Total fire bans activated as possible ’severe’ thunderstorms loom for state’s West Coast

A bushfire is buring on the Eyre Peninsula as rain starts to fall across Adelaide and on the state’s south coast as stormy weather arrives on Melbourne Cup day.

SA is in for a warm Melbourne Cup day.

A bushfire is burning on the Eyre Peninsula as rain starts to fall across Adelaide and on the state’s south coast as stormy weather arrives.

Just before 1pm on Tuesday, the CFS issued an alert for residents to monitor conditions as a bush fire burns at Solomon, near Caralue Bluff, southwest of Kimba on the Eyre Peninsula.

The CFS say there is no threat to life or property but ask residents to stay informed in the area.

It comes as rain arrives across the city with reports of lightning strikes being sighted.

South Australians were warned to expect possible thunderstorms on Tuesday afternoon, sparking an extreme fire danger rating for the state’s West Coast.

The Bureau of Meteorology forecast daytime maximum temperatures of 37C to 42C on the West Coast.

The region should brace for a chance of a thunderstorm, possibly severe with winds tending northwest to south-westerly of up to 35 to 55 km/h in the early afternoon.

The CFS has advised a total fire ban was declared for Tuesday for the West Coast region.

Adelaide is set for a top of 30C in the city on Tuesday with a chance of showers in the afternoon and evening, and possible thunderstorms developing.

It is set to be a hot day among many regional centres across the state with Marree set for 41C, Port Pirie 35C, Renmark 33C and Murray Bridge 32C – with warnings of thunderstorms across those areas.

Thunderstorms are also forecasted for Wednesday, with the temperature dropping to the mid-to-high 20s across much of the state.