Fremantle Dockers weather: Forecast not as bad an initially feared for clash with Richmond

Fremantle fans are set to be spared the battering rains that have lashed Perth in recent days, with the forecast for the Dockers’ clash with Richmond appearing better than first thought.

Much of the state has been left in chaos with cyclone Narelle unleashing high winds and lashing rain across Thursday and Friday.

However, despite a wet morning in Perth, the rain is set to spare Optus Stadium in time for the 1.15pm bounce down.

The current forecast from the Bureau of Meteorology is predicting just one millilitre of rain for Burswood between 11am and 1pm, with the precipitation numbers going down to zero during the clash.

Meteorologist Jessica Lingard did still recommend bringing wet-weather gear to the ground.

“It is still a pretty good idea if you are heading to the game this afternoon (to have your wet-weather gear),” she said.

“The bulk of the rainfall is likely starting to clear away just after 11am. We are seeing rainfall slowly start to reduce.

“We are going to see that continue as we move through the rest of the morning and the early part of the afternoon.

“So, while it may not be a complete dry game, it’s definitely going to be dryer than it was this morning or yesterday. But still pack a poncho in case there are a couple of little isolated showers still hanging around.”

Early comers to the Stadium were welcomed with persistent rain but as Fremantle spearhead Josh Treacy, who is often the first player onto the field ahead of Dockers games, game onto the grass for his ritual barefoot walk, the rain had disappeared.

Skies remain heavy and dark above the Stadium, with lights likely to be employed throughout the contest.

There could still be wind for both teams to contend with.

“Looks like winds should be fairly light,” Ms Lingard said.

“They’ll start off being a more southerly breeze and then potentially a bit more of a south-westerly and a westerly as we get through the rest of the afternoon.”

Narelle was downgraded on Saturday morning and is no longer considered a tropical cyclone, weakening into a fast-moving tropical low as it charges south across the State.

At last check, the system was sitting over the Gascoyne, east of Geraldton, still whipping up wind gusts of up to 100km/h.

It comes after Narelle tore down the coast as a category 4 system, smashing towns in its path.

In Exmouth, winds above 250km/h shredded roofs, cut power and flooded homes, forcing dozens to flee a damaged evacuation centre.

Further south, Carnarvon was engulfed by a bizarre pink dust storm as destructive winds lashed the town.