WA grain farmers’ crops flooded, pummelled by hail just days into harvest after wild weather, stormCally DupeCountrymanThu, 6 November 2025 5:26PMCommentsCommentsEmail Cally Dupe
WA grain farmers’ crops have been flooded and pummelled by hail just days into harvest, with some reporting devastating hailstones as big as 20c coins and falls of up to 100mm.
The Eastern Wheatbelt and Upper Great Southern copped the brunt of severe thunderstorms that swept through parts of the Wheatbelt overnight, as a low-pressure system moved onshore after crossing the coast at Geraldton.
The heaviest falls officially recorded by the Bureau of Meteorology came from isolated storm cells over Brookton, which received about 50mm, and by Bindi Bindi which notched up 37mm — while neighbouring towns recorded between just 1mm and 13mm.
But residents in the Eastern Wheatbelt reported tipping up to 100mm out of their on-farm rainfall gauges, with Burracoppin farmers receiving a huge 100mm, with other big totals reported including 75mm at East Wickepin and 62mm at Woolocutty.
Isolated storm cells also brought falls of more than 25mm to Highbury and Pingelly, while towns less than 50km away including Popanyinning and Wickepin recorded just 3mm and 7mm respectively.
Between 8-17mm of rain fell at Bonnie Rock farmer Kim Graham’s farm, north of town, but it was the significant hailstorm that occurred in about two five minute bursts that left him bracing for damage to crops.
Assessing the damage on Thursday, November 6, he said his property had “got off lightly” and estimated the loss of about 100-300kg of grain per hectare during a year when some paddocks had record yields.
“It was an isolated storm that went across the Eastern Wheatbelt,” he said.
“It really cranked up as it went past us and got some farmers quite badly… we got out a lot lighter than others.
“We feel lucky in that regard.”
Others weren’t so lucky, with farmers across the Eastern Wheatbelt reporting significant damage and flooding to crops.
Collgar resident Marion Edgecombe, who lives east of Merredin, took to the WA Wheatbelt Rainfall Reports page to share that she received 100mm of rainfall and significant damage to her property — including to her house.
Parts of the Mid West also recorded totals of up to more than 15mm, including 24mm at Erangy Springs, 20mm at Mullewa, 17mm at Chapman Valley, 16mm at Canna East, 23mm at Mingenew.
Other Mid West locations recorded falls of between 10-15mm, including Eradu, Pindar, Gutha West, Dudawa and Three Springs.
Mingenew farmer Andrew Cosgrove said his family’s home farm tipped 32mm out of the rain gauge on Thursday, forcing them to pull up stumps after starting harvest just four day earlier.
They started harvesting at one of their other properties where it was a bit drier, 35km south at Arrino.
“The rain started at lunch time (November 5) and it was all done by 5pm… it was just a storm cell with some thunder and lightning,” he said.
“It was definitely more than we expected… it was nice and sunny yesterday morning and then just changed.”
While the rain washed out a few roads on the farm, Mr Cosgrove said his family were also feeling fortunate to not be worse off.
“We have been lucky to escape the hail and any damage from the rain will be minimal,” he said.
More than 250,000 lightning strikes were recorded by the Bureau of Meteorology in the 24 hours to midnight on Wednesday, mostly through the Goldfields and interior, with 50,000 strikes through the Wheatbelt and Great Southern.
Weather conditions cleared on Thursday, November 6, as the low moved away to the south.
Showers were expected to continue along the southern coastline from Eucla to Albany, but the rest of the state was expexcted to experience settled, sunny, and calmer weather once the low departed.
The storms come after a mixed bag of weather during the last month of spring, with sunny days and rain across WA.
The State’s grain farmers have just started harvesting what is expected to be a near-record crop, with the latest industry estimates at 25Mt — just behind the prior, 2022 record of 26Mt.
RAINFALL TOTALS (According to BOM and DPIRD)
Mid West
Allanooka 15mm Chapman 17mm Dudawa 14mm Mingenew 22mm Mullewa 20mm Three Springs 10mm
Wheatbelt
Bindi Bindi 37mm Boorabbin 21mm Brookton 46mm Corrigin 21mm Highbury East 26mm Kellerberrin 16mm Merredin 16mm Pingelly 29mm Westonia 17mm
Great Southern
Brookton 46mm Mt Barker 14mm Narrikup 15mm Ongerup 8mm Tone Bridge 14mm
South Coast
Esperance 3.8mm Mount Burdett 5mm Ravensthorpe 6.6mm Salmon Gums 3.8mm
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