NATIONAL TRAGEDY: Adelaide’s ‘Big Wedgie’ Blown Away By Wild Storms

Along with forecast thunderstorm activity for both Melbourne and Sydney stretching from this afternoon and in the evening, Adelaide copped an absolute battering from a particularly nasty storm cell that swept through the metropolitan area at around 3pm this afternoon.

Severe storm moving through the metro. 89 km/h wind gust at the airport, 1-2cm hail south of the city #AdelaideStorm pic.twitter.com/uIcgrRSpkn

— BOM South Australia (@BOM_SA) January 22, 2016

The storm cell smashed the city with wind gusts of up to 89km/hr with large hail stones, lightning strikes, and torrential rain coming with it.

Yikes! It ain’t pretty out there, #Adelaide! Please take extra care driving through the #adelaidestorm pic.twitter.com/tQCmRAYHeq

— SA Police News (@SAPoliceNews) January 22, 2016

35mm in half hour incl. 20mm in 10mins in Mitcham/Torrens Park area. Street flooding on Belair road. #AdelaideStorm pic.twitter.com/aIKyiyqHxs

— BOM South Australia (@BOM_SA) January 22, 2016

Today I should of taken the boat to work.
#adelaidestorm #Adelaide #flooding pic.twitter.com/GR0tmm60rp

— Adam Soper (@Reposmada) January 22, 2016

As much as 35mm of rain fell in around half an hour, turning some low-lying roads into mini-lakes, forcing motorists to make cautious pushes through the rising waters.

Just went for a boat ride in #Adelaide #AdelaideStorm #Weather pic.twitter.com/PNBoLWirER

— Andy Cussen (@Cussen91) January 22, 2016

But perhaps the worst of it was in beachside Glenelg, where the city’s Big Wedgie inflatable waterslide sadly perished at the hands of the storm.

The slide – the tallest inflatable water slide in the world – only opened for seasonal operation in mid December.

We’re so excited! The #bigwedgie will be open to the public beginning Sunday, December 13th!

A photo posted by The Beachouse (@thebeachouse) on Nov 29, 2015 at 7:45pm PST

But by this afternoon, it was sadly no more.

Gust of wind sends Glenelg’s inflatable attraction, the Big Wedgie, into a tree. pic.twitter.com/Sb7OfXFFT1

— Jessica Stanley (@jess_stanley9) January 22, 2016

Glenelg’s Big Wedgie waterslide blows away in fierce #Adelaide weather https://t.co/QeQUskPbHW pic.twitter.com/eJdrfWLYrV

— The Advertiser (@theTiser) January 22, 2016

Witnesses capture the moment Glenelg’s #BigWedgie went bust. #adelaidestorm pic.twitter.com/OUD3yWmVku

— Ten News Adelaide (@TenNewsADEL) January 22, 2016

The inflatable ‘Big Wedgie’ slide at Glenelg is no more! ?????? Severe storms have ripped across Adelaide, causing the waterslide to slam into a tree…Full details in 7News at 6pm. #adelaidestorm #bigwedgie #glenelg #weather #storm #7News #adelaide

A photo posted by 7 News Adelaide (@7newsadelaide) on Jan 21, 2016 at 9:16pm PST

Good night, sweet prince. May you scorch butts in that great water park in the sky.