A massive storm system tearing through Western Australia has left thousands without power and caused widespread damage, with shocking images of crushed cars and washed-ashore boats emerging on social media.
Storm Causes Widespread Carnage
The Facebook page 'Outbreak Weather' shared a video of a car wreck near a fallen tree, noting that a vehicle was crushed near Glen Iris in the Bunbury region after a large tree was brought down by powerful wind gusts. The WA Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) confirmed they responded to the incident and helped extricate one person, though they could not confirm if the tree directly fell onto the car.
Photos and videos on social media show fallen powerlines and trees, roofs torn off, and boats washed ashore. As of 1pm Sunday, 14,600 homes were without power across Perth and the South West.
Dangerous Conditions Rapidly Deteriorating
DFES has urged residents in Perth and towns across WA to prepare to take shelter immediately. A Watch and Act warning is now in place for parts of Perth, Mandurah, the Midwest Gascoyne, Goldfields Midlands, South West, and Great Southern regions. Regional locations bracing for the brunt include Albany, Bunbury, Esperance, Kalgoorlie, Katanning, Manjimup, Merredin, Moora, Narrogin, Norseman, Busselton, Margaret River, Mount Barker, and Northam.
DFES has warned: 'This is a prolonged severe weather event and conditions may change quickly. Rarely experienced winds may bring down trees, branches and powerlines.'
Winds and Warnings
Damaging westerly winds averaging 60 to 70 km/h with gusts to 110 km/h are developing, while destructive wind gusts in excess of 125 km/h are likely over an area southwest of a line from Lancelin to Albany, including the Perth metropolitan area, during Sunday afternoon and evening. DFES has strictly warned residents to stay indoors and away from windows.
The Bureau of Meteorology's Luke Huntington said the worst of the system would hit southwest WA on Sunday evening, describing it as a 'once-every-five-year event'. The Bureau's formal severe weather and coastal hazard warnings emphasize the rarity: 'The winds associated with the low-pressure system during Sunday afternoon, evening and Monday morning are expected to produce dangerous weather that is only seen once every three to five years in the southwest of WA.'
Heavy Rainfall and Coastal Hazards
The initial trough and cold front have already brought heavy rainfall, with gusts up to 117 km/h at Cape Leeuwin and 51mm of rain in 24 hours on Busselton. Bureau meteorologist Ilana Cherny warned of a second, stronger pulse of damaging to destructive winds expected to reach southwestern parts Sunday afternoon and last through the evening and early hours of Monday.
Bureau meteorologist Sarah Scully added that the low-pressure system is generating massive ocean energy, with very powerful waves and swells. 'The waves are expected to peak in the early hours of Monday morning with significant wave heights of eight metres. Where these very large waves coincide with high tides, this leads to an increased risk of coastal erosion as well as inundation of coastal areas.'
Ms Scully warned that residents in the warning zone could expect 'damaging to locally destructive winds, severe thunderstorms, areas of heavy rain, coastal hazards and even a risk of tornadoes' over the weekend.
System Moving East
The weather system will not stop in WA. Ms Cherny warned it is moving towards the east coast through South Australia, and into Victoria, NSW, and Tasmania through Monday and Tuesday. 'Our windy conditions, as well as shower and thunderstorm activities will track through the southern and southeastern parts of the country over the next few days. We're looking at impacts to communities including damage to property and trees down. We're also seeing power lines down which can lead to power outages.'
