Australia-Rain breaks the last drought affected region.

AUSTRALIA-DROUGHT BREAKING RAIN BRINGS RELIEF TO FARMERS.

Severe thunderstorms have led to flash flooding over parts of South Australia, with regions as far apart as Padthaway and Coober Pedy gaining more in 10 minutes than during the last three months.

Severe storms dumped 22mm on Padthaway, in the state’s southeast, and 16mm on Coober Pedy in the north.

In just 10 minutes, 12mm fell, a rain rate more typical of the tropics.

WeatherZone says Cummins airport, just north of Port Lincoln on Eyre Peninsula, received 43mm in under an hour, their highest daily rainfall in more than four months.

On Thursday afternoon severe storms continued further north, where flash flooding hit the area just north of Kadina, Clare and Whyalla.

Most storms barely lasted an hour.

Some of the heaviest falls were in the Port Pirie area and in the Flinders Ranges.

By 7:30pm Yunta had picked more than 28mm.

This sort of rainfall is fairly unusual for March WeatherZone says, even for the north which is normally drying out after some summer rain.

For Yunta and Padthaway this was their highest March rain in at least nine years.

Storms are now clearing to eastern states with a weakening trough.

The next chance of rain is on Saturday but only for the southeast and coasts and not much.

MLA reports some of the worst drought affected regions of NSW and Victoria finally received rain this week, hopefully signalling the start to a wet autumn - and improving the demand for beef cattle at saleyards this week. (See separate story).

Up to 40mm fell in parts of western NSW, including Ivanhoe (43mm), and western SA, while up to 15mm was recorded in parts of north western Victoria.

In Queensland, the heavier falls were mainly on the coast, largely due to cyclone Hamish, while drier conditions inland enabled floodwaters to recede.