Australia -- Queensland Weather Update

MELBOURNE - Feb 26/03 - SNS -- The current forecast for the state of Queensland was released by Australia's Bureau of Meteorology.

IDQ1070001
WARNING SUMMARY
A strong wind warning for coastal waters from Coolangatta to Double Island
Point. 
A strong wind warning for coastal waters Torres Strait to Cairns. 
A strong wind warning is current Gulf of Carpentaria waters north of Kowanyama. 
A flood warning for the Macintyre River downstream from Goondiwindi. 
A flood warning for coastal rivers and streams between Proserpine and Gladstone.
STATE FORECAST
for Wednesday night and Thursday
Areas of rain along the near coastal strip between Proserpine and Gladstone with
some locally heavy falls. Scattered showers and thunderstorms with local rain
areas elsewhere over the northern and eastern tropics, with some local moderate
to heavy falls. A few showers over southern districts, clearing from the Maranoa
and Warrego. Moderate to fresh northwest winds over the northern and eastern
tropics. Moderate to fresh southeast winds along the south coast. 
EXTENDED OUTLOOK
The weak low, now located near Townsville, is expected to move SE along the east
coast and be near Fraser Is by Friday night. As this low moves south moderate to
locally heavy falls can be expected on its southern side along the near coastal
strip. The main monsoon low, currently located near Julia Creek is expected to
drift slowly north in the next few days to be near the Gulf Country on Friday.
This monsoon low will be pushed north owing to higher pressures forming over
south and central Australia. As the pressure builds to the SW a trough is
expected to form over SW Queensland during Friday and produce some clearing
showers and thunderstorms. 
During Saturday the trough in the SW moves fairly quickly to link with the low
moving down from the tropics and be out to sea by Saturday evening. A cooler
southerly change in the wake of the trough is expected to clear any remaining
shower or thunderstorm activity from the southern and central interior. In the
NW around Mt Isa the monsoon trough will be pushed north, also clearing the
areas of rain and thunderstorms into the Gulf Country. As the trough moves off
the central and Northern Tropical coast during Saturday some locally heavy falls
are expected, with some clearance later in the day.  
This trend continues on Sunday with the monsoon trough expected to be located
over Cape York Peninsula, with rain contracting to be north of about Bowen to
the Gulf Country. 

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STAT News Service

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