Australia's driest capital and surrounds has heard us talk, and has since received rainfall totals not seen in months, or even years, as a low pressure system and cold front crossed the Bight towards Adelaide from Friday and deepened throughout Saturday morning.

Image: A low pressure system and associated cold front crossed South Australia on Saturday morning, bringing widespread rainfall that will ease from early Sunday.

In an isolated stretch on the Fleurieu Peninsula on the southern ridge of the Mount Lofty Ranges to the south of Adelaide, the small town of Parawa managed to receive 49mm of rain in the 24 hours to 9am local time on Saturday, making it the highest 24-hour rainfall since July 2016 - an entire 8 years - and the highest for the month of June since 2013.  

Other nearby locations that received significant 24-hour falls to 9am Saturday include: 

• Mount Lofty received 43.2mm and Adelaide received 17.2mm, both the highest 24-hour rainfall totals since last year. 
• Mount Gambier received 26.8mm, the highest 24-hour rainfall for June since 2020. 
• Parndana received 21.2mm, the highest 24-hour rainfall since last year 
• Neptune Island received 20.8mm, the highest 24-hour rainfall for any month since December 2023 and the highest for June since 2014. 

Himawari Satellite image: 24-hour rainfall totals & radar over South Australia to 9am ACST on Saturday 29th June, with a cold front passing to the south

The rain is expected to ease through Sunday as a broad high pressure system builds then dominates the state throughout the coming week, clearing skies. However, for the rest of Saturday, 24-hours totals of 30-40mm can be expected about the Mount Lofty Ranges. 

Image: Forecast 24-hour totals to 9:30pm local time on Saturday, June 29th using the ECMWF HRES Friday 12Z model run. 

Be sure to keep an eye on our latest forecasts and warnings to stay up to date.