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WA weather warnings: Severe storms light up skies with over 2 million lightning strikes

Award-winning photographer Matt Deakin captured this stunning lightning bolt at Broome's Cable Beach.  (Supplied: From Miles Away)

It's been an electrifying weekend for WA, with more than 2 million lightning bolts flashing across the skies of WA in the space of three days. 

According to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), just over 800,000 strikes were recorded on Friday, a similar number on Saturday and close to 900,000 on Sunday.

The light show came as severe thunderstorms developed over a broad area of the state late on Monday.

BOM senior forecaster Luke Huntington said the Gascoyne, Kimberley and Pilbara were the most active areas for storms over the weekend. 

But he said southern parts of the state also saw significant tropical-like activity.

"Over the inland South West Land Division and along the south coast on Friday was most active of all the days, with 500,000-plus strikes," he said.

"It's more like something you'd see in the tropics."

Award-winning photographer Matt Deakin took to Facebook to describe his awe at the light show over Broome, in the West Kimberley, on Friday.

"There's been lightning that's been crawling above me, and not just one – it's been back-to-back," he said.

"The consistency and size of the bolts has been better than anything I've seen here before."

Photographer Matt Deakin captures a stunning strike at Gantheaume Point near Broome.  (Supplied: From Miles Away)

After a quiet start to the wet season for WA's north, rain and storms have become more prominent in the last fortnight, causing flooding to streets and roads.

More severe storms to come

Severe thunderstorms, producing heavy rainfall and damaging winds, were forecast for people in the Central West, Great Southern, Central Wheatbelt and parts of the Gascoyne on Monday. 

The warning was also briefly extended to the Greater Perth region before it was cancelled just after 8pm. 

An earlier warning for severe thunderstorms in parts of the Kimberley was also cancelled.

"This system is a trough and it's dragging moisture in from the north, and there's good convergence on the trough creating those thunderstorms," Mr Huntington said.

He said there was likely to be further thunderstorms through parts of the Lower West, Central West and Gascoyne on Tuesday, clearing out elsewhere.

At least one house was lost in the Jerramungup fire on the weekend. (Supplied: Shannon Parnell)

The bolts have already had devastating consequences, sparking over a dozen fires including an emergency level fire in Hopetoun and Jerramungup on Friday.

Fanned by strong winds and hot conditions in the lead-up, the blaze destroyed three homes.

Mr Huntington said it was important to remember lightning could be dangerous.

"Especially if someone is out in the open, more susceptible to lightning strikes, and they can also produce fires, which we saw on Friday," he said.

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