Australia -- Victoria Weather Update

MELBOURNE - Nov 17/09 - SNS -- The current forecast for the state of Victoria was released by Australia's Bureau of Meteorology.

for the period until midnight EDT Sunday 22 November 2009.
Warning Summary at issue time
The CFA has declared a day of Total Fire Ban for the North Eastern, Central and
North Western Total Fire Ban Districts for Thursday 19 November.
Fire weather warning for Wednesday for the Mallee forecast district.
Fire weather warning for Thursday for the North Central, Northern Country,
Wimmera, Mallee, Central 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 high pressure system is stationary over the Tasman Sea while a weak low
pressure trough will move across western and southern Victoria on Thursday. A
stronger trough of low pressure will reach western Victoria later on Friday and
then extend slowly across central areas of the State on Saturday and through
the far northeast on Sunday. A new high pressure system will ridge across the
Bight late Sunday.
Forecast for the rest of Wednesday
A generally dry day although the risk of a thunderstorms in the west. A warm
night light to moderate northeast to northerly winds, freshening from the west.
Forecast for Thursday
A hot to very hot and partly cloudy day with isolated showers and
thunderstorms, mainly about the dividing ranges. Freshening north to northwest
winds turning southwesterly near the coast during the day and westerly inland.
Forest Fire Danger: Severe in northern and central districts.
Grassland Fire Danger: Very high in northwest.
Forecast for Friday
Hot and mostly cloudy with isolated showers and thunderstorms developing then
tending to rain in the southwest at night. Moderate to fresh north to northwest
wind turning cooler southwest to southerly over the west and southwest of the
State later in the afternoon.
Forecast for Saturday
Rain areas and local thunderstorms. Some heavy falls possible, mainly about the
northeast highlands. Milder and cloudy with moderate southwesterly winds
extending through central and eastern areas.
Forecast for Sunday
Rain areas over central and eastern districts during the morning tending to
showers during the afternoon. Isolated showers elsewhere. A generally mild day
with light to moderate west to southwesterly winds, fresh at times near the
coast.
The next routine forecast will be issued at 5:00 am EDT Thursday.
* Calls to 1300 numbers cost around 27.5c incl. GST, higher from mobiles or
public phones.

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STAT News Service