WA weather: Severe hail storm blankets small town as wild conditions expected to continue

A small Wheatbelt town has been pelted with hail stones in wild weather scenes as several parts of regional Western Australia have been told to brace for severe weather.

Images sent to 7News show Meckering — a small town 130 kilometres east of Perth — has been hammered with hail stones as a storm took hold on Saturday evening.

A resident’s once brown backyard turned white as the hail stones covered the whole area, almost transforming it into a winter wonderland for the regional town.

Another video posted on social media shows the whole town has become a giant snow globe as the small pellets of frozen rain cover everything in sight.

The Bureau of Meteorology issued a severe thunderstorm warning, with damaging winds, large hail stones, and heavy rainfall for people across the Central Wheatbelt, Goldfields, South West and Great Southern regions.

It specifically identified Merredin, Northam, Dowerin, Pingelly, Southern Cross and Wongan Hills as areas that may be affected.

An update from the Bureau at 5.33pm said “conditions for severe thunderstorms remain very favourable this evening in the southwest of the state”.

“Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging winds, large hailstones and heavy rainfall that may lead to flashflooding in the warning area over the next several hours,” it said.

Meanwhile, earlier in the day the Department of Fire and Emergency Services issued a severe thunderstorm warning for parts of the Perth metropolitan area.

The warning has since been cancelled but it was momentarily predicted to become extremely hazardous.

DFES had advised residents in an area east of Bickley, Roleystone and Armadale to take action and stay safe with severe thunderstorms to come.

The Bureau of Meteorology advised at 5.13pm the severe thunderstorms had moved out of the Perth metro area.

“The immediate threat of severe thunderstorms has passed, but the situation will continue to be monitored and further warnings will be issued if necessary,” the update said.

Just after 4pm, DFES also cancelled a serve thunderstorm warning for parts of the North West.

The Bureau of Meteorology will issue more updates throughout the evening.

PERTH WEATHER

Sunday: 26C, shower or two

Monday: 27C, partly cloudy

Tuesday: 28C, sunny

Wednesday: 28C, sunny

Thursday: 29C, sunny

Friday: 31C, sunny