SA weather: State hit with 57,000 lightning strikes overnight

South Australia recorded more than 57,000 lightning strikes overnight, as mother nature put on a powerful lightshow. See the amazing pictures

South Australia recorded more than 57,000 lightning strikes overnight, here’s some of the best shots from our readers. Picture: Cornerstone Droneography

South Australia has recorded more than 57,000 lightning strikes overnight after a damaging storm developed in the state’s Eyre Peninsula yesterday afternoon.

The Country Fire Service has also warned people to stay vigilant and plan ahead for the long weekend, with more storm weather expected in the Flinders Rangers, the Riverland and the state’s southeast.

Senior Meteorologist from the Bureau of Meteorology, John Fischer said a majority of the lightning strikes were dry, which caused a series of grass fires across the Upper and Lower Eyre Peninsula.

“In terms of rainfall, a lot of the activity over the Eyre Peninsula was dry lightning so there wasn’t a lot of rainfall with it and that’s why it caused a lot of grass fires yesterday afternoon,” he said.

“Our 24-hour tally to 8am this morning, there were 57,000 lightning strikes recorded across the state but a majority across the southern part of the state after it developed over the Eyre Peninsula.

“The activity that continued yesterday evening and then overnight did have some moisture with it, so, across parts of the Mount Lofty Ranges and the Mid North, there was around the 5-10mm mark of rain for some locations.”

The highest recorded rainfall was at Spring Gully just south of Clare in the state’s mid-north, which recorded 11mm overnight.

Mr Fischer said there was more storm weather developing on Friday further north of Adelaide to the Flinders Ranges, the Riverland region, and in the state’s southeast.

The forecast for Adelaide on Friday is slightly cloudy with a chance of showers and a maximum temperature of 26 degrees and a minimum of 16 degrees.

“For the remainder of the day, we’ve got a few storms lingering down around Keith at the moment and up through the eastern part of the Flinders Ranges,” he said.

“Most of the activity will be in the eastern part of the Flinders Ranges this afternoon, so east of the mid-north and parts of the Riverlands.

Adelaide is expecting cooler weather over the weekend in the lead up to New Years Eve.

“Moving into the weekend there’s a bit of cloud moving around which will probably be in the southern areas including Adelaide so it will be a bit cloudy and cooler,” he said.

“And then from Sunday, things are looking better, so a bit more sun around and temperatures are starting to climb up again so you’re looking at fairly pleasant conditions for New Years Eve.”

The weather forecast for Adelaide on Sunday is a maximum temperature of 24 and minimum of 13 degrees.