Severe weather warning issued for much of SA as Adelaide prepares for wild end to autumn

It may be dry now but a severe weather warning has been issued for much of the state with thunderstorms and wild winds forecast. The SES has urged the public to be ready for the deluge.

A severe weather warning has been issued for metropolitan Adelaide with strong winds and thunderstorms set to batter the state over the next couple of days.

South Australia is bracing for a deluge on Sunday afternoon with eight to 15mm of rain forecast for the city, while up to 40mm could fall on Monday.

The Bureau of Meteorology is expecting the rain to be accompanied by average winds of 50km/h to 60km/h with gusts of up to 90km/h over the West Coast and southern parts of the North West Pastoral districts.

The cold front, which is current moving across southern WA will strengthen before it hits Adelaide later on Sunday evening.

A severe weather warning has also been issued for the West Coast, Eastern Eyre Peninsula, Yorke Peninsula, Flinders, Mid North, Riverland, Murraylands, North West Pastoral and parts of Mount Lofty Ranges, Lower Eyre Peninsula and North East Pastoral districts.

Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Vince Rowlands said heavier falls would hit late Sunday.

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Get ready to shiver on Sunday. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Brenton Edwards (File)

“It certainly looks like a pretty wet period from that sort of late afternoon Sunday through to Monday and then we start to get into an easing trend as we get into the latter part of Monday,” he said.

The State Emergency Service is on high alert throughout South Australia with state duty officer Robert Charlton urging people to prepare for the wild weather.

“Preparation remains the best strategy for people wanting to reduce the impact of severe weather to themselves and their properties,” he said.

“Something as simple as spending a little time ensuring your gutters and downpipes are cleaned and clear of clutter can help ensure people don’t have to deal with water running down the inside walls of their homes.”

He said SES crews will be ready to assist where required.

“The SASES will always be available to help the community in times of need, but prevention is much better than cure,” he said.

The volunteer service issued free sandbags to the public at various locations across the state on Friday and Saturday.

Sunday and Monday is expected to be the start of a wet winter across South Australia.

Long-range forecasts are predicting one of the wettest winters on record despite a weakening La Nina climate outlook.

Further north, people were being warned to prepare for potential flooding along the Diamantina River.

The river starts in central west Queensland and flows through Birdsville and the Goyder Lagoons.