2010 Western Australian storms

[2] The hail stones are the largest ever known to have occurred in Perth and were around 3–6 centimetres (1.2–2.4 in) in diameter,[3] which caused extensive damage to property across the city,[4] including schools, hospitals, universities and power infrastructure.

During the warmer summer months, low-level surface troughs normally cross over the west coast of Australia, which often leads to isolated thunderstorm development in inland Western Australia, only occasionally reaching the coast (such as on 20 December 2009, when a storm developed south of Perth and gave the city of Mandurah 2.8 millimetres (0.11 in) of rain for the month).

However, on 21 and 22 March 2010, high surface dew points and temperatures combined with a low to the west of Western Australia to cause rare northerly winds to occur.

As predicted, storms began to develop in the Jurien Bay area around 2 pm, bringing another 36.2 millimetres (1.43 in) to an already sodden Badgingarra.

Jarrahdale, to the southeast of Perth, received 44.2 millimetres (1.74 in) in half an hour, exceeding the conditions required for a 1-in-100-year flood in terms of a period from 15 to 30 minutes.

A week after the storm, the damage bill was estimated to have reached $650 million, and was still climbing, making it the most expensive catastrophe in Western Australian history.

[11] Over 100 people were evacuated from apartments near Kings Park in central Perth after heavy rain cause a large mudslide.

[2] Several high schools in Perth's northern suburbs did not open on 23 March due to extensive storm damage.

However, as these vehicles only suffered superficial damage they were often resold by insurance companies once minor repairs were conducted, leaving the dented panels unrepaired.