Bureau investigating if Bunbury wild weather was a tornado
The Bureau of Meteorology is investigating whether Bunbury experienced a tornado in the early hours of Tuesday morning after winds equivalent to a category 2 cyclone were recorded in the state’s South West.
Locals survey damage after trees were cut down and hedges leveled; A maximum wind gust of 124 km per hour was recorded at Busselton Pier at 02:00 in the morning.
Cape Leeuwin also recorded a 115km/h wind at 1.40am, while Jandakot in the metropolitan area recorded a 98km/h wind at 9.10pm.
BOM meteorologist Jessica Lingard said the severe weather was triggered by a cold front passing through.
“This was the second cold snap in a series of three cold snaps to pass through WA. The first was on Friday, the second was last night and another will arrive on Wednesday night and Thursday morning,” he said.
“This was definitely the strongest of the three.
“We are investigating whether Bunbury experienced a microburst or a tornado; microbursts are in a straight line and the tornado has rotation.”
Lingard said there were about five tornadoes a year in the South West, two of which were in the Perth metropolitan area.
“The systems can knock down trees and damage roofs,” he said.
The South West was also hit with heavy rain overnight, with Pemberton recording 45 millimeters.
In Perth, the measurement picked up just 3.8mm, but the city’s south-eastern suburbs recorded more; Bickley took 23mm.
After the cold weather on Thursday, the weather is expected to clear up over the weekend.
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