Severe storms set to lash SA and Vic
South Australia is preparing for its heaviest downpours in more than 40 years, with authorities warning heavy rain may lead to flash flooding in parts of the state.
Towns in the state's far north are expected to bear the brunt of the storm, with the rainfall easing as the band moves south.
A severe weather warning for heavy rainfall has been issued for the Flinders, North West Pastoral, North East Pastoral and parts of the Eastern Eyre Peninsula and Mid North districts.
Rain in the area has already started to wash out roads, and the SES has warned creeks may burst their banks.
Stormy weather has also left almost 7000 homes without power across large swathes of southern South Australia.
SA Power Networks said there were power outages at 6779 homes just before midday on Thursday, with crews working to restore power.
The majority of the outages were in the southern suburbs, with 1307 homes without power in Aldinga Beach, Sellicks Beach and Sellicks Hill, about an hour's drive from Adelaide.
The weather bureau has forecast daily rainfall totals of between 50mm and 150mm in SA on Friday and into the weekend, with the possibility of localised higher falls of up to 200mm.
SA could experience its heaviest statewide rainfall totals for a single event since 1974 as a tropical low moves south, with potential flash flooding in some areas, the Bureau of Meteorology says.
Bureau spokesman Paul Lainio says heavy rain is relatively common in central Australia but it's unusual for it to be forecast across a large area.
"Normally you might have more isolated thunderstorms developing," he said.
"This is unusual in that it's over a very large area."
The red centre is experiencing its heaviest rain in 14 years. The flooding rains are heading south for the weekend. More detail at 4pm.
— David Brown (@DavidWBrown7) January 9, 2015
Mr Lainio said the remote station of Tieyon, near the Northern Territory border, had received 120mm of rain over the past 24 hours - about half of its yearly average rainfall.
Up to 60mm of rain is expected to fall in southeast SA.
The State Emergency Service has deployed a four-person swiftwater rescue team to Port Pirie, about 220 kilometres north of Adelaide, to help anyone caught in flash flooding.
Another rescue team is on stand-by in Adelaide.
The heavy rain comes after the Country Fire Service declared they had fully contained a bushfire which burnt out of control through the Adelaide Hills for six days, destroying 27 homes.
Authorities said fire danger ratings would continue to ease due to lower forecast temperatures and increasing humidity.
Severe storm warning for Victoria
Wild weather is expected to lash parts of Victoria as emergency services prepare for a busy weekend.
Severe thunderstorm warnings have been issued for the northwest of the state through to Gippsland on Friday.
The rain band may lead to flash flooding in those areas later in the afternoon, with Melbourne also set to receive about 20mm.
Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist Andrea Peace says the weather is expected to get worse over the weekend.
"We are not expecting any severe thunderstorms over Melbourne today," Ms Peace told AAP on Friday.
"But there is a potential for isolated pockets of heavy rain."
She said northeast Victoria would likely get the heaviest falls, up to 30mm of rain.
Downpours are expected to help firefighting efforts in northwestern parts of Victoria.
"All fires are contained at the moment," State Incident Control spokeswoman Andrea Mason told AAP.
"But there are still a fair few advice warnings."
She said fire crews would continue to battle blazes across the state for days to come.
The SES has warned residents in fire affected areas to be aware of the potential for landslides and debris across roads.
Morning news break –January 9
