Anyone with a desperate longing for warm, sunny days is entirely justified.
This winter was one for the record books as Perth was lashed with the wettest, chilliest conditions seen in years, forcing even the most social butterflies to recoil.
But now, spring is tiptoeing in and Perth is finally and slowly warming back up — albeit fashionably late, according to experts.
The Bureau of Meteorology’s Jess Lingard confirmed Perth’s collective nightmare was in fact not a twisted dream, but rather the out-of-the-ordinary reality of winter 2025.
“It was a fairly unique season,” she said.
“June, July and August, we’re all above average rainfall for the three months,
“The last time we had all three months above average was in the winter of 1996.”
Perth’s winter rainfall totalled 51.93 billion litres — 3.5 per cent more than the recent five-year average.
But rain wasn’t the only mood dampener. On Monday, Perth recorded a maximum of just 11.4C. This was the coldest day since 1975.
Thankfully, the forecast predicts warmer days ahead — with a few straggling cold fronts refusing to leave the party.
“In terms of our temperatures, we’re looking at warmer than normal temperatures… and below average rainfall,” Ms Lingard said.
“I don’t think we’re going to get colder and colder every year.
“The general trend moving forward with a background of climate change is that we are going to see hotter than normal and warmer than normal conditions each season.
“We’re likely to have more dry days throughout our seasons and when the rains do come, they’re going to be heavier and you’re going to get more at once in one system.”
While the people of Perth made public declarations of misery, plants and gardens suffered in silence.
“Plants are getting more stressed and soil is becoming a bit waterlogged,” Waldecks Melville’s store manager Lindon Murdoch said.
“Plants in general, with how cold and wet it’s been, have been struggling.”
The cold, rainy weather that got you down brought nursery sales down with it.
“With that colder weather, not as many people come through,” Mr Murdoch said.
“Also, a lot of the production nurseries don’t have as much stock because with it being so cold, (plants) aren’t growing really, so it’s just waiting for those warm days… I think all the garden centres around Perth are (short on supply),
“This winter has been a little bit shorter of supply compared to the last few years, but it’s looking promising going into spring.”
The co-director of the Centre for Water and Spatial Sciences at the University of Western Australia, Sally Thompson, said this winter was a nostalgic reminder of what once was.
“We experienced what would’ve been the normal winter when I was a child, 30 to 40 years ago,” she said.
“If we think about those records (we broke), what we’re really doing is seeing wet conditions on top of a drying trend, taking us back to something that’s closer to our historic normal.”
Associate Professor Thomspon described the rain as much-needed and in fact thought the state could do with some more.
“It’s probably been the best thing for us, really, we are replenishing those shallow water stores in our soils,” she said.
“(But) it has not translated into more stream flow into our dams… and we’re not seeing a lot of relief in terms of our surface water supplies,
“We need to be aware that in spite of that wet and cold weather, we’re actually heading towards a projected period of water scarcity for the city.”
Ms Thompson suggested not to get used to such wet and cold winters, but to enjoy it while it lasts.
“I don’t think you should expect another winter like this any time soon,” she said.
“Get out there, enjoy the wildflowers, watch the creeks that are flowing.”
While Perth spent winter resembling its rain-soaked eastern states neighbours, its crown jewel, Kings Park, was thriving through the downpour.
“We haven’t had one of those kind of winters for years,” Kings Park’s manager of living collections, Amanda Shade, said.
“Even when it was really belting with rain we still get people out there.”
Ms Shade said the team soldiered on through the wet and cold weather and got the gardens looking “extra lush”.
“We will never say no to water because it’s such a valuable resource, and if we can get it free from the sky and it’s going to help those plants grow, then it’s never going to hurt,” she said.
“Because there is so much moisture still in the soil and the weather is starting to get a little bit sunnier, I think we’re going to see some really good growth and development of the new plants that we’ve put in this winter.”
Ms Thompson warned Perth will still have to endure “a few more cold fronts” this Spring.
“We don’t see winter just turn off with the flick of a switch,” she said.
And speaking of, it is looking like showers are expected to pass through the City as early as Wednesday — just three days into the new season.
PERTH FORECAST
Sunday – Sunny, light winds, 6C-20C
Monday – Sunny, light winds, 6C-21C
Tuesday – Sunny, light winds, 7C-23C
Wednesday – Partly cloudy, medium chance of showers, 10C-21C
Thursday – Partly cloudy, medium chance of showers, 11C-19C
Friday–Partly cloudy, high chance of showers, 10C-18C
https://thewest.com.au/news/weather/perth-weather-time-to-say-good-riddance-to-brutal-winter-with-sunny-days-on-the-horizon-c-19822075
