Weather News

Wild weather bears down on SA

Kim Westcott, Monday May 9, 2016 - 14:18 AEST

With the heavy rain clearing in South Australia's northeast, a low pressure system has whipped up the wind and seas in the south.

Heavy rain swept across northern parts of the state over the weekend. Moomba recorded 36mm to 9am Monday, which is nearly four times their May average. At Oodnadatta, when the rain finally finished falling on Sunday morning, 21mm had reached the gauge. This makes it the heaviest May rain since 1979. The Flood Watch for the North East Pastoral has now been lifted, but large sections of outback tracks will continue to be affected.

A deep low pressure system is currently sweeping over the south, generating wild winds, with exposed parts of the coast already seeing wind gusts of 100km/h. At Cape Willoughby, northerly winds hit 100 km/h this morning. Winds were even stronger at Neptune Island, clocking 109km/h just before midday. For Cummins, it is the windiest day in four years recording a 95km/h gust; it was a two year high at Port Lincoln seeing a 98km/h gust. In Adelaide and surrounding areas, wind gusts have so far reached between 75-90km/h.

As well as bringing winds, this low is producing squally showers, creating hazardous driving conditions around the Adelaide and Adelaide Hills area. This intense low may also cause significant sea level rises this evening, with potential for flooding of low-lying areas around the Spencer Gulf and Gulf St Vincent. Coastal erosion is also possible along vulnerable beaches with the surf being whipped up by these winds.

The low will continue east and weaken this evening as it prepares to move into western Victoria. Brisk and showery winds will remain for southern parts of the SA throughout much of Tuesday and Wednesday. By Thursday, winds will weaken significantly as a large high pressure system sits over the state for a few days, bringing settled and sunny weather.

- Weatherzone

© Weatherzone 2016

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