The floodgates opened across much of South Australia yesterday bringing some of the best rainfall in years for some.
In Adelaide, rain was falling by lunchtime on Thursday and within 24 hours 27mm had accumulated - Adelaide's heaviest rain in 11 months.
In the Murray and Northern Agricultural Districts water was seen flowing over earth scorched by one of the driest starts to the year in recent memory.
The best totals were recorded in the Mount Lofty Ranges and along the Yorke and Fleurieu peninsulas. Mount lofty grabbed 57mm, their heaviest rain in 11 months.
Parawa came in at 55mm, their highest in two years. Stenhouse Bay took 26mm, their best rainfall in three years.
Renmark had only seen 2.4mm in the last 3 months, their driest start to the year for at least 13 years. However, in the 24 hours to 9am today 11mm fell, their best rain in four months.
Many places saw falls of between 10 and 50mm with some going beyond that.
The main band of rain has now all but departed SA and is weakening as it moves inland.
The good news is that a series of fronts and strong winds will keep pushing showers through southern areas into the middle of next week.
Across the border in Victoria, winter is set to arrive with a vengeance this weekend, according to WeatherZone.
Light rain began falling on Thursday evening, before spreading east across the state overnight. Rainfall totals between 5mm and 10mm were widespread across western and northern parts of the state to 9am on Friday.
However, the weather will deteriorate significantly, WeatherZone, says, across the state later on Friday and across the weekend with strong winds, heavy showers, hail and even Alpine snow likely.
"Thursday night’s rainband formed ahead of a weakening cold front that is just now moving into western Victoria. This front will move across the rest of the state this afternoon and evening, turning winds cooler westerly," weatherzone.com.au meteorologist Matt Pearce said.
"However, a much more significant front will move into western Victoria on Saturday afternoon. This will move quickly across the state later on Saturday, bringing widespread showers, hail and storms along with cold and squally winds."
Melbourne is looking at a partly cloudy but mostly dry start to the day for Anzac Day dawn services. However, people attending the traditional Essendon-Collingwood clash at the MCG should bring the winter woollies and ponchos, as the front is likely to reach Melbourne towards the end of the game.
A period of cold and showery weather will then continue across Victoria through until Tuesday as southerly winds persist. The showers will finally clear up around the middle of the week.
"Southern parts of Victoria can expect up to 60mm over the next few days from these fronts and the following showers," Matt Pearce said.
"Northern parts of the state will be closer to 10 to 20 millimetres."
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