Australia -- Victoria Weather Update

MELBOURNE - Oct 16/09 - SNS -- The current forecast for the state of Victoria was released by Australia's Bureau of Meteorology.

for the period until midnight EDT Tuesday 20 October 2009.
Warning Summary at issue time
INITIAL MINOR FLOOD WARNING FOR THE LATROBE RIVER.
FINAL FLOOD WARNING FOR THE KIEWA RIVER.
FLOOD WATCH FOR WEST AND SOUTH GIPPSLAND (LATROBE, THOMSON, MACALISTER AND AVON
CATCHMENTS and SOUTH GIPPSLAND BASIN).
FLOOD WATCH FOR GREATER MELBOURNE (WERRIBEE, MARIBYRNONG, YARRA, DANDENONG AND
BUNYIP CATCHMENTS).
Warning to sheep graziers for the Western, North Central, Central, West and
South Gippsland, East Gippsland and Northeast forecast districts.
Details of warnings are available on the Bureau's website www.bom.gov.au, by
telephone 1300-659-217* or through some TV and radio broadcasts.
Weather Situation
A low pressure system is moving away across the south Tasman Sea this evening
while a high pressure system is building over the Bight. The high will cross
the Bight to be located near Adelaide by Saturday night and then move over
Victoria on Sunday to reach the central Tasman Sea on Monday. The next cold
front will then enter the State from the southwest on Tuesday.
Forecast for the rest of Friday
Scattered showers over southern and mountain areas, tending to rain periods
over Gippsland. Isolated showers clearing over the northern plains. Snow
showers over Alpine areas. Moderate to freshening southwesterly winds.
Forecast for Saturday
Morning frost patches in the northeast. Mostly cloudy with scattered showers or
drizzle patches on and south of the divide, becoming isolated during the
afternoon and contracting to coastal areas by evening. Showers falling as snow
above 1500 metres. Fine and mainly sunny over the northwest. Remaining cool
with moderate southwesterly winds, fresh at times about the coast.
Forest Fire Danger: High in the northwest.
Forecast for Sunday
Morning frost and fog patches inland. Isolated showers in the south, mainly
about the coast and clearing by the afternoon. Otherwise a fine and mainly
sunny day. Cool to mild with light to moderate south to southwest winds.
Forecast for Monday
Morning fog patches inland then a mainly sunny afternoon throughout. A mild to
warm day with light to moderate northerly winds and afternoon coastal sea
breezes.
Forecast for Tuesday
Fine apart from isolated showers developing in the far southwest and south
during the afternoon. A warm day with freshening north to northwest winds ahead
of a cooler southwest to southerly change, extending from the southwest during
the afternoon.
The next routine forecast will be issued at 5:00 am EDT Saturday.
* Calls to 1300 numbers cost around 27.5c incl. GST, higher from mobiles or
public phones.

---

STAT News Service