Wednesday, 1 March 2017 - Seasonal Climate Summary for South Australia - Product code IDCKGC23R0

South Australia in summer 2016-17: wet with warm temperatures

South Australia had its sixth-wettest summer on record. Temperatures were warmer than average across most of South Australia. Nights were particularly warm, with South Australia having its fifth-warmest summer mean minimum temperatures on record.

Above average rainfall

• Summer 2016–17 was South Australia's sixth-wettest summer on record (the record wettest was in 1973–74)
• Wettest summer for the State since 2010–11
• Very much above average rainfall across western districts and eastern agricultural areas
• Wettest summer on record for isolated patches around Nullarbor and in the northwest
• Above average summer rainfall through most of the rest of South Australia
• With several strong bursts of tropical activity, warmer than average ocean temperatures around northern Australia contributed to the wetter than average summer
• Many sites had their wettest summer day on record
• Numerous sites across agricultural areas and around Adelaide had their highest total summer rainfall on record

Warmer than average

• Night time temperatures were particularly warm across most of South Australia
• Fifth-warmest summer mean minimum temperatures on record—warmest summer nights for South Australia as a whole since 2005–06
• Very much above average daytime and night time mean temperatures for eastern pastoral districts
• Mean temperatures were near average in the southeast and far west of the State
• Warmer than average temperatures throughout most of the rest of South Australia
• Summer mean maximum temperatures for the State were more than one degree warmer than average
• The State experienced heatwave conditions several times during the summer
• From 27 January to 12 February, Moomba experienced 17 consecutive days of temperatures reaching 40 °C or above—Moomba's record is a run of 19 days in January–February 2014)
• More information about the heatwaves that affected southeast Australia during January and February can be found in Special Climate Statement 61
• Whyalla equalled its coldest summer day on record
• Ernabella had its coldest summer night on record
• Moomba Airport equalled its highest summer mean temperature on record

Strong winds at times and high humidity

• Moonta on Yorke Peninsula recorded the State's strongest wind gust over the summer, 141 km/h on 7 December 2016, as thunderstorms crossed the State
• Many areas of South Australia recorded extended periods of high humidity during summer
• On 28 December 2016, and then again on 13 January 2017, Mount Gambier recorded its highest daily precipitable water value for any month—52.0 mm and 53.6 mm respectively (precipitable water is a measure of the amount of water in the atmosphere)
• On 20 January, Woomera and Adelaide recorded their highest precipitable water values for January for at least 26 years—67.0 mm and 61.3 mm respectively

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

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top