This area is the most densely populated part of the otherwise sparsely populated Western Australia. To the south is the much wetter South West Coast , to the north there is a large section of Mallee and Heathland before the Northern Wheat Belt meets the coast as rainfall reduces. To the west over the escarpment of the coastal plain is the Southern Wheat Belt . The city of Perth enjoys a climate similar to Southern California. Warm to hot dry summers and cool to mild wet winters.
Rainfall is moderate in most areas, reducing towards both the east and north.
Almost all rain comes in the April to October period, with a summer drought. This summer drought however is not as pronounced as Southern California's. Bushfires can be a major problem in late summer - autumn. Fire is so much a part of the natural system that nearly all native plants are fire resistant, some such as some of Banksias actually need a fire to crack open seed pods. Some of the tornadoes that have occurred are similar to rare Southern Californian tornadoes in that they have moved in off the ocean.