Australia -- Queensland Weather Update

MELBOURNE - Sep 12/10 - SNS -- The current forecast for the state of Queensland was released by Australia's Bureau of Meteorology.

IDQ1070001
WARNING SUMMARY
Flood warnings for the Dawson River, Dumaresq and Macintyre Rivers.
STATE FORECAST
for Sunday night and Monday
Isolated showers and/or drizzle along the east tropical coast north of about the
Townsville area contracting northwards to Cardwell on Monday. Cloud with little
or no rain increasing over the south-west tonight then spreading across southern
Queensland during Monday. Fine elsewhere apart from the possibility of isolated
showers or storms developing about the far north-west of the state Monday
afternoon. Moderate to fresh E to SE winds across the far northern tropics.
Mostly light to moderate SE to NE winds elsewhere.
EXTENDED OUTLOOK
Tuesday: The upper trough will remain weak while moving across NSW. As a result
the cloud and any associated rain will slowly decay and generally move off the
southern coast by the afternoon. A surface trough will also move eastwards
across southern Queensland and reach the south-east coast late in the day.
Isolated showers and/or storms will develop on and near the trough during the
afternoon. In the wake of the trough drier SW to SE winds will circulate across
much of the state. Fresh NW winds will develop about the far southern coast in
the afternoon and evening. Isolated showers will continue along the east coast
north of cardwell while isolated showers or storms will develop about the far
north-west of the state.
Wednesday: The surface trough will move slowly northwards along the southern
coast and reach the Capricornia in the late afternoon while remaining near
stationary across the tropics. Isolated showers will develop on and near the
trough during the afternoon. As the trough moves norhwards the ridge along the
east coast will continue to move northwards and weaken. So any SE trade showers
will contract to north of the Cairns to Cooktown area. Fine conditions will
continue elsewhere over the state. Light to moderate SW to SE winds will
continue across most of the state. These winds will be moderate to fresh about
the coast south of Fraser Island for much of the day.
Thursday: The surface trough will split about the Capricornia and central coast
area with the northern section moving westwards as the inland trough. Isolated
showers may develop on this trough over the north-east tropics in the afternoon.
Isolated stream showers will continue over northern Cape York Peninsula. The
next upper trough will amplify towards central Australia. As a result cloud
generated by this trough will move across the south-west and southern interior
during the day. Initially, at best, little or no rain will occur with this cloud
band. Ridging will persist across northern NSW and southern Qld so dry SW to SE
winds will persist across much of the state.
The outlook for Friday, Saturday and Sunday: The upper trough will slowly
eastwards and amplify during this period. So the cloud and rain band will spread
across most areas of the state. Initially, only a little rain will occur but as
the system amplifies and nears the south-west of the state the cloud will
thicken with the rain increasing. Indications are that at least moderate falls
will develop over the southern interior on Saturday and then spread across the
south-east of the state on Sunday.

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STAT News Service