WA and Perth storm forecast: Residents assess damage as powerful winds continue to batter city

DFES duty chief superintendent Matt Folini said conditions during the height of the storm made it too dangerous for some crews to immediately respond, particularly with powerful winds still lashing affected areas.

“There’s a lot of work for those teams and they do an amazing job,” he said.

“It’s really difficult to get out during those periods. There’s an elevated risk not only for volunteer and DFES staff, but especially for Western Power crews trying to restore services in those high-wind scenarios.”

Mr Folini said authorities had to wait for conditions to ease before sending workers into some damaged areas.

While conditions had improved across Perth on Monday morning, parts of the South West were still experiencing challenging weather.

Mr Folini thanked the public for heeding warnings and staying away from dangerous areas.

“The support we’ve had from the community by avoiding those risks has been fantastic,” he said.

The response saw the State Operations Centre, Metro Operations Centre and surge call centres activated, with emergency services staff and volunteers deployed across multiple regions.

“It was all hands on deck,” Mr Folini told 6PR.

“All staff and volunteers did a fantastic job to get us through.”

Emergency services have responded to hundreds of calls for assistance, while Western Power crews continue working to reconnect tens of thousands of homes and businesses left without electricity.

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Authorities say the best source of information is the Storm Watch and Act page on the Emergency WA website, which is being regularly updated with the latest warnings and recovery efforts.

The page includes details on road closures, emergency service responses, power outages and restoration works being carried out across affected areas.

People are being encouraged to check the website regularly as conditions and recovery operations continue to evolve throughout the day.

The ​website can be found here​.

The powerful system unleashed destructive winds across WA, with a record 135km/h gust recorded at Cape Leeuwin as the cold front swept through.

Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Joey Rawson said conditions had eased significantly across the west coast.

“The worst is over,” he told 6PR Breakfast.

“Even in the areas that still have warnings in place, we’re not going to see the gusts that we’ve seen over the last 24 hours.”

Mr Rawson said the weather system was now moving into South Australia and was expected to weaken as it tracked east.

Emergency crews are working through hundreds of calls for help after a destructive storm left almost 69,000 homes and businesses without power across WA.

The severe weather system triggered widespread damage, with roofs torn apart, trees brought down and properties flooded across Perth and the South West.

DFES duty chief superintendent Matt Folini said emergency services had received nearly 700 requests for assistance.

“It’s about trying to support residents and families with any water ingress, loose tiles and that sort of thing,” he told 6PR.

“We can put tarps on roofs, help secure debris, so it’s about restoring that normality within the home.”

Western Power said the majority of affected customers were expected to be reconnected by 7pm on Monday as crews raced to repair damaged infrastructure.

The wild weather caused chaos in the skies over Perth on Sunday night, with multiple flights diverted and several aircraft forced to make repeated attempts to land as strong winds lashed the city.

At least four flights were diverted to Kalgoorlie after conditions at Perth Airport deteriorated during the peak of the storm.

Virgin Australia flight VA1728 from Karratha was sent to Kalgoorlie before eventually arriving in Perth at 10.47pm.

TransNusa flight 8B82 from Denpasar was also diverted, touching down in Perth at 11.59pm after the delay.

Qantas flight QF651 from Sydney was diverted to Kalgoorlie and remained there overnight, while QF941 from Brisbane eventually landed in Perth at 12.09am on Monday.

Other aircraft battled turbulent conditions and were forced to abandon initial landing attempts before safely touching down.

Qantas flight QF16547 from Port Hedland landed on its second attempt, as did Albany service AL851 and Virgin Australia flight VA1892 from Newman.

International arrivals were also affected, with AirAsia flight AK606 from Kuala Lumpur and Scoot flight TR004 from Singapore both requiring second attempts before landing safely in Perth.

The disruptions came as a powerful cold front swept across the metropolitan area, bringing damaging winds, heavy rain and widespread power outages.

Warnings for abnormally high tides and hazardous surf remain in place from Geraldton to Albany, including Perth, Mandurah, Bunbury, Margaret River and Esperance.

Authorities say powerful swells and dangerous coastal conditions could continue throughout today, with people urged to stay away from beaches, rock walls and exposed coastal areas.

The warning comes after a powerful cold front generated massive seas and strong winds across the coast overnight.

Flooding has caused some disruptions across Perth after wild weather dumped heavy rain across the metropolitan area overnight.

Part of Stirling Highway in North Fremantle was closed southbound after McCabe Street on Monday morning, while motorists faced hazardous driving conditions across the city.

Water over roads, fallen branches and debris have created dangerous conditions, with drivers urged to slow down and take extra care.

Authorities are warning commuters to expect delays and avoid flooded roads where possible.

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A garden shed was blown into a swimming pool in Mandurah, while emergency crews were called to reports of roofing sheets being ripped from homes and fences torn apart.

Among the incidents reported were a fallen light pole on Duncraig Road in Applecross, roofing material torn from a property in Gosnells and a downed power line at the corner of Kadina and Charles streets in North Perth.

Authorities are urging residents to remain vigilant as clean-up efforts continue.

Flooding has shut down part of Stirling Highway in North Fremantle heading southbound after McCabe Street.

Drivers have been warned to use extreme caution, with fallen branches remain strewn across multiple main roads.

SES volunteers have responded to nearly 700 requests for assistance, with fallen trees, roof damage and storm-related incidents reported across Perth and regional WA.

The severe weather warning for Perth has since been cancelled.