Australia -- Victoria Weather Update

MELBOURNE - Feb 6/09 - SNS -- The current forecast for the state of Western Australia was released by Australia's Bureau of Meteorology.

for the period until midnight EDT Tuesday 10 February 2009.
Warning Summary at issue time
The CFA has declared a day of Total Fire Ban for the Eastern, North Eastern,
Central, North Western and South Western Total Fire Ban Districts for Saturday
07 February.
Fire weather warning for Alpine Areas, Western, North Central, Northern
Country, Wimmera, Mallee, Central, West and South Gippsland, East Gippsland and
Northeast forecast districts.
Severe weather warning for Alpine Areas, Western, North Central, Wimmera,
Central, West and South Gippsland, East Gippsland forecast districts.
Strong wind warning for Victorian waters between SA-VIC Border and Cape Otway.
Strong wind warning for Victorian waters between Wilsons Promontory and
Mallacoota.
Gale warning for Victorian waters between Cape Otway and Wilsons Promontory.
Gale warning for Victorian waters between Mallacoota and 60nm east of Gabo
Island.
Gale warning is current for Western Port.
Gale warning is current for Port Phillip.
Strong wind warning is current for Gippsland Lakes.
Details of warnings are available on the Bureau's website www.bom.gov.au, by
telephone 1300-659-217* or through some TV and radio broadcasts.
Weather Situation
A strong cold front will cross most of the State today, but will not clear the
far northeast until Sunday morning. A cooler southwesterly airflow will develop
in the wake of the front. The southwest to southerly airflow will persist for
several days as a large high pressure system south of Western Australia drifts
slowly east and a series of weak cold fronts cross Tasmania.
Forecast for the rest of Saturday
Very hot with strong and gusty north to northwesterly winds ahead of a cooler,
squally southwesterly change extending from the southwest - but failing to
reach the far northeast until Sunday. Areas of raised dust. Isolated light
showers over the southwest and near the coast during the morning and also in
the south near the change.
Maximum Fire Danger: Extreme
Forecast for Sunday
Isolated light showers mainly on and south of the ranges. Moderate to fresh
southwesterly winds extending throughout. Hot at first in the northeast,
otherwise cool to mild in the south and mild to warm in the north.
Forecast for Monday
Isolated light showers on and south of the ranges. Cool to mild with moderate
to fresh southwest to southerly winds.
Forecast for Tuesday
Isolated light showers on and south of the ranges. Cool to mild with moderate
to fresh southerly winds.
The next routine forecast will be issued at 4:30 pm EDT Saturday.
* Calls to 1300 numbers cost around 27.5c incl. GST, higher from mobiles or
public phones.

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STAT News Service