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 for 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 Thursday
Scattered showers and thunderstorms with local rain areas over the northern and
eastern tropics with some moderate to heavy falls. A few showers over southern
districts with isolated thunderstorms developing in the far southwest. Moderate
to fresh NW winds over the northern tropics. Moderate to fresh SE winds along
the central and south coast. Lighter SE to NE winds inland.
EXTENDED OUTLOOK
A weak low is expected to develop offshore near Townsville today, then move
south close to the Queensland coast during Friday and Saturday. As this low
moves south, windy weather with moderate to locally heavy rainfalls can be
expected on its southern side along the near coastal strip. The main monsoon low
located over northwest Queensland is expected to be forced slowly north towards
the Gulf country by a new large high moving into the Bight. Ahead of the high, a
trough is expected to form over southwest Queensland today and produce some 
showers and thunderstorms. 
During Friday and Saturday the trough is expected to move fairly quickly across
southern Queensland to link with the low moving down from the tropics, and both
should be out over the Tasman Sea by Sunday. A cooler southerly change in the
wake of the trough is expected to contract any remaining shower or thunderstorm
activity into the northeast tropics on Sunday. 

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STAT News Service

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