Hey folks.. I've never quite learnt how to read physically visible weather to determine if a squall is coming or if the wind will soon drop, so I ask you guys on behalf on myself and everyone else (I'm sure there's a bunch) who would benefit from learning.
Cheers, I understand it'll be a bit hard without pictures but go for it if you have the knowledge.
Grey and nasty, generally is. Cumulous and Cumulo Nimbus when associated with fronts are the ones to watch out for I think.
Google Microburst.
there is a saying, "if it looks nasty, then it is."
If you ever see a sky go green, prepare yourself for the worst.
All places are different, If a black cloud is coming, go in and wait it out. In fronts, it will generally slowly pick up until the front hits. The wind changes direction as its raining and up/down drafts are common, after the rain has stopped, usually the wind dies down for about 1/2 an hour, before it slowly picks up again for the next cloud band that follows. Not good to kite in.
With regard to a seabreeze in Perth, when those whispy clouds go all the way to rottnest I dont care what the forecast says, like friday here it was supposed to get to 20-25 knots, NO way. Its troughed out at the seabreeze will reach 15 knots maximum. A really good newbie question. others are sure to add more about your local conditions..
Cumulo-numbus clouds look anvil shaped and have severe up/downdrafts, they dont occur in WA or rarely over East if at all, they occur in the US and Europe.
This would be a line squall don't have your kite up when one of these hit. For that matter don't even leave a kicker on the beach 
^
I would run from that....or at least bury my kite with sand until it passed and i crawled out from my van....nice pic
This is a photo from yesterday in sydney, large thunderstorm rolling in over bondi beach. we had 10 Knot Ne and it changed to 25 knots from the south for about 10 mins. then absolutly no wind all afternoon.
looks like a big brush coming to sweep up everyone in it's path! I can't get enough of seeing nature do her thing.
^^^^^Thanks dude for the compliment
, you cant kitesurf tomorrow if youre all busted up. WAKSA's motto is C.L.E.A.R
awesome lightning show over perth atm . ****ing wife wont let me drive down to the beach to watch it 
As my Dad told me when I was sailing with him as a kid : "Most cloud are as bad as they look"
If the cloud looks scary... they there is a very good chance being under it will be too
Probably a good idea to be out of the water, with kite safely packed away.
Taken at Port Hedland, February 2011.
@ hamburglar....Unfortunately the Port Hedland coastline faces North/North West and misses out on any significant swell activity from the Indian Ocean.
There are small windwaves around the corner at the Spoil-Bank.
@ deXtrous....the Bureau of Meteorology has some excellent material on the subject. They have a great booklet on severe weather and good cloud recognition charts. Drop into your local office, they appreciate visits from 'weather nuts'.
