There were stormy skies across Perth on Monday morning after a deluge of rain hit the city. Views from the Leederville crossing bridge.
UPDATE: Perth is experiencing its coldest day in 50 years, with temperatures plummeting to just 11.4C on August 28, 2023. This unprecedented chill has not been felt since July 29, 1975, when the city recorded the same temperature. Residents are not just battling the cold; they are also marveling at a significant hailstorm that has blanketed parts of the city.
Meteorologist Grace Abbott confirmed that the frigid weather is due to a cold front sweeping across Western Australia, bringing with it a blast of icy air from the southwest. “We had a cold front move over the State yesterday morning,” she stated. “That’s helped drop those temperatures over much of the South West Land division today.”
Perth has also been drenched this month, accumulating nearly 170mm of rain, which is almost 50mm above the monthly average and just 16mm shy of the August record. Residents like Amanda Tweddle from Palmyra are witnessing rare weather phenomena. “There was plenty of hail all over the neighbouring rooftops and covering the roads,” Tweddle reported. “I went to get photos and videos around 8:15 AM, there was just so much!”
The situation has posed challenges for local businesses. Len Tarapacz, owner of Eco Ice Australia, expressed the difficulties of working in such extreme conditions. “It’s normally cold when you go in the freezer so normally your hands don’t work as well when you’re in the freezer for long periods,” he explained. “It was so cold, but your hands don’t really get a break.”
Authorities are monitoring the weather closely, and the Weather Bureau indicates a shift is on the horizon. Abbott predicts a high-pressure ridge will move in soon, leading to a gradual warming trend. “We’re going to start to see a gradual warming of our maximum temperatures,” she said. However, night-time temperatures are expected to remain low, hovering around 5-6C.
Residents are urged to prepare for fluctuating conditions in the coming days as Perth grapples with this unusual weather. The city could see sunnier days by Thursday or Friday, providing relief from the current chill.
Stay tuned for more updates as this developing weather situation unfolds.
