Adelaide shivers through cold snap

Adelaide has had to wait to nearly the end of winter to shiver through its coldest day of the year.

The mercury reached just 11.7C in Adelaide on Monday, also making it the coldest August day for two years.

"It is not unusual to get temperatures around about the 11 degree mark - most winters we will have a day or so below 10 degrees," meteorologist Mika Peace said.

There will be a brief respite with temperatures expected to warm up to 20C for the first day of spring on Friday, before another cold spell on Sunday with a forecast top in Adelaide of just 14C.