Australia -- Queensland Weather Update

MELBOURNE - Sep 24/10 - SNS -- The current forecast for the state of Queensland was released by Australia's Bureau of Meteorology.

IDQ1070001
WARNING SUMMARY
1. A flood warning is current for the Warrego River and tributaries.
2. A flood warning is current for the lower Macintyre River.
3. A flood warning is current for the Mackenzie and dawson Rivers.
STATE FORECAST
for Friday night and Saturday
Showers and thunderstorms in a band from the north-west to the south-east of the
state spreading into rain and local thunder overnight and during the morning.
Isolated showers along parts of the east coast and over the far northern
tropics. Fine though cloudy at times over the south-west. Moderate to fresh SE
winds along the far north-east tropical coast. Mostly moderate SE to NE winds
elsewhere.
EXTENDED OUTLOOK
Sunday: A new upper trough will move into the interior of Queensland. This will
maintain instability over Queensland east of the inland surface trough. As a
result further showers and thunderstorms will occur. Cloudy conditions with
patchy rain will continue over central districts and will finally clear
eastwards in the evening. Isolated showers will continue about the north-east
tropical coast.
Monday: The upper trough will weaken as a new upper trough moves into
south-eastern Australia. Consequently, conditions will become less unstable over
much of the state. However, conditions will still be unstable enough for
isolated afternoon showers and/or thunderstorms to occur over most of northern
and eastern Qld.
Tuesday: The new upper trough will amplify over south-eastern Australia and
again destabilize conditions across most of Qld. So a good scattering of showers
and storms will again develop over much of eastern and far northern Qld. The
surface trough over the west of the state will also begin to deepen in response
to the approaching upper trough. Conditions will remain fine over the south-west
and far west of the state.
The outlook for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday: The surface and upper troughs
will move eastwards with the surface trough moving seawards late Wednesday
followed by the upper trough on Thursday. So most of the shower and storm
activity will contract into the far north of the state by Thursday morning as
drier S to SE winds spread across most of the state. A low pressure system will
develop off the northern NSW coast during late Wednesday and Thursday before
moving away. So S'ly winds will freshen and then become strong on Thursday in
coastal waters south from Fraser Island. These winds will ease during Friday. As
well, these S'ly winds will direct isolated showers onto the southern border
ranges and along the exposed coast south of Fraser Island during Thursday and
Friday. Isolated showers in the onshore flow will begin to develop in remaining
exposed coastal areas of the east coast during Friday.

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STAT News Service