Severe weather warning in South West

If you live in in Goldfields, Central West, Lower West, South West, South Coastal,South East Coastal, Great Southern, Central Wheat Belt and parts of Gascoyne and Eucla districts. you should take action and stay safe with severe weather to come. 

Locations which may be affected include Albany, Bunbury, Esperance, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Katanning, Mandurah, Manjimup, Margaret River, Merredin, Moora, Mount Barker, Narrogin, Norseman, Northam and Perth. 

This is unusual weather that is likely to cause damage to homes and make travel dangerous. This front is expected to be windier than a typical front and affect a larger area. In southwest WA, it is likely to produce the kind of weather that is only seen about five times per year. 

DFES advises you to:

If outside find safe shelter away from trees, powerlines, storm water drains and streams.

Close your curtains and blinds, and stay inside away from windows.

Unplug electrical appliances and avoid using landline telephones if there is lightning.

If there is flooding, create your own sandbags by using pillow cases filled with sand and place them around doorways to protect your home.

If boating, swimming or surfing leave the water.

Do not drive into water of unknown depth and current.

Slow down, turn your lights on and keep a safe distance from other drivers.

Be alert and watch for hazards on the road such as fallen powerlines and loose debris.

If it is raining heavily and you cannot see, pull over and park with your hazard lights on until the rain clears.

Take care in areas that have been flooded and be careful driving on gravel roads as surfaces will be slippery and muddy, and vehicles could become bogged.

People are being urged to do what they can to help themselves, if it is safe to do so, before calling the SES for assistance

Tuesday, June 5 at 4.14am the Bureau of Meteorology advised a strengthening northerly flow ahead of a strong cold front will cause damaging winds and abnormally high tides ahead of a strong cold front that will move through during Tuesday.

The front is expected near the southwest Capes about 8am Tuesday morning and lie near Perth to Albany at around midday.

Damaging winds with gusts to 100 kilometres per hour which could result in damage to homes and property are possible in coastal parts from Kalbarri to Windy Harbour, including the Perth Metropolitan area.

The threat of damaging winds will extend east during Tuesday to include the southern Gascoyne,

Goldfields and central and eastern parts of the Southwest Land Division.

Winds will ease over western coastal parts during Tuesday afternoon.

There is a slight risk of dangerous gusts in excess of 125 kilometres per hour that could cause significant damage or destruction to homes and property in localised coastal areas between Bunbury and Walpole.

Tides between Kalbarri and Walpole are likely to rise above the normal high tide mark with very rough seas and potential flooding of low-lying coastal areas, particularly in the Geographe Bay area.

Damaging surf conditions are likely which may cause beach erosion in coastal areas between Jurien Bay and Walpole, particularly in the Geographe Bay area.

The heaviest rainfall is expected in coastal parts between Jurien Bay and Walpole with only light rainfall over eastern inland parts of the warning area.

Some roads may be closed

Take extra care on the roads and do not drive into water of unknown depth and current.

Road information may also be available by calling Main Roads WA on 138 138 or visiting www.mainroads.wa.gov.au or by contacting your local Shire.

DFES is monitoring the situation.

If your home has been badly damaged by a storm, call the SES on 132 500

In a life threatening situation call 000

After a storm SES volunteers make temporary repairs to homes that have been badly damaged, such as roofs that have been ripped off or large fallen trees on homes or cars. Please contact your insurance company to organise permanent repairs.

Visit www.emergency.wa.gov.au, call 13 DFES (13 3337), follow DFES on Twitter: https://twitter.com/dfes_wa, Facebook: https://facebook.com/dfeswa/, listen to ABC Local Radio or listen to news bulletins.