South Australian storm | Updates, photos

If the situation is life-threatening, contact 000.

Have you taken any photos of the storm? Email them to emily.sweet@fairfaxmedia.com.au for inclusion in the statewide gallery.

10pm: To find out the estimated time your power will be restored CLICK HERE

Keep safe, South Australia. We’ll be back with more storm coverage on Thursday.

9.50pm: South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill has addressed the media giving further details of exactly what went wrong to cause the power outage and plunge the state into chaos.

Speaking after a meeting of the emergency council, Mr Weatherill said the storm tore down three transmission lines and nine towers in the Port Augusta region.

He said the power system reacted to a large frequency drop by isolating South Australia from the rest of the Australian power network at 3.48pm on Wednesday.

South Australia draws its power from other states including Victoria via an interconnector.

He said power would be restored gradually across the state.

"It is likely that the southern part of the state - that is south of the break - will be restored first, the northern part of the state is likely to take longer," Mr Weatherill said.

He warned against politicising the weather event and bristled at criticism of the handling of the major event .

"For people to be saying those things without being actually appraised of all the facts demonstrates that people are using this to play politics instead of responding to what is a state emergency," he said.

"It is regrettable that people would leap to a political criticism at this time."

9.05pm: ElectraNet, which operates the South Australian high voltage electricity transmission network, has restored supply on parts of its transmission network. Customers in the Mid-North and Eyre Peninsula regions should prepare to be without power overnight and into tomorrow, due to damage on the transmission supply network supplied by ElectraNet.

We will progressively restore regional areas as more generation and transmission supply becomes available. Once the metro area is supplied this will provide sufficient network stability for us to start the process of restoring supply to country areas.

Power restoration may also be delayed where there has been damage to the distribution network caused by today’s weather.

Customers also should note that more extreme weather is forecast tomorrow bringing further risk to electricity supplies.

Updates on power supply issues are available via our social channels, our website and via SMS. Please report downed powerlines and life threatening issues via 13 13 66.

If you rely on power supply for medical equipment, be prepared to action your back up plan.

Further updates will be issued as information becomes available.

8.48pm: The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) operates the interconnected power system athat provides electricity to South Australia from other states.

It confirmed the South Australian electricity market disconnected from Victoria at 4.20pm, resulting in a state-wide power outage in South Australia.

"AEMO is working closely with transmission network service provider ElectraNet to identify and understand the severity of the fault, as well as determine a power restoration time."

AEMO said the problem had not caused any supply interruptions in Victoria.

8.41pm: SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens has declared a 'major incident' in the state, according to local media.

"Earlier this afternoon I declared the current situation a major incident under the emergency management act," Mr Stevens said.

"This gives us the capacity to ensure this major incident is managed and the resources are made available and coordinated as effectively as possible.

The commissioner labelled the blackout a "unique situation" but hastened to say the combined emergency services were prepared."whilst it is unusual we are prepared and are able to take the necessary action to ensure public safety."

8.25pm: Employees of AGL's Torrens Island Power Station, near Adelaide, have been accounted for and the station is secure, after an outage.

8.10pm: A slice of good news … maybe?

8pm: Telstra says South Australian customers should prepare for services to be lost as towers and exchanges run out of power, ABC is reporting.

7.45pm: Adelaide Airport is back up and running.

"Flights now arriving and departing. Still some delays. Check with your airline for latest flight info," the airport said on Twitter.

7.30pm: South Australia's ambulance services are having to prioritise their services to the "most serious patients".

SA Ambulance chief executive Jason Killens said on Twitter "only call Triple 000 for an emergency ambulance in a genuine life threatening emergency".

In a statement, he said ambulances were experiencing "extreme demand as a result of the weather event".

SA Health has asked for similar understanding.

6.50pm: Kim Westcott, a Meteorologist with Fairfax Media's Weatherzone, said South Australia was hit with 130,000 lightning strikes from midnight to 5pm.

The strikes, part of a cold front, mainly hit in the south-east of the state, within 300 km of Port Augusta.

"In behind this lightning-intensive system we have a really quite intense low-pressure system, so we are looking at damaging wind gusts," Ms Westcott said.

The Bureau of Meteorology warned wind gusts up to 140km/h could be experienced, with isolated rainfall up to 100 millimetres.

On Wednesday evening, the highest gust had been recorded at Snowtown, which experienced 104 km/h winds at 3.30pm.

The most rain had fallen at Mount Lofty, in Adelaide's east, with falls of 34 millimetres from 9am to 6.30pm.

High winds and rain are expected to continue on Thursday, as another low pressure system moves over the state. However, conditions are expected to "rapidly improve" on Friday.

6pm: An updated severe weather warning has been issued for damaging winds in the Flinders, Riverland and parts of the Mid North and North East Pastoral districts.

Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce destructive wind gusts up to 140 km/h, heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding and large hailstones in the warning area over the next several hours.

Locations which may be affected include Leigh Creek, Hawker, Waikerie, Arkaroola, Peterborough and Olary. 

5.45pm: Amid Wednesday’s wild weather, the Mid North town of Blyth has been devastated by what some locals are calling a ‘mini tornado’.

Severe thunderstorms are no longer happening in the Adelaide metropolitan, Mount Lofty Ranges, Eastern Eyre Peninsula, Yorke Peninsula, Murraylands and North West Pastoral districts. The warning for those regions is cancelled.

To see more photos from the Clare Valley and Mid North regions, visit the Northern Argus gallery online.

South Australian residents have been out (safely) capturing photos of what’s being touted as Adelaide and South Australia’s worst storm in 50 years.

5pm: The state has been told to “brace for extended outages” by SA Power Networks.

The statewide electricty provider has not given any timeframe for when power may be restored, and is encouraging people to conserve mobile device batteries.

Those relying on power supply for medical equipment have been urged to action their back-up plan.

South Australian SES is encouraging people to stay at home if they can.

Meanwhile, there are reports a “mini tornado” which hit Blyth, South Australia, has taken rooves off multiple buildings and homes.

4.30pm: SA Power Networks has just reported that the entire state is without power.

A statement on the SA Power Networks social media pages says: “We are not receiving upstream power supply from the transmission network and as such the whole state is currently without supply”.

“We ask that customers do not report their outages at the current time,” the statement reads. 

“We will provide updates via social media and our website as they become available.”

4pm: Mass power outages have been reported by SA Power Networks across the state.

About 7558 people are reported to be without power across South Australia, as of 4.02pm.

For the full list of towns affected, visit the SA Power Networks website.

Meanwhile, thunderstorms began moving across the Adelaide metropolitan area around 4pm.

Adelaide Metro trains along the Seaford and Tonsley lines, plus the Glenelg tram line, are currently not operating due to power outages. Adelaide Railway Station power is also down.

Customers are advised to seek alternative forms of transport. All other train lines are currently operating as close as possible to schedule.

2.30pm: The Bureau of Meteorology has issued an updated rain, hail and wind warning for those in the Eastern Eyre Peninsula, Yorke Peninsula, Flinders and parts of the Mid North, North West Pastoral and North East Pastoral districts.

Wind gusts of up to 140km/h, heavy rainfall potentially leading to flash flooding and large hailstones may affect Whyalla, Port Pirie, Clare, Maitland, Roxby Downs and Leigh Creek.

Cleve, on the Eyre Peninsula, experienced large hailstones earlier this afternoon, along with 14mm of rain in 15 minutes and a wind gust of 87km/h.

The State Emergency Service has once again advised people should: 

An updated list of roads closed across the state can also be seen on the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure (DPTI) page. 

2pm: Lower Eyre Peninsula townships Cleve and Kimba have just received a heavy load of rain and hail.

Eyre Peninsula Tribune journalist Trudi Herde-Rodda has been out and about capturing photos of the storm today, which can be seen in the gallery above.

1.30pm: SA Power Networks is reporting about 3772 homes are without power due to storm activity across the state. 

See the map below for areas where power is affected, or visit the SA Power Networks website for specific towns without power.

1pm: The Bureau of Meteorology has issued an updated warning for large hailstones, destructive wind and heavy rainfalls.

Areas affected in the next couple of hours may include Whyalla, Port Augusta, Hawker, Port Pirie, Clare, Roxby Downs and Leigh Creek.

Thunderstorms are likely to produce destructive wind gusts up to 140 km/h, heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding and large hailstones in the warning area over the next several hours. 

Meanwhile, severe thunderstorms over the West Coast and Lower Eyre Peninsula districts have passed, and BOM has cancelled the region’s weather warnings. 

12pm: The Eyre Peninsula experienced strong winds this morning, but currently has some respite.

The Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR) reports Seal Bay Conversation Park on Kangaroo Island has been closed due to the severe weather.

All DEWNR parks in the northern Adelaide, Mount Lofty Ranges and Fleurieu Peninsula have also been closed on September 28 and 29. See the full list of parks affected here.

Meanwhile, the SES has provided an updated list of locations people can find sandbags:

A safe place to sleep indoors has also been offered to those experiencing homelessness, based in the Adelaide metropolitan region.

11.30am: Thousands of SA Country Fire Service (CFS) volunteers across South Australia are standing ready to respond in support of State Emergency Service colleagues as the predicted storm activity begins to impact.

In storm events, the CFS responds to fallen trees and localised flooding, while still attending vehicle accidents and house fires. 

The service’s 14,000 South Australian volunteers will provide support to State Emergency Service crews.

11am: South Australia is bracing for severe thunderstorms and gale force winds, with a flood watch issued for three state districts.

A vigorous cold front is predicted to hit the state’s mid north, Mount Lofty Ranges and Adelaide metropolitan district on Wednesday, September 28, followed by an intense low pressure system on Thursday, September 29.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has a severe weather warning for damaging winds in place for the West Coast, Eastern Eyre Peninsula and North West Pastoral districts.

The cold front is forecast to be near Ceduna this morning, and move through Leigh Creek to Adelaide by early evening.

Strong to gale force west to southwesterly winds, averaging 50-65 km/h with gusts around 90-100 km/h, are expected to develop behind the front during Wednesday. These winds may cause damage to trees and property.

The Bureau has also issued a flood watch for the state’s mid north, Mt Lofty Ranges and Adelaide metropolitan district. Rainfall totals with this system are expected to be 30 to 60 mm across the watch area, with some falls of 50 to 100mm possible.

For more information, visit BOM’s warnings page. 

There is a risk of rapidly rising water levels and flooding in creeks and rivers across the watch area, in particular the Mount Lofty Ranges, from Wednesday afternoon.

The State Emergency Service advises that people should:

DPTI has also announced that all metropolitan jetties will be closed from midday today due to the severe weather.

A warning has also been issued to sheep graziers across the entire state.