Severe Thunderstorms Cause Chaos in Western Australia

Severe thunderstorms have wreaked havoc in Western Australia, causing flights to be diverted and leaving thousands of homes without power. The Bureau of Meteorology has issued warnings for damaging winds across the Goldfields-Midlands, Perth Metropolitan, and Great Southern regions. Areas such as Perth, Rottnest Island, Scarborough, York, Corrigin, and Pingelly are currently under the severe weather warning.

The stormy weather has led to multiple flights being diverted to regional airports, including one from Brisbane (QF939), which had to land in Kalgoorlie instead of Perth. Additionally, over 6000 homes across the Greater Perth area, including Mount Lawley, Karrinyup, Scarborough, Northbridge, and Highgate, have experienced power outages. Restoration of electricity is not expected until 1:30am.

This severe weather comes at a time when Perth is bracing for a weekend heatwave. On Friday, temperatures reached 36.5C, and it is estimated that Saturday and Sunday will witness highs of 41C and 36C, respectively. The Bureau of Meteorology explains that this heatwave is the result of an “atmospheric traffic jam,” which has caused a trough to linger off the Western Australian coast. This pattern brings hot dry northerly winds, carrying hot air from the Pilbara and Gascoyne regions down to the southwest of the state.