Great to hear people find the weather over here interesting. Yes, Lionel and Mark there has been a significant drying of the climate here over the past 30 years or so. We now have 2 desalination plants which of course are not environmentally good. However, they are needed. The Main dams feeding Perth averaging around 30% capacity at the end of the Winter wet season, and dipping back to 20% by the end of Summer. The main aquifer feeding the city has dropped around 8m, not just through climate drying, but urban sprawl and bore water use. Significant issues faced in this regard.
I have to say I love the Perth summer climate, which is endless weeks of clear skies. Occasionally a trough will be deep enough down the west coast to form thunderstorms. Often these don't produce much rain, but lots of lightning and these events are spectacular. Cannot beat an evening at Cottesloe watching a distant storm rage over the Ocean on a hot, humid night.
It's the Winters where there has been significant reduction of rainfall. The last 2 Winters have been only just below average, but that's been the exception to the rule. A reason for this is the exceptionally high sea surface temperatures have resulted in huge tropical moisture events ahead of cold fronts. The jet stream is further South than it was in the 1970s and beforehand. Though interestingly some research recently has said that this might have been an unusually wet period for this region.
The dryness is helping cause huge bushfire threats, and this last weekend was another example. 7000 hectares burnt, threatening Northern suburbs. Perth pretty much stretches upto Yanchep now, incredible growth. This booming city can be seen by the price of a pint, I paid $15 in a city bar recently, about 9 of your English pounds. So expensive to live here, but I have not been to a city more beautiful.