Perth Set for Soaking as Wet Weather System Sweeps Across Western Australia
Perth residents are preparing for a drenching start to the week, with significant rainfall forecast to blanket the metropolitan area overnight and into Tuesday morning. The Bureau of Meteorology has issued warnings for heavy downpours across most suburbs, particularly targeting northern and north-eastern regions.
Rainfall Predictions and Timing for Perth Metro Area
According to BoM Meteorologist Jonathan How, the wet spell is expected to intensify around 8pm on Monday, with precipitation continuing through the night and peaking during Tuesday morning's commute. Rainfall totals are projected to range between 5mm and 25mm, with the highest accumulations likely in northern suburbs extending toward Ellenbrook and the Swan Valley.
"The further north-east you live the more likely you are to see higher totals," Mr How explained. "It will taper off the further south that you go, with areas like Mandurah expected to receive comparatively less rainfall."
Cyclone Mitchell's Influence on Weather Patterns
The incoming wet weather is largely attributed to Tropical Cyclone Mitchell, which is currently positioned off the Western Australian coast near Carnarvon. As the cyclone makes landfall, it is driving substantial cloud cover and moisture southward toward Perth and the Wheatbelt region.
"We are seeing Mitchell cross the coast tonight around the Carnarvon area," Mr How noted. "As it does, it's bringing a lot of cloud and rain down south towards the City and much of the Wheatbelt."
Severe Thunderstorm Threats Across Multiple Districts
While the cyclone's direct impact remains north of Perth, its residual tropical moisture is fueling severe thunderstorm activity across inland areas of the state. At 2.20pm, the Bureau of Meteorology issued a severe weather warning for damaging winds across:
- Central Wheatbelt
- South and South East Coastal districts
- Great Southern
- Goldfields
The warning specifically mentioned locations including Merredin, Bremer Bay, Corrigin, Dowerin, Hopetoun, and Hyden as potentially affected areas. "A trough is producing fast-moving, gusty thunderstorms over inland areas across the southwest during the afternoon," the alert stated.
Humidity and Temperature Outlook for Perth
The combination of warm temperatures and overnight rainfall is expected to create uncomfortably muggy conditions for Tuesday morning. Mr How advised that humidity levels would increase significantly for early risers, though relief is forecast by Wednesday as drier air returns.
"We will see quite a lot of humidity overnight and for those early risers the humidity will jump quite a bit," he said. "It won't stick around for too long... once we head into tomorrow night and Wednesday the humidity will come down again."
Perth Weather Forecast for the Coming Week
- Tuesday: Rain, temperatures 21-25°C
- Wednesday: Mostly sunny, 17-28°C
- Thursday: Sunny, 14-28°C
- Friday: Sunny, 16-30°C
- Saturday: Sunny, 19-31°C
- Sunday: Partly cloudy, 18-29°C
- Monday: Mostly sunny, 18-30°C
This extended forecast indicates a return to predominantly sunny conditions following Tuesday's wet weather, with temperatures gradually climbing toward the weekend.
