Australia -- Victoria Weather Update

MELBOURNE - Nov 19/09 - SNS -- The current forecast for the state of Victoria was released by Australia's Bureau of Meteorology.

for the period until midnight EDT Monday 23 November 2009.
Warning Summary at issue time
The CFA has declared a day of Total Fire Ban for the North Eastern Total Fire
Ban District for Friday 20 November.
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 Friday for the Northern Country, Mallee, North Central
and Northeast forecast districts.
Fire weather warning for Thursday for the North Central, Northern Country,
Wimmera, Mallee, Central and Northeast forecast districts.
Strong wind warning for Victorian waters between SA-VIC Border and Lakes
Entrance.
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 stall across the northeast of the State tonight. A
stronger trough of low pressure will enter western and southern Victoria on
Friday and then extend across the northeast of the State during Saturday. A
high pressure system will ridge across the Bight on Sunday and then across
southern Victoria on Monday.
Forecast for the rest of Thursday
Another warm to very warm night with winds tending northeast to northwest and
freshening in the southwest. Chance of a thundery shower about the northeast,
mainly on the ranges and also over the far southwest of the State.
Forecast for Friday
Hot and mostly cloudy with isolated showers and thunderstorms, more likely on
the ranges and in the northeast. Moderate to fresh north to northwest wind
turning cooler southwest to southerly over the west half and southern areas of
the State.
Forest Fire Danger: Reaching severe in the north.
Grassland Fire Danger: High to very high.
Forecast for Saturday
Rain areas developing across the State and the chance of local thunderstorms.
Moderate 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, contracting east during the day
and tending to showers later. Isolated showers in the southwest. A generally
mild day with light to moderate west to southwesterly winds, fresh at times
near the coast.
Forecast for Monday
Partly cloudy with isolated showers on and south of the ranges. Fine and mainly
sunny in the north. Mild with chiefly moderate west to southwest winds.
The next routine forecast will be issued at 5:00 am EDT Friday.
* Calls to 1300 numbers cost around 27.5c incl. GST, higher from mobiles or
public phones.

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STAT News Service