Severe Weather Warning: Heavy and Intense Rainfall for North East Pastoral District, SA

Alert Details

The Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has issued a Severe Weather Warning for heavy and locally intense rainfall. This high-priority alert is currently in effect for the North East Pastoral district in South Australia. The warning was issued at 10:50 am ACDT on Monday, 23 February 2026, as a slow-moving low-pressure system interacts with an extremely humid airmass.

Affected Areas

The warning specifically targets the North East Pastoral district. Key locations that may be impacted include:

• Moomba
• Oodnadatta
• Marree
• Innamincka
• Dalhousie Springs
• Arkaroola

What You Should Do

The State Emergency Service (SES) advises residents and travelers in the warning zone to take the following safety actions:

• Do not drive, ride, or walk through flood water.
• Keep clear of creeks and storm drains.
• Stay indoors and away from windows while conditions are severe.

Expected Conditions

A slow-moving low-pressure system over the southern Northern Territory, combined with a deepening trough, is creating conditions for significant precipitation. Expected rainfall amounts include:

• Six-hourly totals: Between 30 and 60 mm are likely, with intense bursts of approximately 90 mm possible during embedded thunderstorms.
• 24-hourly totals: Between 50 and 80 mm are likely, with isolated totals of up to 130 mm possible.

These conditions may lead to flash flooding, with intense rainfall posing a dangerous and life-threatening risk to the region.

Timeline

This is expected to be a prolonged weather event for northeast South Australia, with periods of heavy rainfall likely to persist for most of the week. The Bureau of Meteorology will issue the next update for this warning by 5:00 pm ACDT on Monday.