Severe thunderstorms and heavy rainfall have caused significant damage in Western Australia's Wheatbelt region, impacting local businesses and farmers. The storms, which included hail, flooded businesses and closed roads, disrupting the state's grain harvest.

Brookton, located 130 kilometers east of Perth, recorded the highest rainfall total of 50.2 millimeters on Wednesday afternoon, according to the Bureau of Meteorology. Some areas, such as South Burracoppin, reported rainfall totals exceeding 100 millimeters.

Murray Hall, a farmer from Brookton, described the hailstorm as "unbelievable." He recalled driving a truck to his farm when the hail struck, saying, "I thought the windscreen was going to come in, the hail was that big." Hall spent the following morning assessing the damage and discovered two sheep that had been killed by lightning. He emphasized the importance of livestock, stating, "Livestock is our first priority." Hall is already in discussions with his insurance company regarding crop damage, noting that his canola crops suffered extensive damage, with seeds scattered on the ground. He reported that some areas experienced 100 percent damage to canola crops, while barley crops were affected by 50 to 80 percent in certain locations.

The Bureau of Meteorology recorded over 250,000 lightning strikes in southern Western Australia within 24 hours leading up to midnight on Wednesday. Most strikes occurred in the Goldfields and interior regions, with 50,000 strikes reported in the Central Wheatbelt and Great Southern.

Rod Wallis, president of the Brookton Shire, reported significant road damage, with crews working overnight to make repairs. He described the main street as having been transformed into a "running river of hail" at one point. Local businesses, including a hair salon and a hardware store, were forced to close due to extensive flood damage.

The wild weather also affected crops south of Merredin in the eastern Wheatbelt. Agronomist David Keamy noted that some areas received up to 80 millimeters of rain, leading some farmers to abandon entire crops. "This damage is so widespread; in the places it was bad, it was really bad," Keamy said.

Jess Lingard, a senior meteorologist with the Bureau of Meteorology, indicated that while warnings had been issued prior to the storms, the severe weather had since moved eastward into South Australia. "All the drama from the thunderstorms has now shifted into South Australia," she said, adding that the South West and Great Southern regions were left with lingering cloud cover.

In Tammin, located 180 kilometers east of Perth, shire chief executive Andrew Malone reported that wind gusts of up to 65 kilometers per hour on Tuesday caused a tree branch to snap and hit a power line, igniting a fire that escalated to an emergency-level bushfire. Malone stated that sheds and unharvested crops were lost, along with minor damage to a meat processing business. He noted that the fire came dangerously close to a service station in town, saying, "This was the first fire that had a significant impact on the town site, properties, and local businesses, but it could have been much worse."

Fire crews also responded to another fire at nearby Yorkrakine, which was sparked by lightning. Steve Carter, a farmer northeast of Perth in Dalwallinu, reported that lightning had ignited several fires in his area on Tuesday afternoon. "The firefighters put the worst of them out, but then rain helped put others out," he said.