THE Gawler region received a healthy downpour of rain across the long weekend, with weather experts predicting a wetter-than-normal spring season.

The Bureau of Meteorology’s Roseworthy weather station recorded nearly 20mm of rain between Friday and Monday, accounting for almost half of the area’s average October rainfall in just two days.

Further south at Edinburgh, 20mm of rain was recorded, while the Barossa was slightly drier, with the Nuriootpa weather station recording 12.8mm across the weekend.

The healthy rains came the same week the BOM announced a La Niña weather event, which is set to lead to higher rainfall across spring and early summer for South Australia.

BOM climate operations manager Andrew Watkins said wet conditions may lessen the ferocity of bushfires this summer, but warned against complacency.

“The bushfire season occurs every summer in Southern Australia. We can’t avoid some fires in any summer now.

“With La Niña though, with a bit of extra rainfall, will hopefully keep those fires a little smaller and a little shorter then what we’ve seen in recent years.

“It reduces the bushfire potential a little, but it doesn’t extinguish it completely. We will see some fires over the summer.”

Mr Watkins added the chance of flood also increased during a La Niña event as extra rainfall wetted soils.

“Typically La Niña brings more rainfall across northern Australia and in to eastern Australia.

“As that wets up the soils, it does increase the risk of flooding whenever we get a big rainfall event.

“So keep an eye on the warnings and listen out for advice from the BOM and local emergency services.”

A La Niña event occurs when warmer ocean water is noted around the coast of Australia, but cooler ocean water is identified off the coast of South America.

The last such event occurred from 2010 to 2012 and resulted in one of the wettest tqo-year periods in Australian history.

Rain turns road to river

A COLLAPSED stormwater drain had Wasleys residents on flood watch, on Sunday night.

Police and State Emergency Services (SES) volunteers were called to Henry Turton Circuit shortly before 9pm, following reports water was rising along the roadway and into front yards.

The cause was linked to a collapsed stormwater drain that usually takes house and street water run-off into the adjacent dam.

Volunteers were able to temporarily fix the problem by hand digging channels from the flooded road, into the dam.

It is understood the drain partially collapsed earlier this year but was reportedly unable to be fixed while the dam remained full.

Light Regional Council were contacted for comment but were unable to respond by The Bunyip’s print deadline.