Australia -- Victoria Weather Update

MELBOURNE - Sep 1/02 - SNS -- The current forecast for the state of Western Australia was released by Australia's Bureau of Meteorology.

Warnings
A gale warning is current for all Victorian coastal waters including Port
Phillip and Western Port.
A strong wind warning is current for the Gippsland Lakes.
A Land Wind warning is current for all districts of Victoria.
A Fire Weather Warning is current for the Mallee. 
A Road weather alert is current for the Melbourne metropolitan area.  
Weather Pattern
A cold front will reach western Victoria this afternoon then move across the
remainder of the State later today and overnight. Another cold front will cross
the State during Tuesday night and early Wednesday with yet another front
reaching western Victoria on Thursday night.
Victoria
Monday:    Patchy rain and isolated thunderstorms in western and central areas
gradually extending eastwards. Raised dust areas, chiefly in the northwest. Warm
and squally northerly wind, strong to gale force ahead of a milder westerly
change reaching the west in the afternoon and central parts tonight. 
UV Index: 5 [High] reduced to 2 [moderate] under cloud. 
Tuesday:   Patchy rain in the east clearing. Scattered showers developing over
the southwest and about the ranges but mostly fine elsewhere. Cool to mild.
Windy. 
Wednesday: Scattered showers mostly over the ranges and southwest. Cool.
Thursday:  Fine apart from isolated showers near the coast and later in the
west. Cool to mild.
Forecast for Melbourne
Monday
Mostly cloudy with a few spots of rain this afternoon, but a period of rain this
evening or tonight with the risk of thunderstorms. Strong, squally northerly
wind shifting cooler westerly tonight.
Max 23
Tuesday
Rain at first then a partly cloudy day with just a brief shower or two.
Northwest wind becoming strong and gusty.    Min 13    Max 18
Wednesday
Shower or two. Wind easing.                 Min 11    Max 17
Thursday
Mainly fine.                                Min 9    Max 18
Trend for Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Windy with showery periods.  Becoming cooler.
Forecast for Port Phillip and Western Port
Monday:    Northerly wind 30 to 40 knots shifting westerly at 15 to 25 knots
tonight. Local thunderstorms tonight producing stronger squalls. Waves 2 to 3
metres abating to 1.0 to 1.5 metres tonight. A gale warning is current. 
Tuesday:   West to northwesterly 15 to 20 knots increasing to 20 to 30 knots
during the day. Waves near 1 metre rising 1 to 2 metres.
Wednesday: Northwest winds of 20 to 30 knots shifting westerly, then easing 15
to 20 knots later.
Thursday:  Northwesterly winds  around 15 to 20 knots.
Headline Melbourne: Windy. Change with rain tonight. 

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STAT News Service

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