Australia -- Queensland Weather Update

MELBOURNE - Aug 11/09 - SNS -- The current forecast for the state of Queensland was released by Australia's Bureau of Meteorology.

IDQ1070001
WARNING SUMMARY
Nil.
STATE FORECAST
for the rest of Wednesday and Thursday
Today: Isolated showers about the north tropical coast and over far northern
Cape York Peninsula and Torres Strait. Isolated showers and afternoon and
evening storms about the south-east corner. High cloud areas through the far
southern interior, though with little or no rain. Fine elsewhere. A warm day
throughout much of the state with very high fire dangers about the southeast
interior. Moderate to fresh SE winds over the northern tropics. Moderate to
fresh NE to NW winds elsewhere ahead of a SW to SE change extending over the
southern interior.
Thursday: Early fog patches about east coastal districts. High cloud extending
east over the far southern interior, with patchy light rain areas and possible
late local thunder. Isolated showers about far northern Cape York Peninsula. A
fine and warm day elsewhere, with very high fire dangers about parts of the
southern central and southeast inland. Moderate to fresh SE winds over the
northern tropics. Moderate NE to NW winds, fresh at times through southern
central and southeast parts, tending SW to SE over the southern interior.
EXTENDED OUTLOOK
The trough system will split about the south-east corner of the state overnight
Thursday. The eastern section of the trough will move northwards along the east
coast of Qld, reaching the central coast area on Friday and dissipating near
Cardwell on Saturday. Initially, moderate to fresh S to SE winds will develop
after the coastal trough but these winds will ease overnight Friday and Saturday
morning before shifting SE to NE along much of the southern coast during
Saturday afternoon. The western section of the trough will also move slowly
north as a new high moves into NSW on Friday. Conditions will be too dry at the
surface so no weather is expected with the trough as it moves north. The only
precipitation expected will be due to stream showers about far northern Cape
York Peninsula and Torres Strait. Daytime temperatures will remain well above
average throughout most of the state. Morning fog areas will occur about much of
the east coast, contracting to the central and northeast tropical coast on
Saturday. Some morning frost may occur about the Granite Belt area early
Saturday in the wake of the trough.
The SE trade flow will continue across the north-west Coral sea and northern
Cape York Peninsula into the weekend and may even freshen a little from Saturday
onwards as the high moves into the Coral Sea and reinforces a ridge over the
east Queensland coast.
A new upper trough will move into central Australia on Saturday and then move
across south-eastern Australia on Sunday. This trough system will generate a
cloud and weak rain band which will move across the southern interior of
Queensland on Sunday before weakening overnight and Monday over the south-east
of the state. A new surface front will move into the state on Sunday and then
across the south-east corner of the state late Monday.

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STAT News Service