Adelaide set for much-needed soaking with up to 15mm of rain tipped after dry spell

At long last, Adelaide has had the deluge it’s been waiting for all year. And it didn’t take long to hit a 2025 milestone.

• ‘Pump the Murray to the bush’

Adelaide is set for a much-needed soaking with up to 15mm of rain across the metropolitan area on Thursday, breaking a dry spell dating back to mid-February.

The Bureau of Meteorology had tipped a very high chance of showers on Thursday, most likely during the morning and afternoon.

There is also the chance of a thunderstorm into the afternoon.

Showers become less likely in the late afternoon and evening.

Thankfully, that forecast has been spot on. A rain band moving from the west towards Adelaide has seen Ceduna pick up about 6mm or rain as of 6.30am, with a large handful of the city’s suburbs also getting a soaking, as well as the CBD. By 10am, more than 4mm had registered in the West Tce rain gauge.

A Rainbow appears over Adelaide this morning . Picture: Sam Shute

The city has already received more than 5mm on Thursday. Picture: Sam Shute

The slippery conditions have caused multiple crashes and traffic incidents across Adelaide.

Traffic was backed up for kilometres on the M2 heading toward Adelaide from the northern suburbs, with multiple rear-end crashes causing delays. Emergency services were called to the North-South Motorway just before 7am to reports of the multi-car crash.

Traffic was backed up for several kilometres on the M2, heading to the city. Picture: Leah Smith

There have been multiple rear-end crashes. Picture: Leah Smith

SA Police’s road weather alert warned about the rain making for dangerous driving conditions on Thursday.

They advised motrosits to slow down, keep headlights on and maintain a safe distance between cars.

The last time it rained in Adelaide was February 14 and it was not much, with many sites across the city receiving between 1mm and 3mm.

Rain finally arrived in South Australia on Thursday morning. Picture: BOM

People on the streets of Adelaide shelter from the rain. Picture: File

Until now, only 6.6mm of rain had been recorded this calendar year.

The wet weather comes after a hot night with temperatures holding in the 20s over night.

A top of 28C is tipped for Adelaide on Thursday and a chance of a thunderstorm is also forecast.

Showers are also expected across regional SA from Murray Bridge to Keith with the Renmark in the Riverland a chance of severe thunderstorms with possible heavy falls.

The chance of a thunderstorm during the morning and afternoon Murray Bridge Keith

Adelaide’s dry start to 2025 comes on the back of a dry 2024.

According to weatherzone.com.au, just 346.6mm of rain fell in 2024, which was just under two-thirds of the annual average of 526mm.

Only one month in 2024, June, saw above-average rainfall and every other month was much drier than usual.

It’s been the driest start to a year since 1989 and comes as a delegation of farmers desperate for drought relief came to town on Wednesday to plead for faster assistance from the state government.

They say they’re facing a minimum 10-week waiting for $5000 “drought resilience” rebates, but many are in financial crisis and simply can’t wait that long.

Originally published as Adelaide set for much-needed soaking with up to 15mm of rain tipped after dry spell