South Australia is about to enter a run of summer heat, with Adelaide facing a prolonged stretch of high temperatures, dangerous UV levels and fire danger concerns. The rest of Thursday stays sunny and dry across the city, with temperatures reaching a top of 27°C and fresh southeasterly winds pushing through the afternoon. While it’s not the hottest day of the week, the UV Index expected to peak at Extreme levels and exposure risks high from mid-morning through late afternoon.
Friday marks the beginning of a sharper temperature increase, with Adelaide heating rapidly to a maximum of 35°C under clear skies. Overnight lows drop to around 15°C, before the heat reasserts itself. Winds will shift through the day, starting easterly before tending northerly and then southeast by evening, contributing to drying conditions and heightened fire risk.
Saturday is forecast to reach a scorching 42°C. Conditions remain mostly sunny, but the combination of very high temperatures, shifting winds and extreme UV creates a high-risk environment for heat stress and fire activity. Northeasterly winds will strengthen before a gusty west to northwesterly change during the day, followed by a cooler southerly shift later in the evening. Even with the change, temperatures will remain above average.
Sunday brings some easing near the coast, with Adelaide dropping back to around 34°C, though inland areas remain very hot. Clear skies persist, and while winds shift southwest to southeasterly in southern areas, conditions remain dry and warm. Monday sees temperatures surge again, climbing to around 40°C, followed by another very hot day Tuesday near 39°C. By Wednesday, a milder change is expected, with cloud increasing and temperatures falling closer to 30°C.
Across South Australia, a low pressure trough continues to influence the northeast through Friday, while a high pressure system maintains ridging across western and southern parts of the state. A trough moving in from the west on Saturday is expected to bring very hot conditions and gusty wind changes, particularly across the west and south, before reaching the northeast by early Sunday. Thunderstorms are possible across the pastoral and Flinders districts from Saturday into Sunday, though rainfall is expected to be patchy and minimal.
Warnings
Strong Wind Warning for the following areas: Investigator Strait and Upper South East Coast.
Severe Heatwave Warning for: North West Pastoral District.
Heatwave Warning valid from Wednesday 21 January to Saturday 24 January.
Adelaide 7-Day Summary Forecast
- Rest of Thursday: Max 27°C – Sunny
- Friday 23 January: Min 15°C, Max 35°C – Sunny
- Saturday 24 January: Min 25°C, Max 42°C – Mostly sunny
- Sunday 25 January: Min 19°C, Max 34°C – Sunny
- Monday 26 January: Min 22°C, Max 40°C – Sunny
- Tuesday 27 January: Min 28°C, Max 39°C – Sunny
- Wednesday 28 January: Min 20°C, Max 30°C – Partly cloudy
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