Friday, 28 February 2014 - Monthly Climate Summary for Adelaide Metro & Hills - Product code IDCKGC23L0

Adelaide Metro & Hills in February 2014: Record rainfall in a warm month

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• Heavy rainfall mid-month produces many records and the wettest day for Adelaide in 45 years and 6th wettest day on record
• Record hottest February days for some locations
• Hotter than average temperatures despite a mild finish to the month

Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top

Rainfall

No rain was recorded this month until a heavy rainfall event that started on the 13 February before clearing late on the 14 February. This event produced rainfall totals in excess of 100mm in several locations in the Adelaide Hills, with Adelaide ( Kent Town) recording 75.2mm in the 24 hours until 9am on the 14 February. This was the highest daily rainfall total for Adelaide since 1969, and the 6th highest daily rainfall total in the complete Adelaide rainfall record which commenced in 1839.

As a result of the mid-February rain event, many locations had wettest daily February rainfall on record, mainly in the Adelaide Hills , and several locations on the Adelaide Plains had record highest February rainfall totals record highest February rainfall totals.

A cold frontal system in the third week produced lower rainfall amounts, with totals for the month typically ranging from 80 to 120 mm on the Adelaide Plains, and 100 to 140 mm in the Adelaide Hills. These amounts are typically 4 to 5 times February average rainfall.

The highest rainfall for the month was at Kersbrook where 153.4 mm was recorded for the month, the wettest month at that site since July 2013, and wettest February on record.

Temperature

The month started with well above average temperatures before much milder conditions prevailed from the 13th onwards.

Maximum temperature

Adelaide had 2 consecutive days of 43 °C which had never occurred before in February. The month had a total of 5 days of 40 °C or more, compared with the average of one such day. The only time with 5 or more occurred in February 1914 when 6 such days were recorded.

With a very hot start and milder second half of the month, maximum temperatures for the month as a whole ended up about a degree above average, with Adelaide averaging 30.0 °C; in comparison February 2013 days averaged 30.8 °C for maximum temperatures for Adelaide.

The hottest single day in the region was when 45.0 °C was recorded at Edinburgh on 2 February, with the coldest day being recorded at Mount Lofty with the maximum temperature reaching only 14.3 °C on 19 February. Mount Lofty was also had the coolest days averaging 24.5 °C compared to Parafield which experienced the hottest days, averaging 30.5 °C for maximum temperatures.

Minimum temperature

Nightime temperatures, as seen in overnight minimum temperatures, were also warmer than average, typically by about 1 °C.

Adelaide averaged 17.6 °C for minimum temperatures, 0.6 °C warmer than average. In comparison, February 2013 minimum temperatures averaged 18.2 °C, the hottest on record.

The hottest night came when the temperature dropped to only 30.3 °C at Parafield Airport on 12 February, a new hottest February nighttime record for that site. The coldest night was at Mount Lofty when the temperature dropped to 7.3 °C on 28 February.

Wind

A strong pressure gradient around a high pressure system centred to the south of Adelaide produced strong winds from the south-east over a 24 hour period on 4 February. This was particularly evident around elevated areas and the Adelaide foothills, with a great deal of tree damage and litter produced as a result.

Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top

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

Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top