Australia Weather News

South Australia's State Emergency Service (SES) is warning people not to risk their safety as abnormally high tides are set to lash the state's coastline.

A low-pressure system is moving across the state, bringing strong winds and rain.

SES state duty officer Ian Bonython urged people to be vigilant.

"Although it might be really fancy to get some really good pictures of the high tides and the waves, we just remind the public to be diligent with their safety and really urge the public to stay back, stay away from those jetties that are being impacted," he said.

The Bureau of Meteorology is warning of the potential for flooding in low-lying coastal areas when tides rise this afternoon.

It has issued a coastal hazard warning for abnormally high tides for all of the state's coastline.

A severe weather warning is in place for dangerous winds of up to 90 kilometres per hour in the Mount Lofty Ranges and the Flinders Ranges

There is a gale wind warning for the central coast, the south central coast, Investigator Strait and the upper South East coast.

SES chief of staff Robert Charlton said people should prepare for rapidly changing conditions.

"So, certainly the warning area is likely to extend over the next 12 hours into Wednesday morning, so perhaps, you know, 12 to 24 hours," he said.

SES busy responding

The SES said it had received about 200 requests for help in the past 24 hours.

The majority of requests have come from Adelaide and the Adelaide Hills, due to wind damage and minor flooding.

Goodwood Road was covered in water at Colonel Light Gardens, in Adelaide's inner south, where Mark Le Raye has lived for 53 years. 

He said flooding happened quickly in the area because of poor drainage.

"It's a safety hazard on Goodwood Road because any cars that come into it in towards the footpath are aquaplaning," he said.

"They could career off and have accidents — we've seen accidents before."

Worry about South East

In the South East, Southend is particularly vulnerable to erosion during storms.

The Wattle Range Council has installed hay bales along the town's beach to protect the local caravan park and a bridge that connects the main part of the town with a headland.

Council chief executive Ben Gower said they held up well yesterday night, but the worst weather was forecast to hit tonight.

"We've seen no erosion on this section of the coast where normally we'd actually have a steep cut-off and a really unsafe area that we'd have to get in after the storms subside and batter down those dunes again," he said.

"So they're holding up well, but they're not a permanent solution."

The council has been unsuccessful in seeking $1.8 million for a permanent seawall.