Rain, thunderstorms for SA and Victoria on Thursday

South Australia and Victoria are in for a day of wild weather, with rain, thunderstorms and potentially damaging wind gusts set to strike the southern parts of the country across Thursday.

The Bureau of Meteorology has released a severe weather warning for much of SA, with damaging winds possible across the vast West Coast, Flinders, Mid North, North West Pastoral and parts of Eastern Eyre Peninsula and North East Pastoral districts.

Wind speeds could average 60-70 km/h, with peak gusts in excess of 90 km/h, the bureau stated, and the windy weather will develop over the morning.

The towns of Whyalla, Ceduna, Marla, Coober Pedy, Roxby Downs and Leigh Creek are all in the firing line.

The State Emergency Service advises residents of affected areas to “move vehicles under cover or away from trees, secure or put away loose items around your property and stay indoors, away from windows, while conditions are severe”.

Rain and thunderstorms are also predicted for Adelaide and parts of SA.

“Pretty much anywhere in the state could see a thunderstorm,” bureau meteorologist Angus Hines said.

“A really warm, really windy day.”

But the wind, rainy day will also be marked by hot weather, with Adelaide forecast to hit 30C.

Mr Hines said Victoria would also be hit with wild weather.

“We will see showers building in the west of the state in the morning,” he said.

“A warm start elsewhere but the showers will reach Melbourne and the eastern areas around lunch time.

“And then the rest of the day, we’ll see those showers off and on.”

He added possibly severe thunderstorms could hit the northwest portion of Victoria in the afternoon.

The rest of the country will likely enjoy a milder day.

Queensland will dodge the storms, he said, while coastal NSW, including Sydney, will enjoy a fine, sunny day as it cleans up from recent stormy days.

Western Australia, meanwhile, will enjoy mostly fine and dry weather.