Geography of South Australia
Victoria | |
| Highest point | Mount Woodroffe 1,435 m (4,708 ft) |
|---|---|
| Lowest point | Lake Eyre -15 m (49 ft) |
| Longest river | Murray River 683 km (424 mi) |
| Largest lake | Lake Eyre 9690 km2 |
The geography of South Australia incorporates the south central part of the continent of
Victoria to the east. South Australia's south coast is flanked by the Great Australian Bight and the Southern Ocean.[4]
The
Adelaide–Darwin railway
going north.
The coastline includes cliffs against the
Temperate Grassland of South Australia
.
The highest point in the state is Mount Woodroffe at 1,435 metres (4,708 ft) in the Musgrave Ranges in the northwest corner of the state.[5] The main range is the Mount Lofty Ranges and Flinders Ranges extending approximately 800 kilometres (497 mi) from Fleurieu Peninsula along the eastern sides of Gulf St Vincent and Spencer Gulf respectively. About half the state is less than 150 m above sea level.[6]
The arid north is delineated from the more fertile southeast by Goyder's Line, first surveyed in the 1860s, and which has proven to be a remarkably accurate northern boundary marking where sustainable agriculture can be carried out. Three deserts are contained within South Australia's borders: Great Victoria Desert, Strzelecki Desert and Sturt Stony Desert.[7]
East of the Mount Lofty Ranges, the Murray River flows west from New South Wales and Victoria, then south adjacent to the ranges. The Murray River is the only large, permanent river in the state.[6]
Climate
Southern areas of South Australia have a
Oodnadatta on 2 January 1960. This is also the highest official temperature recorded in the whole of Australia.[9] The lowest minimum temperature recorded in South Australia was -8.2°C (17.2°F), at Yongala on 20 July 1976.[10]
Examples
| Climate data for Adelaide (Köppen Csa) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 47.7 (117.9) |
44.7 (112.5) |
42.2 (108.0) |
36.9 (98.4) |
31.1 (88.0) |
25.4 (77.7) |
23.1 (73.6) |
30.4 (86.7) |
34.3 (93.7) |
39.0 (102.2) |
43.0 (109.4) |
45.2 (113.4) |
47.7 (117.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 30.0 (86.0) |
29.7 (85.5) |
26.6 (79.9) |
23.0 (73.4) |
19.0 (66.2) |
16.2 (61.2) |
15.6 (60.1) |
16.7 (62.1) |
19.3 (66.7) |
22.5 (72.5) |
25.4 (77.7) |
27.6 (81.7) |
22.6 (72.7) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 23.8 (74.8) |
23.6 (74.5) |
21.0 (69.8) |
17.9 (64.2) |
14.6 (58.3) |
12.3 (54.1) |
11.7 (53.1) |
12.4 (54.3) |
14.6 (58.3) |
17.1 (62.8) |
19.8 (67.6) |
21.7 (71.1) |
17.5 (63.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 17.6 (63.7) |
17.5 (63.5) |
15.3 (59.5) |
12.7 (54.9) |
10.2 (50.4) |
8.3 (46.9) |
7.7 (45.9) |
8.1 (46.6) |
9.9 (49.8) |
11.7 (53.1) |
14.1 (57.4) |
15.8 (60.4) |
12.4 (54.3) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 9.2 (48.6) |
9.5 (49.1) |
7.2 (45.0) |
4.3 (39.7) |
1.5 (34.7) |
−0.4 (31.3) |
0.4 (32.7) |
0.9 (33.6) |
2.6 (36.7) |
4.7 (40.5) |
5.3 (41.5) |
7.9 (46.2) |
−0.4 (31.3) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 21.2 (0.83) |
20.0 (0.79) |
24.9 (0.98) |
37.6 (1.48) |
59.3 (2.33) |
77.7 (3.06) |
71.1 (2.80) |
66.9 (2.63) |
59.6 (2.35) |
40.0 (1.57) |
31.0 (1.22) |
28.3 (1.11) |
536.5 (21.12) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 5.0 | 3.8 | 5.9 | 8.2 | 12.7 | 14.4 | 16.0 | 15.6 | 13.6 | 9.6 | 8.3 | 7.4 | 120.5 |
| Average afternoon relative humidity (%)
|
36 | 36 | 40 | 45 | 55 | 61 | 59 | 54 | 50 | 44 | 40 | 38 | 47 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 325.5 | 285.3 | 266.6 | 219.0 | 167.4 | 138.0 | 148.8 | 186.0 | 204.0 | 257.3 | 273.0 | 294.5 | 2,765.4 |
| Source: Australian Bureau of Meteorology.[11][12] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Mount Gambier (Köppen Csb/Cfb) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 44.1 (111.4) |
44.9 (112.8) |
41.3 (106.3) |
35.8 (96.4) |
28.5 (83.3) |
21.6 (70.9) |
22.4 (72.3) |
26.6 (79.9) |
32.2 (90.0) |
34.4 (93.9) |
41.2 (106.2) |
45.9 (114.6) |
45.9 (114.6) |
| Mean maximum °C (°F) | 35.2 (95.4) |
34.5 (94.1) |
31.3 (88.3) |
26.0 (78.8) |
19.9 (67.8) |
16.1 (61.0) |
15.4 (59.7) |
17.2 (63.0) |
20.6 (69.1) |
24.4 (75.9) |
28.6 (83.5) |
32.1 (89.8) |
35.2 (95.4) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 25.9 (78.6) |
26.0 (78.8) |
23.6 (74.5) |
20.0 (68.0) |
16.4 (61.5) |
14.1 (57.4) |
13.5 (56.3) |
14.5 (58.1) |
16.2 (61.2) |
18.7 (65.7) |
21.4 (70.5) |
23.7 (74.7) |
19.5 (67.1) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 19.0 (66.2) |
19.2 (66.6) |
17.3 (63.1) |
14.5 (58.1) |
12.0 (53.6) |
10.1 (50.2) |
9.6 (49.3) |
10.2 (50.4) |
11.5 (52.7) |
13.1 (55.6) |
15.2 (59.4) |
17.1 (62.8) |
14.1 (57.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 12.0 (53.6) |
12.3 (54.1) |
11.0 (51.8) |
9.0 (48.2) |
7.6 (45.7) |
6.1 (43.0) |
5.6 (42.1) |
5.9 (42.6) |
6.7 (44.1) |
7.5 (45.5) |
9.0 (48.2) |
10.4 (50.7) |
8.6 (47.5) |
| Mean minimum °C (°F) | 6.7 (44.1) |
7.2 (45.0) |
6.1 (43.0) |
4.4 (39.9) |
3.0 (37.4) |
1.5 (34.7) |
1.4 (34.5) |
1.8 (35.2) |
2.3 (36.1) |
2.9 (37.2) |
4.1 (39.4) |
5.8 (42.4) |
1.4 (34.5) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 1.4 (34.5) |
2.8 (37.0) |
0.0 (32.0) |
−1.8 (28.8) |
−2.8 (27.0) |
−3.9 (25.0) |
−3.9 (25.0) |
−2.6 (27.3) |
−3.4 (25.9) |
−1.6 (29.1) |
−0.8 (30.6) |
1.2 (34.2) |
−3.9 (25.0) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 31.2 (1.23) |
25.7 (1.01) |
34.8 (1.37) |
49.7 (1.96) |
72.2 (2.84) |
91.5 (3.60) |
99.3 (3.91) |
100.4 (3.95) |
75.8 (2.98) |
54.2 (2.13) |
46.0 (1.81) |
40.2 (1.58) |
721 (28.37) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 4.5 | 3.5 | 6.0 | 8.7 | 11.9 | 13.3 | 15.3 | 15.5 | 12.8 | 9.7 | 7.3 | 6.7 | 115.2 |
| Average relative humidity (%)
|
54.0 | 56.0 | 60.5 | 64.5 | 76.0 | 80.5 | 79.0 | 73.5 | 69.5 | 62.5 | 59.5 | 55.5 | 65.9 |
| Average dew point °C (°F) | 9.8 (49.6) |
10.4 (50.7) |
9.7 (49.5) |
8.7 (47.7) |
8.7 (47.7) |
7.6 (45.7) |
6.8 (44.2) |
6.5 (43.7) |
7.3 (45.1) |
7.5 (45.5) |
8.4 (47.1) |
8.8 (47.8) |
8.4 (47.0) |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 282.1 | 243.0 | 217.0 | 171.0 | 136.4 | 123.0 | 136.4 | 164.3 | 170.5 | 220.1 | 234.0 | 260.4 | 2,358.2 |
| Mean daily sunshine hours | 9.1 | 8.6 | 7.0 | 5.7 | 4.4 | 4.1 | 4.4 | 5.5 | 6.0 | 7.1 | 7.8 | 8.4 | 6.5 |
| Source 1: Australian Bureau of Meteorology (1991-2020 normals)[13]
| |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Australian Bureau of Meteorology (1941-present extremes)[14]
| |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Port Lincoln (Köppen Csb) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 48.3 (118.9) |
44.4 (111.9) |
43.3 (109.9) |
39.5 (103.1) |
32.7 (90.9) |
27.3 (81.1) |
24.1 (75.4) |
31.2 (88.2) |
34.0 (93.2) |
40.8 (105.4) |
45.8 (114.4) |
45.6 (114.1) |
48.3 (118.9) |
| Mean maximum °C (°F) | 33.4 (92.1) |
32.0 (89.6) |
30.5 (86.9) |
27.6 (81.7) |
24.0 (75.2) |
19.1 (66.4) |
18.6 (65.5) |
20.7 (69.3) |
24.8 (76.6) |
29.0 (84.2) |
30.6 (87.1) |
32.3 (90.1) |
33.4 (92.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 26.2 (79.2) |
25.8 (78.4) |
24.4 (75.9) |
22.4 (72.3) |
19.5 (67.1) |
16.8 (62.2) |
16.1 (61.0) |
16.8 (62.2) |
18.7 (65.7) |
21.0 (69.8) |
23.1 (73.6) |
24.8 (76.6) |
21.3 (70.3) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 21.0 (69.8) |
21.0 (69.8) |
19.5 (67.1) |
17.4 (63.3) |
15.0 (59.0) |
12.6 (54.7) |
11.8 (53.2) |
12.0 (53.6) |
13.4 (56.1) |
15.3 (59.5) |
17.6 (63.7) |
19.4 (66.9) |
16.3 (61.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 15.8 (60.4) |
16.1 (61.0) |
14.6 (58.3) |
12.2 (54.0) |
10.4 (50.7) |
8.4 (47.1) |
7.4 (45.3) |
7.1 (44.8) |
8.0 (46.4) |
9.6 (49.3) |
12.0 (53.6) |
13.9 (57.0) |
11.3 (52.3) |
| Mean minimum °C (°F) | 12.6 (54.7) |
13.0 (55.4) |
11.1 (52.0) |
8.6 (47.5) |
7.0 (44.6) |
5.5 (41.9) |
4.7 (40.5) |
4.2 (39.6) |
4.8 (40.6) |
5.7 (42.3) |
8.1 (46.6) |
10.4 (50.7) |
4.2 (39.6) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 8.5 (47.3) |
6.8 (44.2) |
7.1 (44.8) |
5.1 (41.2) |
3.0 (37.4) |
0.7 (33.3) |
−0.3 (31.5) |
1.3 (34.3) |
0.1 (32.2) |
2.3 (36.1) |
4.1 (39.4) |
5.2 (41.4) |
−0.3 (31.5) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 18.1 (0.71) |
16.6 (0.65) |
17.0 (0.67) |
21.0 (0.83) |
43.3 (1.70) |
60.3 (2.37) |
56.8 (2.24) |
51.0 (2.01) |
39.2 (1.54) |
28.0 (1.10) |
19.2 (0.76) |
17.3 (0.68) |
387.8 (15.26) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 2.3 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 3.9 | 7.9 | 9.9 | 10.4 | 9.5 | 7.4 | 4.6 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 66.5 |
| Average relative humidity (%)
|
57.5 | 59.5 | 61.5 | 62.0 | 68.5 | 73.5 | 73.5 | 70.5 | 67.0 | 60.0 | 58.5 | 57.0 | 64.1 |
| Average dew point °C (°F) | 12.6 (54.7) |
13.2 (55.8) |
12.3 (54.1) |
11.0 (51.8) |
9.9 (49.8) |
8.8 (47.8) |
8.0 (46.4) |
8.0 (46.4) |
8.8 (47.8) |
8.8 (47.8) |
10.2 (50.4) |
11.2 (52.2) |
10.2 (50.4) |
| Source: Australian Bureau of Meteorology (1992-present normals and extremes)[15]
| |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Oodnadatta (Köppen BWh) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 50.7 (123.3) |
46.8 (116.2) |
44.9 (112.8) |
42.1 (107.8) |
35.0 (95.0) |
32.8 (91.0) |
32.2 (90.0) |
36.5 (97.7) |
40.7 (105.3) |
45.4 (113.7) |
47.3 (117.1) |
48.3 (118.9) |
50.7 (123.3) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 38.4 (101.1) |
37.1 (98.8) |
33.8 (92.8) |
29.0 (84.2) |
23.7 (74.7) |
20.0 (68.0) |
19.8 (67.6) |
22.9 (73.2) |
27.6 (81.7) |
30.5 (86.9) |
34.1 (93.4) |
36.4 (97.5) |
29.4 (84.9) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 31.1 (88.0) |
30.0 (86.0) |
26.6 (79.9) |
21.8 (71.2) |
16.9 (62.4) |
13.2 (55.8) |
12.9 (55.2) |
15.5 (59.9) |
20.0 (68.0) |
22.9 (73.2) |
26.7 (80.1) |
29.1 (84.4) |
22.2 (72.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 23.7 (74.7) |
22.9 (73.2) |
19.3 (66.7) |
14.9 (58.8) |
10.0 (50.0) |
6.3 (43.3) |
6.0 (42.8) |
8.0 (46.4) |
12.4 (54.3) |
15.3 (59.5) |
19.3 (66.7) |
21.8 (71.2) |
15.0 (59.0) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 11.7 (53.1) |
12.8 (55.0) |
9.5 (49.1) |
3.8 (38.8) |
0.9 (33.6) |
−2.6 (27.3) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
−0.3 (31.5) |
2.2 (36.0) |
5.1 (41.2) |
9.6 (49.3) |
11.3 (52.3) |
−2.6 (27.3) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 29.2 (1.15) |
32.8 (1.29) |
10.4 (0.41) |
10.0 (0.39) |
7.1 (0.28) |
9.8 (0.39) |
9.4 (0.37) |
5.5 (0.22) |
9.9 (0.39) |
15.4 (0.61) |
17.8 (0.70) |
27.2 (1.07) |
185.2 (7.29) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 2.8 | 3.2 | 2.4 | 2.1 | 2.4 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 1.8 | 3.1 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.7 | 36.3 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 337.9 | 315.0 | 313.1 | 273.0 | 244.9 | 231.0 | 254.2 | 275.9 | 291.0 | 316.2 | 321.0 | 341.0 | 3,514.2 |
| Source: Australian Bureau of Meteorology[16] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Port Augusta (Köppen BWh/BSh) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 49.5 (121.1) |
48.1 (118.6) |
43.1 (109.6) |
40.3 (104.5) |
32.2 (90.0) |
27.0 (80.6) |
26.9 (80.4) |
32.8 (91.0) |
38.2 (100.8) |
42.9 (109.2) |
46.3 (115.3) |
48.5 (119.3) |
49.5 (121.1) |
| Mean maximum °C (°F) | 43.3 (109.9) |
41.2 (106.2) |
37.4 (99.3) |
33.1 (91.6) |
26.1 (79.0) |
21.3 (70.3) |
21.7 (71.1) |
25.1 (77.2) |
31.5 (88.7) |
35.6 (96.1) |
39.6 (103.3) |
41.8 (107.2) |
43.3 (109.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 34.2 (93.6) |
32.9 (91.2) |
30.5 (86.9) |
26.8 (80.2) |
21.6 (70.9) |
18.0 (64.4) |
18.0 (64.4) |
20.0 (68.0) |
24.0 (75.2) |
27.2 (81.0) |
30.2 (86.4) |
32.3 (90.1) |
26.3 (79.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 26.9 (80.4) |
25.8 (78.4) |
23.6 (74.5) |
19.9 (67.8) |
15.2 (59.4) |
11.9 (53.4) |
11.3 (52.3) |
12.7 (54.9) |
16.2 (61.2) |
19.5 (67.1) |
22.8 (73.0) |
24.9 (76.8) |
19.2 (66.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 19.5 (67.1) |
18.7 (65.7) |
16.7 (62.1) |
13.0 (55.4) |
8.7 (47.7) |
5.8 (42.4) |
4.6 (40.3) |
5.3 (41.5) |
8.4 (47.1) |
11.8 (53.2) |
15.3 (59.5) |
17.4 (63.3) |
12.1 (53.8) |
| Mean minimum °C (°F) | 15.3 (59.5) |
14.8 (58.6) |
12.2 (54.0) |
8.5 (47.3) |
4.4 (39.9) |
0.6 (33.1) |
0.4 (32.7) |
1.0 (33.8) |
4.2 (39.6) |
7.3 (45.1) |
10.8 (51.4) |
13.0 (55.4) |
0.4 (32.7) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 11.7 (53.1) |
6.8 (44.2) |
6.6 (43.9) |
4.2 (39.6) |
−1.9 (28.6) |
−4 (25) |
−4.1 (24.6) |
−4.5 (23.9) |
0.0 (32.0) |
2.2 (36.0) |
6.9 (44.4) |
7.7 (45.9) |
−4.5 (23.9) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 14.1 (0.56) |
20.1 (0.79) |
12.6 (0.50) |
20.3 (0.80) |
16.9 (0.67) |
24.5 (0.96) |
17.0 (0.67) |
15.4 (0.61) |
17.6 (0.69) |
16.8 (0.66) |
22.1 (0.87) |
23.1 (0.91) |
220.5 (8.69) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 1.7 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 3.6 | 4.4 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 2.9 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 2.8 | 33.9 |
| Source: Australian Bureau of Meteorology (2001-present normals extremes)[17] | |||||||||||||
References
- ^ Area of Australia - States and Territories Geoscience Australia. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
- ^ https://www.ga.gov.au/scientific-topics/national-location-information/dimensions/area-of-australia-states-and-territories
- ^ Border Lengths - States and Territories Geoscience Australia. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
- ^ "Names and Limits" (PDF). Australian Hydrographic Service. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-03-13. Retrieved 2022-08-31.
- ^ "Highest Mountains". Geoscience Australia. Archived from the original on 2007-09-22. Retrieved 2007-09-26.
- ^ ISBN 1-74021-447-1.
- ^ "Deserts". Geoscience Australia. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
- ^ "Climate and Weather". Government of South Australia. Atlas South Australia. 28 April 2004. Archived from the original on 15 March 2010. Retrieved 6 December 2009.
- Bureau of Meteorology (Australia). Commonwealth of Australia. 20 February 1998. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
- Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 14 November 2009.
- ^ "Climate statistics for ADELAIDE (KENT TOWN) 1991–2020 averages". Climate statistics for Australian locations. Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
- ^ "Climate statistics for ADELAIDE (KENT TOWN) all years". Climate statistics for Australian locations. Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
- Australian Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
- Australian Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
- Australian Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
- ^ "Climate Statistics for Oodnadatta Airport". Climate statistics for Australian locations. Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 31 March 2013.
- Australian Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
External links
- Stuart, John McDouall (1860). . Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society of London (4): 77–79.
| Topics |
|  |
|---|---|---|
| Regions | ||
| Cities and towns | ||