Intense thunderstorms over southern Western Australia led to the heaviest rainfall in many months across parts of the southwest, and nearly half a million lightning strikes within 200km of Perth.  

A deep trough drawing moist tropical air has led to severe and vigorous thunderstorms over the western state over the past few days. Storms encroached strongly into the southwest of the state on Saturday, bringing a soaking to many parts not experienced in 4 to 6 months. In the 24 hours to 9am AWST, rainfall totals include: 

• 35mm at Norseman Ap, marking the wettest day in 4 years. 
• 35mm at Wandering, marking the wettest day in 20 months. 
• 19mm at Kalgoorlie, making it the wettest March day in 10 years, and wettest day in about a year and a half. 
• A large number of locations amassing totals of 25-50mm. 

Himawari Satellite Imagery with overlaid rainfall observations since 9am AWST on Saturday showing an extensive area of cloud associated with the trough and intense rainfall and storms over southwestern Western Australia. 

While the official Perth observation station has only amounted to 1.2mm and 0.2mm on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, storms affected the south and east of the city with intensity. Nearly half a million lighting strikes were recorded within 200km of Perth since Saturday morning. Bickley amounted to 21mm of rainfall, its wettest March day in 3 years, and wettest day in over 4 months. 

The 1.4mm collected at Perth brings the December-March running total to 4.4mm, which keeps the city in the running for possibly having its driest four-month spell on record.

With less than a week to amass the 2.3mm required to match the previous December-March low rainfall record of 6.7mm, Perth will need a well-placed shower or two over the observation site to tick it over the mark. As seen in the Perth forecast below, the best chances of reaching this mark will come in the next few hours before skies dry out later today. A small chance of light showers on Wednesday and Thursday will only provide the slimmest chances of amounting to more than 1mm.