Hail and high winds hit south west Australia

PERTH - Less than a month after a tornado devastated Western Australia's south west, residents are again preparing for severe weather, with hail, thunderstorms and strong winds moving through the region.

The State Emergency Service (SES) has advised sheep farmers in the state's south west of the serious risk of sheep and lamb losses, while Perth householders have been warned to secure loose objects and stay indoors during high winds.

A severe weather warning was current for the Perth metropolitan area and south west throughout the day, as a deep low pressure system off the coast tracked slowly eastwards, the Bureau of Meteorology duty forecaster Neil Bennett said.

"The low is going to keep intensifying so we're looking at an increase in winds during the day before they ease in the evening," Mr Bennett said.

"Cape Leeuwin recorded a gust of 91kph at 9am (WST), while Swanbourne, Ocean Reef and Rottnest Island have all recorded gusts around 80kph.

"There is a very good chance we will see stronger gusts than that as the day progresses.

"We're not anticipating the sort of damage we saw from the tornado in May -- these are more generally strong winds.

"But up around 100kph there is the worry that loose objects and branches can be picked up and cause some damage."

Mr Bennett said some hail had already fallen in Perth's southern suburbs this morning and the bureau had received reports of thunderstorm activity.

Perth received 20.8mm of rain in the 24 hours to 9am today, with the highest fall of 29.8mm in the outer south eastern suburb of Bickley, he said.

A SES spokeswoman said there had been half a dozen reports of minor water damage overnight, but there were no wind-related damage reports.

- AAP