WA severe weather warning: Bureau of Meteorology forecasts thunderstorms for south west

Perth’s warm autumn will end with a bang this week with severe thunderstorms, heavy rain and even hail hitting parts of the state.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe weather warning for an area from Geraldton to Albany, including Perth, as a cold front develops.

The Bureau’s Angus Hines said the “vigorous” front was forecast to arrive on Friday and hit coastal areas of WA.

“In these locations in the southwest, if severe thunderstorms are seen on Friday, they could be accompanied by heavy rainfall that could cause areas of flash flooding,” he said.

“They could come with damaging winds that can down trees and cause power outages, and there’s even a chance of large hail that could damage property as well as crops.”

Some parts of the state could be drenched with 30 to 40mm of rain, but most areas are forecast to receive just 10mm of rain.

In discouraging news for WA farmers, Hines said the front was expected to be “fairly restricted”, moving south before it could reach the state’s arid agricultural regions.

“Many parts of Western Australia, including the Wheat Belt, will be left without much-needed rain,” he said.

While winter is just weeks away, Hines noted that temperatures remain up to five degrees above average for this time of year. WA also recorded unusually high fire danger rates well into May.

The cold front is expected to reduce temperatures in parts of the state, but said it would not be a “drastic cooling”, with maximum temperatures forecast to remain at 24C or higher until at least next Wednesday.

PERTH FORECAST

Today: 27°C, cloudy

Tomorrow: 24°C, showers, possible storm

Saturday: 25°C, partly cloudy

Sunday: 25C, shower or two

Monday: 24C, shower or two

Tuesday: 24C, partly cloudy

Wednesday: 24°C, mostly sunny

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