Press Release

Adelaide shivers through coldest August on record

31/08/2008: Residents of Adelaide have just shivered through their coldest August on record, according to weatherzone.com.au.

The city had an average maximum of 15 degrees, below the long term normal of 17. This made it the coldest August in terms of daytime temperatures since records began in 1977. In fact, on the 10th, the mercury struggled to just 12 degrees, the coldest August day in five years.

The nights were also chilly. The city had an average minimum of seven degrees, slightly below the long term normal of eight. This made it the coldest August in terms of overnight temperatures since records began in 1977. On the morning of the 24th, the temperature plunged to two degrees, the coldest August night in nine years.

When both daytime and overnight temperatures were combined, Adelaide’s average temperature came in at 11 degrees, slightly below the long term normal of 12. This made it the coldest August since records began in 1977.

"Southeast Australia has been in the grips of a very cold airmass for much of August. Strong cold fronts have been pushing up from the Southern Ocean, sending temperatures plummeting," weatherzone.com.au meteorologist Matt Pearce said.

"This is a far cry from August of last year, when Adelaide had already experienced its first 30 degree day of the season by the end of the month."

It was a cold month right across South Australia. A number of records were broken for lowest August temperatures, including at Coober Pedy, Moomba, Cleve, Kimba, Mount Lofty and Mt Crawford.

It was also a wet month. Adelaide picked up 80mm, slightly above the long term normal of 68mm. This made it the wettest August since 2005.

The rainfall was also spread around the state. For example, Strathalbyn received 101mm, making it their wettest August in 12 years of records.

"In addition to the low temperatures, the strong cold fronts also brought frequent bursts of showers to agricultural areas of South Australia. Rain was recorded on 22 days during the month in Adelaide, compared to a long term normal of 16 days," Pearce said.

"We are expecting a return to closer to average rainfall throughout the rest of the year across South Australia. We are heading into the drier months now as cold fronts become less frequent, so the number of rainy days will drop off through spring."

Media Inquiries:

Matt Pearce
media@weatherzone.com.au
02 9965 9236

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