Perth weather: City gets two days of showers as May rainfall tally is unseasonably low

Perth residents have woken to much-needed showers on Thursday morning amid an unusually dry May.

The metropolitan area will be hit with cloudy skies and drizzle throughout today and Friday as a cold front moves across the region.

The ‘unusual’ weather system is expected to drop up to 6mm of rainfall over the city, with coastal suburbs set to receive the biggest drenching.

Garden Island off the coast of Rockingham has received the most rain overnight, with a weather station at the naval site reporting 2.6mm over the island before 9am.

The all-day drizzle is a welcome site for many West Australians, following an incredibly dry May that has been described as “categorically unusual” for the region.

Senior Bureau meteorlogist Jessica Lingard told PerthNow the Perth region has only received one day of rainfall this month.

“Perth has only received two or 3mm of rainfall so far, which is definitely not normal considering the average for May is 85mm,” she said.

“Typically, the end of the month tends to be wetter as it gets closer to winter so there may be more coming, but the city will be far from its usual average.”

While the chilly weather is a welcome surprise during the dry month, the Bureau said this cold front is particularly notable due to its prolonged nature.

Typically, cold fronts will issue short bursts of heavy rainfall over a region but weather experts told PerthNow Thursday’s front will result in a slower drizzle pouring over the city through the majority of the day.

The weather system will dissipate late on Thursday night, but a small second front means showers will continue to linger over Perth.

Bureau officials predict up to 4mm of rainfall will hit the WA capital on Friday but say the drizzle should mainly occur in the morning.

“The weakened front will keep showers going through Friday morning,” Ms Lingard confirmed.

Saturday will be cloudy in the aftermath of the showers, but sun will begin to reemerge over the city on Sunday — two days earlier than initially predicted by weather experts.

Temperatures will climb back up to a toasty 25C by Tuesday, bringing some warmth to the city before winter begins in a fortnight.

PERTH WEATHER FORECAST:

Today: Showers, 11 - 20 🌧️

Friday: Shower or two, 11 - 19 🌧️

Saturday: Partly cloudy, 8 - 19 ⛅

Sunday: Mostly sunny, 7 - 20 🌤️

Monday: Mostly sunny, 8 - 23 🌤️

Tuesday: Sunny, 9 - 25 ☀️

Wednesday: Sunny, 11 - 26 ☀️