A massive weather system stretching 4000 kilometres from Western Australia to the east coast is set to bring rain to 80 per cent of the country, with WA and South Australia taking the brunt.
Heavy rain, lightning, hail and strong winds have prompted more than 170 people to call the State Emergency Service for assistance across WA in the past 24 hours.
A second rain-bearing system is expected to bring follow-up rain to parts of the state from Saturday or Sunday.
Nationwide soakings were blocked through the summer months by a stubborn ridge of high pressure entrenched to the country’s south.
That blocking high-pressure pattern finally broke down this week, bringing the first north-west cloud band of the season, with decent rain expected in every state and territory.
The heaviest falls are anticipated in South Australia and WA and moderate rain is likely over parts of Tasmania.
Overnight, severe storms packing destructive winds and hail also brought much-needed soakings to drought-stricken farmers in WA’s Wheatbelt.
The heaviest falls were around the Bunbury area, with 72 millimetres recorded in the 24 hours to 9am on Wednesday.
“This is the rain that the farmers through the Wheatbelt have been waiting for,” Bureau of Meteorology duty forecaster Jessica Lingard said.