Friday, 28 February 2014 - Seasonal Climate Summary for Adelaide Metro & Hills - Product code IDCKGC13L0

Adelaide Metro & Hills in summer 2013-14: Extremes throughout the season

A very extreme and variable summer with a series of heatwaves resulted in record numbers of days with extreme temperatures, and while predominatly dry through the season Adelaide observed its wettest day in 45 years.

• Adelaide has a record 13 days reaching 40 °C or more, 11 of which reached 42 °C or more
• Adelaide had its 4th hottest day on record reaching 45.1 °C on January 14
• A record run of 5 days of 42 °C or more occurs in heatwave conditions in mid-January
• Adelaide has its wettest day in 45 years and 6th wettest day on record, in mid-February

Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top

Rainfall

Adelaide (Kent Town) recorded 124.6 mm of rain during summer 2013-14, more than double the historical average (61.4 mm). Conditions were typically drier than average through the season, with below average monthly rainfall totals being observed in December and January. In February, the city recorded nearly 100 mm, with 75.2 mm in the 24 hours to 9am on February 14 which resulted in Adelaide's wettest day in over 45 years ( since 1969) and the 6th highest daily rainfall total recorded in Adelaide since records began in 1839.

Largely due to the mid-February rainfall event, summer rainfall totals were generally above average at most locations across the Adelaide Plains and Hills. The wettest location for the season was at Lobethal (Maidment Road), where 192.0 mm was observed, 95 mm of which was recorded on February 14, when several other locations also observed there highest summer daily rainfall on record at the Kent Town office .

Temperature

Mean temperatures (the average of maximum and minimum temperatures) were very much warmer than normal across the Adelaide region. The warmest location in the region was Adelaide (Kent Town) with a daily average temperature of 23.8 °C, whilst the coolest on average was Kuitpo Forest Reserve with 20.0 °C.

The summer period saw a series of extreme temperatures across most of the region, with Adelaide observing 13 days where the maximum temperature exceeded 40 °C (the average is 2 days per summer), 11 of which were days with maximum temperatures greater than 42 °C. This beats the previous record set for both summer and calendar years where 11 summer days with daily maximum temperature greater than 40 °C was observed in the summer of 1897-1898. The calendar year record for number of days greater than 40 °C is 12 days which has occurred 2 times in the past, in 1908 and 2009.

Summer maximum temperatures were warmer than average across the Adelaide Metropolitan and Hills. The mean maximum temperature recorded at Adelaide (Kent Town) across the summer period was 30.3 °C, which is 1.7 °C above the long term summer average maximum temperature, and the hottest summer days since summer 2009/2010.

The period from January 12 to January 17 saw very hot days across the Adelaide region and the state. During this heatwave event Adelaide and Parafield recorded 5 days in a row where the temperature reached 42 °C or more, a new record for both locations. Edinbrugh experienced a record run of 4 days of 42 °C or more.

The hottest maximum temperature recorded in the Adelaide Metropolitan and Hills area during was 45.4 °C at Edinburgh RAAF on January 16. Kent Town observed 45.1 °C on January 14, Adelaide's fourth hottest day since Adelaide temperature records began in 1887. The coldest day was recorded at Mount Lofty with 12.0 °C on December 5. Mount Lofty also observed the coolest days on average with 24.8 °C. Parafield Airport recorded the warmest days on average with 31.0 °C.

Like maximum temperatures, minimum temperatures were warmer than average across the Adelaide Metropolitan and Hills. Adelaide (Kent Town) recorded the warmest nights on average with a summer mean minimum temperature of 17.3 °C, 0.6 °C above the long term average. The warmest night during summer was recorded at Noarlunga with 31.5 °C on January 17; this was also the warmest night for this location since January 1 2009. The coolest night for any location across the Adelaide area during summer was observed at Mount Lofty on December 5 with 3.9 °C. The coldest nights on average were observed at Mount Barker with a seasonal average of 12.9 °C. The warmest nights on average were at Kent Town with 17.3 °C.

Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top