Bureau of Meteorology announces ‘one-in-10-year’ weather event

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe weather warning for a large part of South Australia, particularly in north and west of Adelaide. It was announced that a vast part of the state will experience damaging winds, heavy rains and a possible flash flood on Thursday.

At a press conference, the Bureau described the storm as a “one-in-10-year” weather event for this time of the year. Campers and those on holiday are advised to cut short their trips ahead of the storm as strong winds and flash flooding are approaching.

The Bureau has warned about short yet intense periods of rainfall for some parts of the state. The recent warning covers Adelaide Metropolitan, Mount Lofty Ranges, West Coast, Lower Eyre Peninsula, Eastern Eyre Peninsula, Yorke Peninsula, Mid North, Kangaroo Island, Upper South East, Lower South East and parts of the Flinders, Murraylands and North West Pastoral districts.

Meanwhile, initial flood watch was issued for parts of the North West Pastoral, West Coast, Lower and Eastern Eyre Peninsula, Yorke Peninsula, Kangaroo Island, Mid North and the Mount Lofty Ranges, including Adelaide.

Agricultural areas are expected to be hit by damaging winds ahead of the cold front early Friday morning. Adelaide, Port Lincoln, Whyalla, Mount Gambier, Ceduna and Naracoorte may be affected by the damaging winds.

South Australian State Emergency Service Deputy Chief Officer Dermot Barry has expressed concern that the combination of high winds, rainfall and heat could cause significant health issues with children on holidays. In relation to this, he urged everyone to plan ahead.

“I would urge people to plan ahead to ensure that their gutters are clear and that all loose items around the home are secured. It is also a good idea not to park under large trees as they can become unstable in severe weather,” Barry said in a Facebook post.