Temperatures finally ease in South Australia after heatwave

Temperatures have eased to more comfortable levels in Adelaide today, but remain high in the regions.

Temperatures have eased to a comfortable 27C in Adelaide today, but remain more than 10 degrees hotter in regional parts of the state.

Following three days of heat reaching the high 30Cs in the city, Thursday will have low wind speeds and clear skies in Adelaide, but will warm to 39C in Leigh Creek in the Far North, and 37C in Roxby Downs.

As Adelaide temperatures remain mild, at 25C on Friday, 27C on Saturday and 28C on Sunday, regions won’t see relief, with Roxy Downs and Leigh Creek tipped to hit 42C by Saturday.

TUESDAY UPDATES

Temperatures soared in South Australia on Tuesday, with widespread bushfire danger and heatwave conditions across the state, forcing the closure of Covid testing sites across the state.

Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Jenny Horvat said last week’s southerly wind stream which brought cooler temperatures and moisture across the state has changed, and temperatures will be above 40C in many areas.

Every region in SA was affected by heatwave conditions on Tuesday, except the West Coast.

Bushfire danger is rated at “very high” in the Eastern Eyre Peninsula, Flinders, Mid North, Mt Lofty Ranges, Yorke Peninsula, Riverland, Murraylands, and the South East.

The fire danger remains high everywhere else.

Covid testing stations closed

Ten Covid testing stations across metropolitan Adelaide have amended their opening hours due to the heat, including:

-Hindmarsh: open from 7.30am-11am, to reopen from 6pm- 10.30pm;

-Elizabeth South: open from 8.30am-11am, to reopen from 6pm-10.30pm;

-Hampstead and the Repat: open until 11am, to close for the remainder of the day;

-Victoria Park, Ridgehaven and Bedford Park: closing from 11am, to reopen at 6pm;

-Port Adelaide, Aldinga and RAH: open until 11am to close for the remainder of the day.

â–ª Hindmarsh
7.30am-11am
6pm-10.30pm

â–ª Elizabeth South
8.30am-11am
6pm-10.30pm

â–ª Hampstead
8.30am-11am

â–ª Repat
8.30am-11am

â–ª Victoria Park, Ridgehaven & Bedford Park
6pm-11am (closed 11am-6pm)

â–ª Port Adelaide
8.30am-11am

â–ª Aldinga
8.30am-11am

â–ª RAH
8.30am-11am

— SA Health (@SAHealth) January 10, 2022

Regional sites will also be impacted by the heat with closures:

-Bordertown: closed to support other testing sites;

-Clare Hospital, Maitland, and Port Pirie: all closing at 12.30pm;

-Tailem Bend, closing from 11am to reopen at 6pm.

[UPDATED REGIONAL TESTING SITE HOURS]
â–ª Bordertown
Closed to support other testing sites

â–ª Clare Hospital
8.30am-12.30pm

â–ª Maitland
9.30am-12.30pm

â–ª Port Pirie
8.30am-12.30pm

â–ª Tailem Bend
6pm-11am (closed 11am-6pm)

— SA Health (@SAHealth) January 10, 2022

Adelaide was predicted to reach 39C on Tuesday, a significant increase to initially forecasts for a 35C day. It will remain hot on Wednesday at 37C, before dropping almost 10 degrees to 28C on Thursday.

But temperatures will soar in other SA regions, including to 45C in Oodnadatta and Moomba on Tuesday.

Woomera, Leigh Creek and Roxby Downs will also see temperatures above 40C on Tuesday.

“Now we’re really bringing in that inland heat, so we’ll start to see those temperatures rising which is giving us those elevated fire dangers we’ve seen,” Ms Horvat said.

“We have seen a return to very high fire dangers, but we’re not seeing any severe (ratings), which means we don’t have any bans out at the moment.

“But it would be good to be mindful, because we have had a change in conditions especially since last week.”

#HEATWAVE Advice MESSAGE issued for the Riverland forecast district. Young, elderly and sick people are at risk. Keep cool. Drink plenty of water. Never leave children in your car. Check on your neighbours and friends. More info: https://t.co/SxHpyt3MKm ID:219/1

— SASES (@SA_SES) January 10, 2022

Trees down across Adelaide

Meanwhile, State Emergency Service crews were kept busy on Monday evening, responding to 18 trees that fell across metropolitan Adelaide.

Wind gusts of around 40km/h were recorded in the early hours of Tuesday morning across Adelaide, with trees down in Dover Gardens, Hawthorndene, Morphett Vale, Pooraka, Elizabeth and more.

Fire crews were also busy after a truck crashed into a gas main at the intersection of Hampstead Rd and Regency Rd at Broadview.

The gas main ruptured when the truck attempted to turn a corner about 9.15pm Monday.

The road was reopened and the gas main was fixed about 1am.

A dangerous gas leak sparked a health warning in Broadview. Picture: 7NEWS

The fire danger remains high to very high in most districts until Friday.

It’s a far cry from last week, which was unseasonably wet across the state.

Notably high rainfall totals for the week included in Parawa in the Mt Lofty Ranges, which collected 78mm, and Mt Lofty, which had 30.6mm.

More than 23mm fell in Parndana on Kangaroo Island, and Mid North regions including Spring Gully collected more than 40mm.