Australia -- Queensland Weather Update

MELBOURNE - Mar 1/08 - SNS -- The current forecast for the state of Queensland was released by Australia's Bureau of Meteorology.

IDQ1070001
WARNING SUMMARY
A strong wind warning is current for coastal waters from Cooktown to Point
Danger.
STATE FORECAST
for Saturday night and Sunday
Scattered showers, thunderstorms and rain areas over Cape York Peninsula
contracting a little northwards on Sunday. Isolated to scattered showers along
the east coast and parts of the tropical interior. Moderate to fresh SE winds
across the interior. Fresh to strong S/SE winds along the southern and central
coasts and spreading northwards to the Cooktown area by late Sunday. Light to
moderate NW winds across Cape York Peninsula.
EXTENDED OUTLOOK
The strong high over the Great Australian Bight will continue to move slowly
eastwards and enter the Tasman Sea on Sunday where it will then remain near
stationary for a number of days, dominating the weather across most of
Queensland into the end of next week. This high will maintain a firm ridge along
most of the east coast for the week as the monsoon trough remains anchored over
PNG. The ridge will maintain fresh to strong SE winds and showers along most of
the east coast. The winds will ease a little about the far southern coast during
Monday and tuesday but increase again from Wednesday onwards as high pressure
again builds over the Tasman Sea. The showers will increase to rain areas about
the north tropical coast where some moderate to heavy falls will continue. Rough
seas and a moderate SE swell will continue in most southern and central coastal
waters. Over the interior the weather will remain fine into at least the end of
the week.
Below average temperatures will continue over most of Queensland through the

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STAT News Service