Multiple days of heavy rain have doused parts of Western Australia, but not just in the south as you might expect at this time of year. The northwest, in the Pilbara, has had its fair share of the rain over the past couple of days as well. This has caused some of the wettest days in these parts for years.

A low-pressure system with a trough and cold front are responsible for the rain and the thick blanket of cloud that was seen over WA in satellite images yesterday.

Image: Satellite (Himawari-8) imagery showing the thick cloud covering the western half of Western Australia just before sunset on Saturday

In the 24hrs to 9am on Saturday, it was the wettest day in 3.5 years for Riverside (45.3mm) and Lake Chittering (48mm), and in 2 years for Rottnest Island (40.8mm). During the same period, it was also the wettest May day in 33 years for Tamala (81mm), 22 years for Wandana (34.6mm), Riverside, Bowgada (35mm), Wubin (24mm), Kalbarri (47mm), Paynes Find (33.6mm) and Morawa (32mm).

In the 24 hours to 9am on Sunday morning, it was the wettest in 4.3 years for Thevenard Island (78.4mm), 3.4 years in Meekatharra Airport (41.0mm), 1.9 years in Badgingarra Research Station (23.4mm) and almost 17 months in Laverton (18.6mm). At Onslow Airport (55.8mm), it was also the wettest May day since 1999.

The rain isn’t over yet, by the end of today some places in the Pilbara could see another 20mm fall. Tomorrow the rainfall will ease as the low moves east, although southeastern areas may see the odd shower or two. By Tuesday, the skies should be mostly clear as a high-pressure ridge builds across the region leading to some sunny days.