The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe weather warning for South Australia, with damaging winds exceeding 100 km/h expected across western and central parts of the state on Monday and Tuesday. Adelaide and the Mount Lofty Ranges are forecast to experience winds of up to 90 km/h.
Senior BOM forecaster Michael Efron warned that some areas, including the West Coast, Eyre Peninsula and Yorke Peninsula, could see wind gusts of 100 km/h. The warning covers districts such as Adelaide, the Mount Lofty Ranges, Eyre and Yorke peninsulas, Flinders, Mid North, Kangaroo Island, Riverland, the South East and parts of the West Coast, North East Pastoral and North West Pastoral districts.
The State Emergency Service advised residents to secure loose items around properties, park vehicles under cover or away from trees, and stay indoors away from windows during severe conditions. BOM Meteorologist Angus Hines highlighted risks including damage to trees and property, hazardous driving conditions, and power outages. “When we have winds of this intensity, trees pushing down onto houses or cars happens all the time,” he said.
Coastal hazards are also a concern, with large waves and abnormally high tidal levels expected along the Nullarbor coast, Ceduna, Yorke and Eyre peninsulas, the Adelaide coast, and down to the Limestone Coast, extending into western Victoria. The warning is particularly focused on Tuesday afternoon’s high tide. BOM meteorologist Jonathan Fischer noted that peak winds are likely to strike south of Adelaide on Monday night, and rough seas could damage coastal infrastructure like jetties and cause beach erosion.
Emergency Services Minister Rhiannon Pearce urged South Australians to “stay alert” and “avoid unnecessary danger.” As of 8pm Monday, SA Power Networks reported 10 outages affecting nearly 2,000 customers across the state, with thousands more experiencing power interruptions throughout the day.
