Heavy Rain Hits Central, Southeast Australia

First, let's have a look at the total forecast rainfall out to Tuesday night, keeping in mind this is just one forecast model scenario and the forecasts are updated regularly. We can see the highest rainfall totals are still expected around a very slow moving low pressure system across central Australia. We could see an additional 50 to 200mm through that part of the country.

And, over the weekend, rain will build through South Australia, and southern and central parts of the state could see between 20 to 150mm plus, depending on whether some storms do develop. And then as we head into the new week, rain builds across Adelaide, south-eastern South Australia and western Victoria. These areas could see between 50 to in excess of 150mm.

So now let's have a look at the latest warning situation. We still do have a Severe Weather Warning for heavy rainfall for central Australia, but that's been expanded now right down to the southern coast of South Australia. For northern parts of the warning area, six hourly rainfall totals could reach up to 110mm, leading to flash flooding.

And, as we head into Saturday, rain builds across South Australia. We could see six hourly rainfall totals reaching up to 70mm. Our current expectations that this weather warning here will be quite dynamic and also expand over the weekend, particularly into eastern parts of South Australia and down towards western Victoria.

In addition to this Severe Weather Warning, we also do have a number of flood watches and warnings and they cover large parts of central Australia as well as southern parts of South Australia. So do check these before you head out, because heavy rainfall might lead to river and creek rises over the next few days.

In addition to heavy rain, we also do have thunderstorms forecast due to a lot of tropical moisture sitting across southern parts of the country. For the rest of Friday, we could see severe thunderstorms all the way from Victoria up into Adelaide and South Australia, and into the centre of the country, and the risk with these will be for heavy rain.

As we head into Saturday, we see again severe thunderstorms possible across central parts of the country, again dipping down into South Australia and southern parts of Victoria. As you head into Sunday, will see this area actually shift a little bit further towards the east. Adelaide does fall within that severe thunderstorm likely area, as do parts of western Victoria and over the next few days beyond that, Monday and Tuesday, we see the thunderstorm risk gradually pushing over towards the east coast.

So what can we expect over the next few days? Well, first, with heavy rain that could lead to flash and river rain flooding and this could create dangerous travel, as well as driving conditions and number of roads and freight and trade lines are already impacted.

For some parts of the south-east, this rain will be very welcome, particularly through western parts of Victoria and south-eastern parts of South Australia, but that will come with its challenges, including top soil, which may become washed away, as well as generalised flooding right across the region.

So now let's take a day by day look, starting off with the rest of Friday, we do see that low pressure system continuing to swirl across central parts of the country drawing in heavy rain. But it's also dipping down into South Australia, and we will see a few thunderstorms popping up around the Adelaide area later on Friday night.

As we head into Saturday, we finally see this low pressure system get a move on and dip down into South Australia, bringing heavy rain with it, particularly across that Severe Weather Warning area. Showers and storms building right across the southern coastline.

Now, as we head into Sunday, we do see the heavy rain picking up across eastern parts of South Australia, western Victoria as well as getting down into Tasmania, being picked up by this cold front moving through from the west. Sunday night will be the main risk period for Adelaide and south-eastern parts of South Australia.

Really, depending on where this trough and low pressure system do sit, we can see Adelaide is on the edge of that heavier rain, but we could see flash flooding developing across the city as we head into Monday morning as well.

And for Monday, we do see heavy rain pushing into Victoria, also building across western parts of New South Wales. But gradually a bit of an easing trend from the west across parts of South Australia.

And finally, as we head into Tuesday, we see conditions clearing up across the centre of the country, but still wide spread showers and thunderstorms quite unstable conditions with this low pressure system moving in towards southern parts of New South Wales. And beyond that, we see the conditions gradually clearing up as we head into the second part of next week.

So heavy rainfall to come for large parts of Australia over the next few days, we could see further flooding and more impacts. Be sure to have the latest information and warnings wherever you are. You get those on our website and app, follow us on social media and, as always, please stay safe.