[ad_1]
A “very strong” weather system, which occurs only three to five times a year, is sweeping across much of Western Australia, bringing heavy rainfall and possible flash flooding.
The Bureau of Meteorology warned a cold front was moving across the state from the far south-west to the border with South Australia and even as far north as the Pilbara over the weekend.
“We have a severe weather warning that extends all along the coastline from Kalbarri through Perth and around to Walpole,” meteorologist Helen Reid said on Saturday.
Get the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today 
Heavy rainfall is expected to inundate the state with up to 75mm over a six-hour period, prompting a flash flood warning.
Damaging wind gusts of up to 100 km/h and sustained winds between 60 and 70 km/h could also lash the region on Saturday afternoon in the southwest.
By Sunday, the weather system is expected to deteriorate along the coast with wind gusts in excess of 125 km/h.
“They can cause significant damage, damage or destruction to homes and property,” Ms Reid said.
“This kind of cold front is similar in strength to one you would see about three to five, three or four or five times a year.”
Emergency WA has issued a ‘get ready’ warning for Gascoigne mid-west, metropolitan Perth, south-west and lower south-west.
“If you live in the Lower West, South West and parts of the Central West, you should prepare now for the severe weather coming this afternoon,” the agency said.
Cities such as Bunbury, Busselton, Geraldton, Kalbarri, Mandurah, Manjimup, Margaret River and Perth are expected to be hit by the “vigorous” storm.
“The Bureau of Meteorology has advised that a strong cold front is slowly approaching the West Coast, with a pre-frontal trough forecast to develop over the state’s far south-west from Saturday afternoon,” the agency added.
The agency warned that the rainfall totals predicted for this storm are not typically seen during the winter.
“This weather is not unusual for this time of year, but it can damage homes and make travel dangerous,” the statement said.
Conditions are expected to ease across the south-west on Sunday as the system moves inland, picking up heavy rain and winds further east and redeveloping with harsh west-southwesterly winds.
However, the bureau will closely monitor how the weather event develops on Saturday night and the intensity of the weather impacts for any additional warnings.
[ad_2]
