A broad area of rain is set to soak Australia this weekend, with Adelaide and nearby areas already getting a welcome drink this Friday afternoon.

The moisture from this system originated in the tropics and has fed down to central and southern Australia under northerly winds, which means it’s also exceptionally warm for this time of year in many places.

Examples of unseasonable warmth:

Melbourne reached 22.7°C this Friday, almost six degrees above its average May maximum of 16.8°C.

That made it 7 out of the first 15 days this May when the mercury has topped 20°C in Melbourne, and 22°C is forecast for this Saturday, May 16.

Hobart reached 20.7°C today, just over six degrees above its average May maximum of 14.6°C.

Hobart started the month with a record May high of 26.9°C on May 1, and this month’s maximums are currently running at 4.2 degrees above average, with another day of 21°C forecast for Saturday.

Areas where significant rain could fall this weekend:

Image: Combined radar and satellite loop in South Australia for the six hours to 3:30pm (ACST) on Friday, May 15, 2026. Source: Weatherzone.

South Australia

As mentioned, rain has already started falling in South Australia. Between 9am and 3pm (ACST) on Friday, more than 15mm was recorded at Stenhouse Bay (Yorke Peninsula) and at Parawa West (Fleurieu Peninsula, just south of Adelaide). Adelaide received 3.8mm between 9am and 3pm.

On the weekend, at least a few showers or storms are expected in all 15 South Australian official BoM forecast districts, from the normally parched North West Pastoral to the reliably rainy Lower South East.

Western Victoria and New South Wales

Significant falls are possible in western parts of both NSW and Vic on Saturday, with meaningful rain from this system not extending further east until the first few days of next week – although it’s worth noting that coastal NSW has been receiving rain all week, including this Friday, from an easterly system. 

Canberra has had almost no rain this May (0.4mm in total to May 15) but can expect a decent drop on Monday and/or Tuesday after a mostly dry weekend, as this system finally reaches the NSW Southern Tablelands and the ACT.

Tasmania

Sunday looks like the wettest day of a consistently showery 4-day forecast period in Tasmania, with falls heavier in the northern, western and elevated parts of the state than in Hobart and the southeast.

Queensland

It’s a strange May weekend when Birdsville could be wetter than Brisbane, but that’s on the cards this weekend with inland rain set to soak SW Queensland, while Brisbane should still see coastal showers under easterly or southeasterly winds.

Northern Territory

The weekend looks wet in the southern NT, including in Alice Springs, where both Saturday and Sunday should provide the first days of meaningful rainfall since this year’s very wet February and March.

Wherever you are, we hope you get rain if you need it this weekend.