Australia -- Queensland Weather Update

MELBOURNE - Mar 19/03 - SNS -- The current forecast for the state of Queensland was released by Australia's Bureau of Meteorology.

IDQ1070001
WARNING SUMMARY
No warnings. 
STATE FORECAST
for Thursday
A few showers and thunderstorms over Cape York Peninsula and in a band from the
Gulf Country to the south-east inland. A few morning showers along most of the
east coast. Mostly light to moderate SE to NE winds along the east coast
shifting warmer NE/N winds over the inland and becoming moderate to fresh over
the southern districts. A cooler gusty S'ly change over the south-west spreading
across most remaining western and southern areas of the state during the day.  
EXTENDED OUTLOOK
The ridge of high pressure and associated SE winds along the east coast will
weaken even further over the next day or so as the high near New Zealand
continues to move eastwards. As the winds continue to ease the onshore showers
will contract northwards and finally clear the far north tropical coast on
Friday. The surface trough currently over the south-west will continue to move
eastwards and extend from the far north-west to the south-east corner on Friday.
Afternoon showers and storms are expected in the vicinity of this trough. At
the same time an upper trough will amplify across south-eastern Australia and
this will enhance the shower and storm activity over the south-east corner of
the state on Friday.  The surface trough is then expected to remain virtually
stationary through eastern Queensland across the weekend with showers and storms
to its east. In the wake of the trough drier and cooler S'ly air will spread
across the west of the state circulating about a large high which will move
slowly eastwards across waters to the south of the continent. The monsoon trough
has moved to the north of Torres Strait and should remain in that area for a
number of days.     

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STAT News Service

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