Australia’s Western state is gearing up for a stretch of severe weather as the state moves into its most hazardous time for storms during winter with forecasts predicting winds and possible tornadoes in the southwestern part of the country.
According to the Bureau of Meteorology, the area located between Geraldton and Esperance in Western Australia experiences its maximum risk of storm related damage from May to October when strong cold fronts move southwards from the Indian Ocean.
The Department of Fire and Emergency Services of WA have noted that storms in the region can generate strong winds, flash floods, thunderstorms, hailstones and tornadoes.
As the Bureau of Meteorology reports, up to nine weather phenomena capable of creating tornadoes move across the Perth area between May and October.
While many citizens of Australia associate wind related severe weather in the north of the country with tropical cyclones, the number of tornadoes in the nation ranges from 30 to 80 per year according to estimated.
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The country’s tornadoes often emerge from violent supercells, created when moist air and high winds cause updraft rotation.
This phenomenon often occurs in southwestern WA when strong cold fronts meet warm masses over the state, creating strong pressure changes that may result in gusts of more than 100 km per hour.
In July 2025, there was evidence of tornadic waterspouts emerging near the Perth coast and moving inland, resulting in damage to houses in City Beach.
Likewise, an autumn cold front that year, in April 2026, brought gale warnings in Perth’s local waters and some coastal areas in the state’s southwestern section.
The 2010 winter storm that occurred in Perth became the most expensive natural disaster in the state ever, with an estimated cost of $1.08 billion.
The storm involved hailstorms with hailstones as large as six centimeters in size, wind speeds of about 120 km per hour and blackouts for about 158,000 households.
DFES advises people to plan their actions ahead of time and comply with any warnings posted via the Emergency WA website.
Weather forecasters warn people not to underestimate this situation, especially those living in regions where houses were built without taking into account the destructive power of the wind.
