Record-breaking June cold brings temperatures below 10°C, widespread rain and snow across higher ground
Date
28 June 1904
Summary / Overview
A strong Southern Ocean weather system brought exceptionally cold, stormy and wet conditions to South Australia at the end of June 1904. Adelaide reached only 8.9°C on 28 June, identified at the time as the coldest June day since observations began in 1857. Another exceptionally cold day followed on 30 June, reaching only 9.6°C. These were reported as the two coldest June days then recorded in Adelaide. The cold was accompanied by widespread heavy rain extending inland, with exceptionally cold conditions also reported around Burra. On 30 June, snow fell across the Mount Lofty Ranges and parts of the northern highlands.
Meteorological data recorded at the time
Adelaide Observatory: 28 Jun – maximum 48.1°F (8.9°C) in shade; 52.2°F (11.2°C) in sun. 30 Jun – maximum 49.3°F (9.6°C).
Historical comparison: 16 Jun 1876 – 49.5°F (9.7°C); 20 Jun 1898 – 49.9°F (9.9°C). The coldest day of any month reported at that time was 23 Jul 1879 – 47.2°F (8.4°C).
Precipitation: heavy and widespread rain was reported, extending well inland; no specific rainfall total provided.
Snow: Mount Lofty Ranges and parts of the northern highlands on 30 Jun.
Historical descriptions / observations
The Express and Telegraph (Adelaide) Tue 28 Jun 1904: ‘The maximum readings of the thermometer at the Adelaide Observatory up till 3 p.m. on Tuesday were: In the shade, 48.1 deg; in the sun, 52.2 deg. This is the coldest day on record this year’.
Evening Journal (Adelaide) Wed 29 Jun 1904: ‘Mr. Griffiths, Assistant Government Astronomer, explained on Wednesday that Tuesday was not only the coldest day this year, but, so far as South Australia is concerned, the chilliest on record for the month of June. The thermometer registered a maximum of 48-deg. in the shade—such as it was. Since observations were begin in this state in 1857 there have been only two days with a maximum temperature of less than -50 deg. These were June 16, 1876 (49.5), and June 20, 1898 (49.9). July is usually odder than June, but even in that month there have been only five, occasions on which the thermometer has registered under 50 deg. She coldest day on record was July 23, 1879 when the maximum temperature was 47.2’.
Border Watch Wed 29 Jun 1904: ‘Adelaide, June 28…Today the thermometer’s maximum reading in the shade was 48.1, being the coldest record this year. It is very wet today’.
Burra Record Wed 29 Jun 1904: ‘The past few days has (sic) been exceptionally cold’.
The Register (Adelaide) Thu 14 Jul 1904: ‘June weather…a well-marked disturbance over the Southern Ocean gave us cold, stormy weather and heavy and very general rains extending well inland. With the disturbance at the close of the month we had cold weather, Adelaide on the 28th (maximum 48 deg.) and 30th (maximum 49.3) having the two coldest days on record for the month of June, snow falling on the Mount Lofty Ranges and some of the northern highlands on the latter date’.
Source
23000