WA Braces for Strong Winds, Storms, Large Waves

Bringing damaging to destructive wind gusts, heavy falls and very large waves.

A Severe Weather Warning is current extending from about Kalbarri in the north all the way down south and out towards the south-east coast of Western Australia.

Now this warning is current for the chance of damaging to destructive wind gusts and heavy rainfall.

Now the risk of those hazards begins this evening as showers and thunderstorms start to move through, starting from Kalbarri and the central west this evening, extending through the lower west and south-west through early hours of tomorrow morning, and then that risk of damaging winds extending further east throughout Sunday.

We are then expecting a second burst of very strong winds, with again that risk of locally destructive gusts south-west of a line from about Lancelin to Albany.

And that risk will be again for Sunday evening into Monday morning. Now we are expecting thunderstorms to move through with this system.

Now this area in yellow shows us where we could see some severe thunderstorms developing this evening through the central west and extending through to the lower west.

Now, in addition to those winds and rain that we could see with the thunderstorms, we may also see some very localised tornadoes, which, if they develop, would be very fast-moving and short-lived.

Now that risk of thunderstorms continues into tomorrow, extending further south through the south-west tomorrow morning and then further east throughout the day.

Now again, we have that risk of severe thunderstorms, in particular south-west of about Perth to Albany, with that ongoing risk of damaging wind gusts, destructive wind gusts, heavy falls, and even a possible isolated tornado.

So what's driving the severe weather this weekend? We have a low-pressure system approaching the coast here.

Now we have a trough bringing in some moisture from the north-west ahead of a cold front coming in from the south-west.

Now this low-pressure system is a very deep low-pressure system.

We only see one this deep on average once every few years, and that is what is driving that very extensive, widespread area of possible damaging winds.

Through to tomorrow, Sunday, this cold front will continue to move east, with the chance of showers and storms also extending east throughout the day.

We then see this trough move in behind it, bringing that second risk of damaging to destructive wind gusts through south-western parts on Sunday evening and into Monday morning.

Now we can look at winds above the surface to show us where we could see those strongest gusts.

Now we can see this area in red is quite widespread through tomorrow, but then that strongest area really develops here in purple through the south-west later on Sunday evening and continuing into Monday morning.

On Monday, the low-pressure system will continue to move east, with those showers and storms also extending into southern and south-eastern Australia.

So on Monday, we not only have the risk of ongoing showers and storms through south-west Western Australia, some of those gusty storms will also extend into South Australia before moving further south-east into the new week.

Now, in addition to that wind and rain, we're also expecting to see very large waves as the low-pressure system comes towards the coast.

Now we could see some waves up to 8 metres offshore on Sunday, and that will continue into Monday and move further east as the low continues to track east.

With such a strong system, we are expecting impacts to communities, including damage to property and trees down with those very strong winds.

We could also see some powerlines down, which could lead to some extended power outages.

And with those coastal conditions that we're expecting, we're looking at dangerous surf, coastal erosion, as well as the chance of some inundation of low-lying coastal areas.

So please keep up to date with your local emergency services.

Now, this is very much an unfolding situation, so please keep up to date with our latest forecasts and warnings via the Bureau's website, app and social media.

Bye for now.