Mid West and Gascoyne: Little impact from storm

A “once or twice a year” late-season cold front has swept through coastal WA, with the Mid West and Gascoyne just escaping destructive winds forecast for the south of the State.

A rain-band and winds more severe than usual for this time of year moved south overnight and into the morning, with the strongest wind gusts in the region recorded were at North Island in the Abrolhos at 85km/h, and at Shark Bay at 78km/h.

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services received two reports of water damage to a home and an apartment complex in Kalbarri, as well as two roofs needing re-tarping in Northampton and Mullewa.

Lancelin recorded the highest rainfall in the Mid West with 31mm, while West Binnu had 27mm and Geraldton Airport 25mm. Most other gauges across the region recorded between 15mm and 25mm.

The Gascoyne escaped the brunt of the storm, with Shark Bay measuring 9.2mm of rainfalland Carnarvon 8.4mm.

Bureau of Meteorology duty forecaster Catherine Schelfhout said while the worst of the front would be experienced in Perth, where a destructive weather warning was issued for predicted winds of over 100km/h, a severe weather warning would stay in place for tonight.