Prosper in a dynamic world
Search

Another round of storms impacting WA

Spring has been a stormy season for large areas of WA, with another few big storm days ahead in the Pilbara and Kimberley region. 

Merely a week ago, widespread thunderstorms lashed the interior of WA, with Total Lightning Network detecting 605,166 lightning strikes on Wednesday, October 2. 

Thunderstorms are again forecast over the coming days across northern Australia in response to a low pressure system and an unstable airmass and cloud band.  

The map below shows widespread lightning strikes already impacting northern WA and parts of the interior early Thursday morning, October 10. 

 Image: Himawari-9 satellite image at 7:15am AWST on Thursday, October 10. 

Thunderstorms are set to continue over the next 48 hours over the Kimberley and Pilbara regions, particularly offshore and by the coast where a humid atmosphere is feeding the thunderstorms. 

These thunderstorms have the potential to grow into large thunderstorms bringing intense bursts of rain, small hail and gusty winds. 

The storms will be very slow moving due to weak steering flow with the potential for large totals in some areas.  

The cloudband during the next three days could bring widespread falls of 5 to 10mm to parts of WA, while isolated falls of 20 to 40mm could fall in thunderstorms.  

 

Image: Accumulated rainfall for the three days leading up to 8am on Saturday, October 12, according to ECMWF. 

Meanwhile a severe heatwave warning has been cancelled for parts of northern Australia after temperatures reached the 40s for several days. While the heatwave has passed its peak, maximum temperatures will reach the high 30s to low 40s on Thursday, before easing on Friday. Perth should also reach 30°C on Friday in response to warm northeasterly wind, before temperatures drop into the low 20s on the weekend. 

This heat combined with the low pressure trough and humidity is triggering these thunderstorms over the coming days. However, there is another factor behind the stormy start to spring, the unusually warm Sea Surface Temperatures (SSTs) offshore northern WA.  

Image: Sea Surface Temperature daily analysis for Tuesday, October 8. Source: BOM 

The waters offshore are around 1 to 2°C above average with some near shore waters reaching 3 to 4°C above average.  The unusually warm oceans are injecting moisture laden air into WA, which is fuelling the rain and storm activity that we have seen in recent weeks.  This could help fuel thunderstorms in the coming months, bringing an above average risk of thunderstorms to WA. 

Are you protecting your mining business from the threat of extreme weather?

Miningzone, by DTN APAC, is the only weather tracking and alerting solution purpose-built for the resources sector.

As the climate shifts into unchartered territory, weather events could affect your mine with increasing force.

Miningzone is the proven and trusted turnkey solution –deployed at over 400 mines globally – offering you tailored forecasting and alerting systems to protect your valuable staff and assets.

Weatherzone’s integrated services are intuitive and user-friendly, providing you with the specific weather and blast data needed to gain a complete environmental picture.

You will have access to our lightning and severe weather tracking and alerts, EPA-approved blast dispersion modelling, thunderstorm tracking and high precision and site-specific forecasting, along with comprehensive reporting capacity.

Precise, market-leading data is delivered via multiple platforms including Weatherguard – our easy-to-use app – and can be fully integrated into your operational control or SCADA systems.

The tailored solution to drive your decisions. For more information, please visit our website or email us at apac.sales@dtn.com.

 

 Thumbnail: @an.other.perspective/Instagram

Latest news

Satisfy your weather obsession with these news headlines from around the nation, and the world.

Pilbara mining and ports on high alert as cyclone threat looms

A developing low pressure system off Australia’s northwest coast has a high chance of becoming a tropical cyclone this weekend, with the potential for heavy rain and wind to impact some mining and port clients in the Pilbara. Two separate areas of low pressure lying off the northern coast of WA are expected to consolidate […]

Wild winds, heavy rain, hazardous surf impact NSW ports

It has been a big week for NSW Ports. After a massive band of storms crossed the state on Wednesday, a low off the coast is now generating strong winds, rain and hazardous surf to coastal districts, especially from Sydney to the Qld border. Numerous warnings are in place, including: A severe weather warning for […]

Severe thunderstorm outbreak may cause power outages across eastern Australia

Violent thunderstorms will pummel parts of NSW, Queensland, Victoria and the ACT over the next couple of days, with potential for supercells and a dangerous squall line late on Wednesday. These thunderstorms have the potential to cause power outages like Vic experienced on Sunday, when dangerous storms lashed the state. An upper-level pool of cold […]

Tropical cyclone risk increasing next week potentially impacting mining operations

The Australian tropics could be on the verge of awakening, with growing signs that heavy rain and increased tropical cyclone risk could impact mining operations next week. Despite frequent showers and thunderstorms over parts of northern Australia in the last couple of months, there has been a noticeable absence of sustained monsoon rainfall and tropical […]