Australia -- Queensland Weather Update

MELBOURNE - Mar 13/03 - 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. 
A strong wind warning is current for east coast waters between Low Isles and
Cardwell.  
STATE FORECAST
for Friday night and Saturday
Widespread showers and isolated thunderstorms over the northern tropics with
some local heavy falls about the north tropical coast overnight. Isolated
showers along the rest of the east coast. Fine inland apart from isolated
showers or thunderstorms near the southern border. Moderate to fresh W winds
across Cape York Peninsula. Mostly light to moderate SE to NE winds elsewhere,
fresh at times along the north tropical coast. 
EXTENDED OUTLOOK
Ex-tropical cyclone Craig located over Cape York Peninsula should decay during
the weekend while another small low just east of Cairns is expected to move away
to the east without deepening. Monsoon shower and thunderstorm activity over the
northern tropics is expected to decrease during the weekend while contracting
slowly north.
The high over the Tasman Sea is weakening and will be replaced by another high
moving into the area during Sunday. SE winds are likely to bring isolated
showers to the Queensland east coast during the next few days. Coastal winds
will ease a little by Saturday before freshening again late Sunday into Monday
as the new high becomes established over the Tasman Sea.
Most of inland Queensland can expect several days of fine weather. Migrating
upper troughs could cause isolated afternoon showers or thunderstorms near the
southern border until Sunday, but nothing significant is expected. 
Severe tropical cyclone ERICA will continue to move southeast away from New
Caledonia. The cyclone poses no threat to Queensland apart from a general
increase in ocean swells along the southern coastline later in the weekend.

---

STAT News Service

The subscriber version of the article is available by Clicking here