SA weather: State soaked by record-breaking rain as Adelaide shivers through coldest day

A huge clean-up continues after SA was battered by wild weather that saw a jetty washed away and major flooding, amid record-breaking rainfall totals. See how much rain fell.

• Wild sights as storm smashes Ceduna

Heavy rainfall totals have been recorded across SA on what was the coldest day in Adelaide for years, as communities continue to count the cost of the wild weather.

Since 9am on Wednesday, 71mm of rain fell at Aldgate, Crafers West 66mm and Mount Lofty 61mm with the Mount Lofty Rangers copping the most of the rainfall.

Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Simon Timcke told ABC radio the rain was widespread across the state.

Damage at the Second Valley Jetty after the storms. Picture: Second Valley Caravan Park and Jetty Store

A storm and high tides pounded the Ceduna coastline on Wednesday. Picture: Andrew Brooks

“(We’ve had) some fairly good rainfall over the southern agriculture area, even pushing right up towards Clare which had about 26mm, Snowtown 31mm, so around the higher ground is where we’ve seen the bigger totals,” he said.

The wild weather battered SA’s coastline, with the Second Valley jetty causeway washed away on Wednesday.

The Second Valley Progress Association said it was working with the council to assess the damage.

“Unfortunately our jetty causeway leading to the jetty has been breached after several severe winter storms,” the association posted.

“The SVPA is working with the District Council of Yankalilla and the State Government to assess the extent of damage and possible repair solutions.”

Adelaide’s West Tce weather station recorded 28mm of rain – the city’s wettest day since Australia Day 2024, Cummins recorded 22mm, Port Lincoln had 20mm while Cleve got 16mm.

However, Adelaide is still well short of its yearly average rainfall with only 129mm of rain so far this year, Mr Timcke said.

Adelaide would normally record more than 300mm by the end of July.

Caleb May and Barka Bryant storm watching from Ceduna jetty before the council closed jetty for safety reasons. Picture: Andrew Brooks

And, not all regions enjoyed a decent soaking on Wednesday.

“Unfortunately, a bit further in land the fall are not so much, Renmark has had just 2.6mm, Lameroo just 8mm,” Mr Timcke said.

The cold front brought wild winds and heavy rain but also cold weather.

Adelaide fell below an estimated top of 12C for Wednesday to record just 10.1C, the coldest day since July 2021.

Meanwhile, Ceduna on the state’s West Coast was smashed by wild winds and high tides.

Lifelong Ceduna local Andrew Brooks told The Advertiser wild winds and high tides had flooded the town’s main coastal precinct.

“The foreshore, it’s the worst I’ve seen … the combination of the gale force westerly winds with the 2.2 metre tide.”

The cold front has now moved over the eastern and severe weather warnings for damaging winds have been cancelled.

Rain is still predicted to fall on Thursday with up to 10mm forecasted for Adelaide and showers tipped for much of the state.

Originally published as SA weather: State soaked by record-breaking rain as Adelaide shivers through coldest day