Strong winds force PM to abort trip to Port Lincoln

STRONG winds sweeping SA have forced Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to abort his trip to Port Lincoln after his plane couldn’t land.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull at a press conference earlier today. Picture: Adam Taylor

• What’s the weather like? Full forecast here

STRONG winds sweeping SA have forced Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to abort his trip to Port Lincoln after his plane couldn’t land.

Mr Turnbull was due to visit Port Lincoln as part of a tour of SA’s Eyre Peninsula and the Far West Coast, with Human Services Minister Alan Tudge and Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion.

The PM is spruiking the Government’s Indigenous Procurement Program, which he says has resulted in indigenous-own SA businesses securing additional government contracts.

But the cross-winds were so strong at the airport that after reportedly circling twice, the PM’s plane was forced to return to Adelaide.

Mr Turnbull will instead take another plane to visit Ceduna today, and the APY lands tomorrow.

It’s the PM’s second aborted trip to Port Lincoln since the prolong statewide power outage.

It's the PMs second aborted trip to Port Lincoln since prolonged power outage. @Anne_Ruston says "poor guy is probably tearing his hair out"

— Adam Langenberg (@AdamLangenberg) October 30, 2016

PM will still visit Ceduna later today, and onto APY lands tomorrow. @theTiser

— Adam Langenberg (@AdamLangenberg) October 30, 2016

Human Services Minister Alan Tudge addresses a Port Lincoln function sans the PM after high winds meant his plane was unable to land. pic.twitter.com/g1S2te49Xz

— Adam Langenberg (@AdamLangenberg) October 30, 2016

Several trees also are reportedly down as a cold front moves across the state.

While SA basked in near perfect weather on Saturday, the weather bureau today issued a severe weather warning.

South Australians are being warned to be on high alert for winds averaging 60 to 70 km/h with gusts of 90 to 100 km/h possible today, before easing late afternoon.

Showers moving over the Gulf waters as a cold front approaches #Adelaide. https://t.co/mwrCAPeA5h pic.twitter.com/y1SJxjfMzK

— BOM South Australia (@BOM_SA) October 29, 2016

The Bureau of Meterology says locations that may be affected include parts of the metropolitan area, Kingscote, Mount Gambier, Murray Bridge, Naracoorte, Meningie and Bordertown.

A warning for severe thunderstorms was cancelled this morning but the bureau will continue to monitor the situation.

Several wind gusts between 95 and 98 km/h were reported at Cleve before midnight Saturday.

A gust of 102 km/h was reported at Cape Willoughby at 11.15 pm Saturday, and a gust of 91 km/h was reported at Strathalbyn at 2am this morning.

And wind gusts around 90 km/h have been recorded at Mount Gambier and Parndana today.

Showers are also forecast across the state, including Adelaide, where the top temperature is expected to hit 19C.