Take action with severe weather coming in parts of the Midwest-Gascoyne, Perth Metropolitan, Great Southern, South West, Lower South West
If you live in Lower West, South West and parts of South Coastal and Great Southern districts you should take action and stay safe with severe weather to come.
Locations which may be affected include Albany, Bunbury, Busselton, Mandurah, Manjimup, Margaret River, Mount Barker and Perth.
This is typical weather for this time of year but winds may cause damage to property and make road conditions hazardous.
WHAT TO DO:
DFES advises you to:
- If outside find safe shelter away from trees, powerlines, storm water drains and streams.
- Close your curtains and blinds, and stay inside away from windows.
- Unplug electrical appliances and avoid using landline telephones if there is lightning.
- If there is flooding, create your own sandbags by using pillow cases filled with sand and place them around doorways to protect your home.
- If boating, swimming or surfing leave the water.
IF DRIVING:
- Do not drive into water of unknown depth and current.
- Slow down, turn your lights on and keep a safe distance from other drivers.
- Be alert and watch for hazards on the road such as fallen powerlines and loose debris.
- If it is raining heavily and you cannot see, pull over and park with your hazard lights on until the rain clears.
People are being urged to do what they can to help themselves, if it is safe to do so, before calling the SES for assistance
WEATHER DETAILS:
At May 4, 2020 4.51am the Bureau of Meteorology advised a significant cold front will affect communities in the southwest of Western Australia during Monday.
A cold front will pass over the southwest of the state during Monday and will affect mainly coastal communities of the Lower West, South West and western parts of the South Coastal and Great Southern districts during Monday morning and afternoon.
Showers and isolated thunderstorms associated with the front may produce damaging winds, averaging 60 to 70 kilometres per hour with peak gusts up to 100 kilometres per hour possible that could cause damage to homes and property in localised areas.
Damaging winds may develop about coastal locations of the Lower West and South West districts from 9:00am on Monday then by 11:00am extend to inland parts of those districts as well as western parts of the South Coastal and Great Southern districts.
Damaging winds are most likely to occur on or just ahead of the leading edge of the cold front, but thunderstorms, showers and gusty winds will continue through much of Monday morning.
Conditions will ease from the west from later on Monday afternoon. Another, stronger cold front will affect the Southwest Land Division during Tuesday afternoon and evening and may produce widespread damaging winds.
ROAD CLOSURES AND CONDITIONS:
Roads have not been closed.
Take extra care on the roads and do not drive into water of unknown depth and current.
Road information may also be available from Main Roads WA by calling 138 138 or visiting travelmap.mainroads.wa.gov.au or by contacting your local Shire.
WHAT EMERGENCY SERVICES ARE DOING:
- DFES is monitoring the situation.
IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE:
- If your home has been badly damaged by a storm, call the SES on 132 500
- In a life threatening situation call 000
After a storm SES volunteers make temporary repairs to homes that have been badly damaged, such as roofs that have been ripped off or large fallen trees on homes or cars. Please contact your insurance company to organise permanent repairs.
KEEP UP TO DATE:
Visit emergency.wa.gov.au, call 13 DFES (13 3337), follow DFES on Twitter: twitter.com/dfes_wa, Facebook: facebook.com/dfeswa/, listen to ABC Local Radio, 6PR, or news bulletins.
During a power outage, your home phone, computer or other electronic devices connected to the NBN will not work. Include a battery powered radio in your emergency kit.
Updates will be provided when the situation changes.
