmest on record for South Australia as a whole.

Wettest spring since 2011

Third-warmest spring on record

  • Daytime temperatures for spring were very much above average over most of the state.
  • Both daytime and night-time temperatures in September and November were very much above average.
  • The highest temperature recorded during spring was 48.0 °C at Andamooka on 28 November, which was the highest spring temperature ever recorded in South Australia.
  • The spring mean maximum temperature for South Australia as a whole was 2.47 °C above average, the sixth-highest on record and highest since 2015.
  • Night-time temperatures were very much above average to highest on record across South Australia during spring.
  • The mean minimum temperature was 2.04 °C above average for South Australia as a whole, the highest on record (previous highest was +1.71 °C in 2015).
  • The overall mean temperature for spring was 2.26 °C above average, the third-warmest on record and highest since 2015.
  • On 28 November, numerous sites had their highest spring temperature on record.
  • In September and October, several sites had their coldest spring day on record.
  • Parafield Airport and Elliston had their highest spring mean daily maximum temperature on record.
  • A few sites had their warmest spring night on record.
  • A number of sites had their highest spring mean daily minimum temperature on record.
  • Some sites in central and western districts had their highest spring mean temperature on record.

Further information

Media
(03) 9669 4057

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes in spring 2020
Hottest day 48.0 °C at Andamooka on 28 Nov
Warmest days on average 32.3 °C at Oodnadatta Airport
Coolest days on average 18.1 °C at Mount Lofty
Coldest day 6.9 °C at Mount Lofty on 7 Oct
Coldest night -2.1 °C at Murray Bridge (Pallamana Aerodrome) on 1 Sep
Coolest nights on average 7.6 °C at Keith (Munkora)
Warmest nights on average 16.8 °C at Moomba Airport
Warmest night 30.9 °C at Moomba Airport on 28 Nov
Warmest on average overall 24.5 °C at Oodnadatta Airport
Coolest on average overall 13.4 °C at Mount Lofty
Wettest overall 286.5 mm at Piccadilly (Woodhouse)
Wettest day 98.5 mm at Mount Eba on 19 Sep
Strongest wind gust 124 km/h at Woomera Aerodrome on 22 Oct
124 km/h at Sellicks Hill (Mount Terrible Radar) on 22 Nov

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Maps
ObservedAnomalyDecile rank
Total
rainfall		 Map of Rainfall totals Map of Percentage of normal rainfall Map of Rainfall deciles
Mean
daily
maximum
temperatures		 Map of Mean maximum temperature Map of Anomaly in mean maximum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean maximum temperature
Mean
daily
minimum
temperatures		 Map of Mean minimum temperature Map of Anomaly in mean minimum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean minimum temperature

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

Record highest spring daily rainfall
New record
(mm)		 Old
record		 Years of
record
Quorn 77.0 on 24 Oct 62.2 on 9 Oct 1949 133
Marree (Farina) 55.0 on 19 Sep 46.0 on 15 Nov 1961 125
Mount Eba 98.5 on 19 Sep 63.8 on 8 Sep 1949 105
Mooleulooloo 77.2 on 20 Sep 56.9 on 29 Nov 1933 86
Maralinga 53.0 on 18 Sep 52.2 on 26 Sep 1982 55
Tumby Bay (Yadnarie) 47.0 on 5 Oct =47.0 on 14 Nov 1979 52
Broughman's Gate House (Quinyambie) 44.4 on 19 Sep 42.0 on 24 Oct 2007 47
Marree Aero 93.0 on 19 Sep 39.0 on 19 Oct 2005 23
Minlaton Aero 42.0 on 5 Oct 40.6 on 4 Sep 2010 20


Record highest spring total rainfall
New record
(mm)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
spring
North Shields (Port Lincoln AWS) 174.6 163.6 in 2005 27 85.4
Minburra 145.0 129.9 in 2010 21 64.7

Highest spring total rainfall for at least 20 years
Observed
(mm)		 Most recent
higher		 Average for
spring
Morchard (The Rocks) 183.6 255.0 in 1992 99.1
Woomera Aerodrome 102.4 128.4 in 1992 46.4
Quorn 216.0 227.4 in 1992* 86.2
Bruce 145.0 161.0 in 1997* 71.5
Wilmington 188.4 202.6 in 1997* 114.2

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



Record highest spring temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
spring
Woomera Aerodrome 46.9 on 28 Nov 44.9 on 19 Nov 2009 72 26.4
Oodnadatta Airport 47.4 on 28 Nov 47.3 on 29 Nov 2006 71 30.4
Andamooka 48.0 on 28 Nov 45.7 on 22 Nov 2014 52 28.3
Hawker 44.5 on 28 Nov 44.0 on 18 Nov 2009 49 25.8
Arkaroola 44.5 on 28 Nov 44.4 on 18 Nov 2009 43 26.9
Leigh Creek Airport 46.0 on 28 Nov 45.2 on 18 Nov 2009 37 27.2
Coober Pedy Airport 45.9 on 28 Nov 45.4 on 29 Nov 2006 27 29.0
Moomba Airport 47.1 on 28 Nov 47.0 on 30 Nov 2006 26 30.8
Ernabella (Pukatja) 43.5 on 28 Nov 41.8 on 25 Nov 2012 24 29.1
Marree Aero 47.5 on 28 Nov 46.8 on 18 Nov 2009 23 30.2
Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome) 47.4 on 28 Nov 46.1 on 22 Nov 2014 23 28.7
Yunta Airstrip 44.6 on 28 Nov 43.5 on 18 Nov 2009 23 25.3


Record lowest spring daily maximum temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
spring
Hawker 11.2 on 25 Sep 11.5 on 29 Sep 2016 49 25.8
Coober Pedy Airport 13.4 on 6 Oct = 13.4 on 21 Oct 1995 27 29.0
Minnipa PIRSA 11.2 on 7 Oct = 11.2 on 29 Sep 2016 25 25.3
Port Augusta Aero 14.6 on 7 Oct 14.8 on 1 Oct 2009 20 27.2


Record highest spring mean daily maximum temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
spring
Parafield Airport 25.1 25.0 in 2015 63 22.2
Elliston 24.2 24.0 in 2014 57 21.6


Record highest spring daily minimum temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
spring
Marree Aero 30.7 on 21 Nov 30.3 on 28 Nov 2006 23 14.1
Snowtown (Rayville Park) 23.6 on 22 Nov 23.3 on 5 Nov 2012 23 7.5
Victor Harbor (Encounter Bay) 24.7 on 3 Oct 22.3 on 24 Nov 2010 20 9.3


Record highest spring mean daily minimum temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
spring
Yongala 8.3 = 8.3 in 1944 91 6.5
Ceduna AMO 11.9 = 11.9 in 1965 79 10.1
Edinburgh RAAF 11.9 11.7 in 2017 47 10.3
Hawker 12.4 12.3 in 2009 45 10.0
Leigh Creek Airport 14.5 14.3 in 2009 36 12.7
Nullarbor 11.9 11.5 in 2015 32 10.3
Cleve Aerodrome 11.5 11.4 in 2009 24 10.3
Minnipa PIRSA 12.0 11.5 in 2017 23 10.3
Marree Aero 15.5 15.0 in 2009 22 14.1
Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome) 14.6 14.4 in 2009 22 12.8
Snowtown (Rayville Park) 9.4 8.9 in 2000 22 7.5
Tarcoola Aero 13.7 = 13.7 in 2015 22 12.2
Yunta Airstrip 11.1 11.0 in 2017 22 9.4
Wudinna Aero 11.4 10.5 in 2000 21 9.2


Record highest spring mean temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
spring
Ceduna AMO 18.9 18.8 in 2013 79 17.0
Parafield Airport 18.3 = 18.3 in 2017 63 16.3
Elliston 18.3 18.1 in 2014 57 16.4
Whyalla Aero 18.8 = 18.8 in 2014 35 17.6
Nullarbor 18.9 = 18.9 in 2014 31 17.4
Snowtown (Rayville Park) 17.6 17.3 in 2015 22 16.0
Wudinna Aero 19.1 18.9 in 2014 21 17.6


Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Summary statistics for spring 2020
Maximum temperatures
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
(°C)		 Rainfall
(millimetres)
Mean for
spring
2020		 Diff
from
average		 Highest for
spring
2020		 Mean for
spring
2020		 Diff
from
average		 Lowest for
spring
2020		 Total for
spring
2020		 Average
for
spring		 Rank of
spring
2020		 Fraction of
spring
average
Northwest (district 16)
Andamooka 29.8 +1.5 48.0 28 Nov 14.9 +1.2 6.5 27 Sep 51.6 43.6 average 118%
Coober Pedy Airport 30.2 +1.2 45.9 28 Nov 15.1 +0.7 6.7 26 Sep 49.6 34.3 high 145%
Ernabella (Pukatja) 30.6 +1.5 43.5 28 Nov 15.9 +1.9 4.1 8 Oct 52.2 60.4 average 86%
Mount Ive 27.2   42.0 27 Nov     9.0 3 Sep 136.8 64.8 high 211%
Roxby Downs (Olympic Dam Aerodrome) 29.0 +0.3 47.4 28 Nov 14.6 +1.8 5.6 26 Sep 74.8 35.5 v high 211%
Tarcoola Aero 29.5 +0.9 44.3 27 Nov 13.7 +1.5 2.8 26 Sep 63.8 46.2 high 138%
Woomera Aerodrome 28.4 +2.0 46.9 28 Nov 14.1 +1.6 5.1 26 Sep 102.4 46.4 v high 221%
Far North (district 17)
Leigh Creek Airport 28.7 +1.5 46.0 28 Nov 14.5 +1.8 3.3 1 Sep 44.0 51.1 average 86%
Marree Aero 31.0 +0.8 47.5 28 Nov 15.5 +1.4 6.0 1 Sep 115.8 34.3 v high 338%
Moomba Airport 31.8 +1.0 47.1 28 Nov 16.8 +1.0 6.8 1 Sep 54.8 41.8 high 131%
Oodnadatta Airport 32.3 +1.9 47.4 28 Nov 16.7 +1.6 6.2 26 Sep 42.8 36.3 high 118%
Western Agricultural (district 18)
Ceduna AMO 25.9 +2.0 42.9 10 Nov 11.9 +1.8 1.9 5 Sep 99.2 70.0 high 142%
Cleve 23.9 +1.6 42.1 27 Nov 11.1 +0.7 2.6 25 Sep 157.0 105.5 high 149%
Cleve Aerodrome     42.8 27 Nov 11.5 +1.2 3.5 27 Sep 137.8 85.7 high 161%
Coffin Bay (Point Avoid) 21.2   35.0 10 Nov 12.2   5.0 27 Sep 121.8
Cultana (Defence) 26.5   43.6 15 Nov 12.7   3.5 26 Sep 123.8
Cummins Aero 23.8 +0.6 40.7 10 Nov 9.0 +0.6 -0.9 26 Sep 139.8 81.6 v high 171%
Elliston 24.2 +2.6 40.9 10 Nov 12.5 +1.2 4.3 1 Oct 83.4 88.5 average 94%
Kimba 25.1 +1.2 43.0 27 Nov 9.9 +0.5 2.0 26 Sep 137.6 89.5 high 154%
Minnipa PIRSA 26.2 +0.9 43.5 27 Nov 12.0 +1.7 2.4 26 Sep 97.4 65.7 high 148%
North Shields (Port Lincoln AWS) 21.5 +0.6 39.7 10 Nov 10.7 +0.8 2.8 1 Sep 174.6 85.4 highest 204%
Nullarbor 26.0 +1.5 46.4 27 Nov 11.9 +1.6 3.1 26 Sep 77.6 53.0 high 146%
Port Augusta Aero 28.1 +0.9 45.3 15 Nov 12.8 +1.0 1.5 1 Sep 94.4 53.9 high 175%
Streaky Bay 25.0 +2.0 41.6 10 Nov 12.5 +0.9 6.3 26 Sep 83.2 79.4 average 105%
Whyalla Aero 25.6 +1.4 43.9 27 Nov 12.1 +1.1 1.6 1 Sep 119.8 70.4 high 170%
Wudinna Aero 26.9 +0.9 44.9 27 Nov 11.4 +2.2 1.9 26 Sep 77.2 61.6 high 125%
Upper North (district 19)
Hawker 25.9 +0.1 44.5 28 Nov 12.4 +2.4 2.4 28 Sep 89.1 73.9 high 121%
Yongala 23.3 +1.3 40.7 28 Nov 8.3 +1.8 -1.6 27 Sep 151.7 98.4 high 154%
Northeast (district 20)
Gluepot Reserve (Gluepot) 26.5 +0.6 44.4 28 Nov 10.0 +0.9 -2.0 1 Sep 114.8 74.1 average 155%
Yunta Airstrip 25.9 +0.6 44.6 28 Nov 11.1 +1.7 1.3 27 Sep 105.8 61.6 high 172%
Lower North (district 21)
Clare High School 22.4 +1.2 40.0 27 Nov 9.1 +0.9 -0.7 27 Sep 161.2 138.1 average 117%
Port Pirie Aerodrome AWS 26.5   44.1 27 Nov 11.2   1.9 27 Sep 111.0
Snowtown (Rayville Park) 25.9 +1.5 43.3 27 Nov 9.4 +1.9 -0.7 27 Sep 105.6 93.2 average 113%
Yorke Peninsula (district 22A)
Edithburgh 21.8 +1.5 40.0 27 Nov 11.3 +0.4 3.0 1 Oct 126.6 89.8 high 141%
Kadina AWS 24.8 +0.8 43.4 27 Nov 10.5 +2.0 0.3 27 Sep 113.6 72.8 average 156%
Minlaton Aero 23.7 +1.1 39.5 27 Nov 10.6 +0.9 1.2 26 Sep 71.2 78.9 average 90%
Stenhouse Bay 20.9 +0.8 35.3 10 Nov 12.3 +0.4 4.3 1 Sep 132.2 94.8 high 139%
Warooka 22.2 +1.5 36.9 27 Nov 11.5 +1.2 4.3 26 Sep
Kangaroo Island (district 22B)
Cape Willoughby 18.8 +1.2 31.4 15 Nov 12.3 +0.6 5.5 25 Sep 128.8 124.5 average 103%
Kingscote Aero 20.9 +0.5 36.9 21 Nov 8.7 +1.0 0.6 1 Sep 161.0 97.6 high 165%
Parndana CFS AWS 19.3   37.3 27 Nov 9.2   3.3 25 Sep 175.2 118.2 high 148%
Adelaide Plains (district 23A)
Adelaide (West Terrace / ngayirdapira) 23.8 +2.4 40.6 27 Nov 12.8 +1.6 4.8 27 Sep 121.4 125.4 average 97%
Adelaide Airport 23.3 +2.2 38.3 27 Nov 12.4 +1.5 4.3 27 Sep 93.8 105.1 average 89%
Edinburgh RAAF 24.4 +2.0 43.0 27 Nov 11.9 +1.6 3.6 1 Sep 115.4 108.4 average 106%
Parafield Airport 25.1 +2.9 42.1 27 Nov 11.4 +1.0 1.9 27 Sep 102.4 109.6 average 93%
Roseworthy AWS 25.4 +1.7 44.8 27 Nov 9.5 +1.3 1.0 19 Oct 109.8 99.9 average 110%
County Light (district 23B)
Nuriootpa PIRSA 22.7 +1.2 41.8 27 Nov 9.4 +0.9 -0.3 27 Sep 126.0 125.3 average 101%
Mount Lofty Ranges (district 23C)
Hindmarsh Island AWS 21.7 +0.6 38.1 10 Nov 11.5 +0.4 3.7 1 Sep 111.0 88.1 average 126%
Kuitpo Forest Reserve 19.9 +0.8 36.4 27 Nov 9.9 +0.4 3.8 25 Sep 188.0 160.3 high 117%
Mount Barker 21.4 +1.8 37.9 27 Nov 8.9 +1.5 2.2 27 Sep 198.2 190.5 average 104%
Mount Crawford AWS 19.9 +1.3 37.8 27 Nov 9.5 +0.7 1.3 25 Sep 194.6 150.4 high 129%
Mount Lofty 18.1 +2.9 34.8 27 Nov 8.7 +1.1 0.9 25 Sep 265.4 218.6 high 121%
Noarlunga 22.9 +1.3 38.3 27 Nov 12.7 +0.8 5.4 1 Sep 120.2 96.3 average 125%
Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS) 18.4 +1.4 34.4 27 Nov 9.7 +0.5 3.2 25 Sep 214.4 182.7 average 117%
Victor Harbor (Encounter Bay) 21.3 +0.7 37.7 27 Nov 9.9 +0.6 2.0 1 Sep 140.6 126.0 average 112%
Upper Murray Valley (district 24A)
Loxton Research Centre 25.7 +1.3 42.6 27 Nov 10.0 +1.3 -0.4 1 Sep 78.5 72.4 average 108%
Renmark Aero 26.4 +0.9 45.0 28 Nov 10.8 +1.5 -1.9 1 Sep 87.6 69.3 average 126%
Lower Murray Valley (district 24B)
Eudunda 22.5 +1.6 41.2 27 Nov 9.6 +1.3 2.5 27 Sep 129.4 117.6 average 110%
Meningie 22.2 +1.5 37.4 21 Nov 10.6 +0.9 2.3 1 Sep 114.2 113.7 average 100%
Murray Bridge (Pallamana Aerodrome) 24.3 +0.4 42.7 27 Nov 8.7 +0.9 -2.1 1 Sep 103.0 72.4 high 142%
Strathalbyn Racecourse 22.5 +0.9 40.6 27 Nov 9.7 +0.4 1.2 1 Sep 128.2 106.4 average 120%
Upper Southeast (district 25B)
Keith 23.4 +1.6 41.2 27 Nov 9.3 +0.9 1.2 15 Sep 118.4 122.4 average 97%
Keith (Munkora) 23.5 +0.8 42.6 27 Nov 7.6 +0.9 -0.5 10 Sep 110.4 94.0 high 117%
Lameroo (Austin Plains) 24.6 +0.9 44.0 27 Nov 8.8 +1.1 -0.5 1 Sep 94.8 79.3 average 120%
Lower Southeast (district 26)
Cape Jaffa (The Limestone) 19.6 +0.8 36.5 10 Nov 9.9 +0.4 3.1 10 Sep 150.8 107.0 high 141%
Coonawarra 20.7 +1.0 36.3 19 Nov 8.4 +0.9 1.1 1 Sep 161.6 140.8 average 115%
Mount Gambier Aero 20.1 +1.9 36.7 10 Nov 8.4 +1.1 0.0 28 Sep 213.6 179.0 high 119%
Naracoorte Aerodrome 21.3 +0.4 37.7 19 Nov 8.2 +0.9 -1.6 10 Sep 151.2 124.2 high 122%
Padthaway South 21.6 +0.6 37.0 19 Nov 8.5 +0.4 -0.2 10 Sep 153.2 111.3 high 138%
Robe 18.8 +1.1 31.0 10 Nov 10.4 +0.1 4.9 10 Sep 186.8 133.8 high 140%
Robe Airfield 19.7 +0.7 36.1 10 Nov 9.6 +0.6 0.7 9 Sep 174.2 121.1 high 144%

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 Tuesday 1 December 2020. 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
(03) 9669 4057

Climate