Australia -- Queensland Weather Update

MELBOURNE - Mar 5/03 - SNS -- The current forecast for the state of Queensland was released by Australia's Bureau of Meteorology.

IDQ1070001
WARNING SUMMARY
Flood warnings are current for the Thomson River and Cooper Creek and for the
Diamantina River. 
A strong wind warning is current for coastal waters between Yeppoon and
Cardwell.
STATE FORECAST
for Thursday
A few showers and thunderstorms over the northern tropics and developing over
western and southern districts. A few showers about the east coast. Some high
cloud over the southern interior but little or no rain. Fresh SE winds along the
Central and Capricorn coasts, and mostly light to moderate SE to NE winds
elsewhere.
EXTENDED OUTLOOK
Tropical Cyclone ERICA is forecast to move slowly north then northwest along a
track offshore and approximately parallel to the Queensland tropical coast until
at least Saturday. A broad belt of high pressure will lie south of Australia to
the New Zealand area for the rest of the week with a firm ridge extending to
Queensland's south coast. The combination of the cyclone and the ridge will
produce fresh to strong SE winds along the Central and Capricorn coasts,
extending along the north tropical coast late in the week as the cyclone moves
north. Heavier rain is likely to develop along the north tropical coast on
Friday night or Saturday as SE winds increase. A few showers are expected along
the rest of the east coast in the moist onshore flow.
Some showers and thunderstorms will continue in the northern tropics with more
isolated shower or storm activity starting on Thursday near the surface trough
in western districts. Some high cloud will skirt across southern parts of the
state during the next day or two but no significant rain is expected from this

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STAT News Service

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