Perth Hit by Spectacular Lightning Show Ahead of Weekend Scorcher

Perth, the capital city of Western Australia, was treated to a magnificent display of lightning on Friday night. This stunning natural phenomenon occurred just before the city’s anticipated scorching day, with temperatures expected to reach above 40 degrees Celsius. The Bureau of Meteorology reported approximately 5000 lightning strikes across the city as a storm moved southward, triggered by a surface trough north of Perth. The storm, accompanied by intense heat and moisture, gradually made its way down the coast without causing significant damaging winds, fortunately.

The highest amount of rainfall during the storm was recorded in Swanbourne with 11 millimeters, breaking a dry spell of 44 days in Perth. Although summer storms like this are not uncommon, they are relatively rare occurrences. About 6000 homes experienced power outages throughout the metropolitan area due to the storm.

The extreme weather conditions continued into Saturday, with Perth bracing for its first 40-degree day since February 2022. The Bureau of Meteorology predicted a scorching temperature of 41 degrees Celsius in the afternoon, urging residents to plan ahead and take precautions to avoid heat-related health issues.

The bureau issued a warning, especially for vulnerable populations such as older people, infants, children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, individuals with medical conditions, and those who are unwell. They advised seeking shelter in cool places like homes, libraries, community centers, or shopping centers. The bureau also recommended closing windows and using blinds, curtains, or awnings early in the day to keep the heat out of homes.

In the midst of this heatwave, spare a thought for the Perth Scorchers and Brisbane Heat players as they kick off their Big Bash League (BBL) cricket match at Optus Stadium, also known fittingly as ‘The Furnace.’ The game is scheduled to start just after 1 pm today.

With a heatwave warning stretching across much of the state for the next three days, Perth’s temperatures are expected to remain in the mid-30s until Thursday.

Western Power‘s asset management executive manager, Archana Viswanathan, highlighted the extensive summer preparedness and bushfire mitigation measures taken to ready the network for the summer season. However, additional precautions are being taken during prolonged periods of high temperatures.

Viswanathan stated that although the network is designed to withstand very hot temperatures, sustained extreme temperatures and fire weather conditions can impact infrastructure and the ability to restore power. Network settings are adjusted during these periods to reduce fire risks, which might increase the frequency and duration of potential power outages. Individuals experiencing outages during these challenging conditions are urged to be patient, particularly in heavily vegetated areas like parks.