Australia Weather News

Wet weather "on par" with a system that caused widespread flooding across Adelaide earlier this month has been forecast to hit the Mount Lofty Ranges on Wednesday and Thursday.

SES and weather bureau officials have met to prepare for heavy rain and high winds, which would arrive just two weeks after some homes across the Greater Adelaide area were flooded by burst rivers and creeks.

It is predicted to include storm force winds averaging a potential 48 to 63 knots, which is just one category down from hurricane force winds, over central and Spencer Gulf waters

The winds are expected to hit Wednesday night into Thursday morning, bringing with them very rough seas and large waves.

There is also a potential for gale force winds over exposed coastal and elevated areas across the state, including the Mt Lofty and Flinders ranges.

Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) state director John Nairn said more rain was likely to fall than what occurred during that storm, which was described at the time as being equivalent to a tropical cyclone.

"Falls in the order of 50 to 100 millimetres through the Mt Lofty Ranges," he said.

"It's a considerable amount of rain [and] it's at least on a par with the rain event that we had a fortnight ago."

BoM has issued a flood watch for the Mid-North, Mount Lofty Ranges and Adelaide Metropolitan districts.

It said a "vigorous front followed by an intense low pressure system" would affect the state on Wednesday and Thursday.

It said rainfall totals were expected to be 30 to 60 millimetres across the watch area, but higher falls were possible.

"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," BOM said.

SES chief officer Chris Beattie said volunteers were distributing sandbags to help people prepare.

"For those people who live or work in flood risk areas, it's important you take action to prepare for this event," he said.

"There's a number of simple measures everyone can take to make sure you're well prepared, and that includes ensuring that you've got sandbags on hand should a flood eventuate."

The SES said peoplecould also prepare by moving valuable possessions to a higher place, making sure windows were sealed and gutters cleared.

ABC