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Wild weather across southern WA rips trees out of the ground & cuts power to homes

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Sarah StegerThe West Australian
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VideoPerth is forecast to receive up to 18mm of rain on Wednesday and there is no reprieve in sight with showers continuing until Sunday

Another strong cold front ripped through southern WA overnight, felling trees, tearing off roofs and cutting power to more than 1500 homes.

Electricity was cut to more than 370 homes in Willetton after a fallen gum tree took down powerlines.

A few kilometres away in South Lake, battering winds caused a roof to collapse, while in Wilyabrup a tree was lifted out of the ground, landing on the top of powerlines.

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More than 550 homes have been left without power in Gnarabup, Prevelly and Margaret River as emergency crews scramble to fix the damage this morning.

Homes in Riverton, Lancelin, Lesmurdie and Kalamunda are also waiting to have power restored, with strong winds and rain delaying repairs.

Emergency crews tend to a home.
Camera IconEmergency crews tend to a home. Credit: 7NEWS

The strongest winds overnight were recorded at Cape Leeuwin, where gusts topped 126km/h.

Cape Naturaliste reported wind gusts of 96km/h, while at Rottnest and Albany Airport the strongest winds hit 94km/h and 93km/h respectively.

The severe weather warning stretching from Bunbury to Esperance advises of squally showers and winds gusts topping 100km/h.

Conditions are expected to ease by late this morning but the Weather Bureau has warned that there is a chance of a thunderstorm with possible hail in Perth this afternoon.

High tides between Geraldton and Esperance and damaging surf conditions between Shark Bay and Albany are also expected before the day’s end.

The strong winds have caused widespread damage.
Camera IconThe strong winds have caused widespread damage. Credit: 7NEWS

“People in the south-west of WA experience a front as windy as this about three to four times a year,” the warning says.

Bureau duty forecaster Matt Boterhoven said that while the dominating force brought on by the latest cold front was strong winds, the rainfall was putting Perth on target to break the all time record for July.

He said Perth was just 14mm shy of the record rainfall for the month and there was more rain to come.

“Rainfall associated with this front wasn’t as much as what we’ve seen during most of July but we had a couple of good figures, with Bickley’s rainfall ending up at around 23mm,” Mr Boterhoven told 6PR.

“During this afternoon we could see some thunderstorms around coastal parts of the metropolitan area and on Saturday we could see a strong cold front move through metropolitan area again.”

State Emergency Services have answered more than 69 calls for help since since 5am yesterday.

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