Adelaide hits 40C as fire bans in place for scorching spring day

Parts of SA are suffering through temperatures north of 40 degrees and Adelaide has just passed that milestone too.

South Australia is sweating through a scorcher, with temperatures hitting 40C at West Terrace in the city at 2.30pm.

One of the hottest parts of the state was Roseworthy, where the mercury hit 43.1C at 2.10pm.

In a contrast to October’s stints of rain, strong winds, hail, and overnight drops below 10C, Friday was set to be one of the first days of scorching heat in the city, with even hotter temperatures predicted in many regional locations.

Eliza Richardson, 22, from Tooorak Gardens, Cassie Netz, 25, Glengowry, Emily Dobson, 21, from Norwood, at North Glenelg Beach. Picture: Morgan Sette

Finn Whitlock, 19, from Unley and Pietro Rugai, 18, from Glenside, at North Glenelg Beach. Picture: Morgan Sette

Simon Lovering, Glengowrie, 42 with dog Wilma at North Glenelg Beach. Picture: Morgan Sette

Firefighters will be on high alert with an extreme fire danger warning for Eastern and Lower Eyre Peninsulas and fire bans in place.

Today equals the record for the earliest 40C in November, set in the 1890s.

Tarcoola in the state’s Far North is forecast to tip 44C; Roxby Downs, Woomera, Port Pirie and Port Augusta 43C; Whyalla, Snowtown and Renmark 42C; Murray Bridge and Leigh Creek 41C; and Nuriootpa, Keith and Hawker 40C.

Mawson Hammond, 28, Sutton, 3, and Ashton, 2, from Broken Hill NSW at North Glenelg Beach. Picture: Morgan Sette

Sand is dumped on North Glenelg Beach as people seek relief from Friday’s scoring weather. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Morgan Sette

Molly and Bella of Glenunga enjoy the water at Henley Beach. Picture Dean Martin

The state’s outlying regions are expecting more modest heat, with Port Lincoln and Ceduna on the Eyre Peninsula set to hit 31C, Robe in the South East 29C, and Kingscote on Kangaroo Island 26C.

The weekend is expected to cool down with a partly cloudy top of 23C in Adelaide on Saturday and Sunday.

Next week, Monday is tipped to reach 26C but with a low of 9C.

Long-awaited rain could be on the way on Tuesday, with a 50 per cent chance of up to 3mm of rainfall forecast.