Australia -- Queensland Weather Update

MELBOURNE - Oct 21/10 - SNS -- The current forecast for the state of Queensland was released by Australia's Bureau of Meteorology.

IDQ1070001
WARNING SUMMARY
1. Flood warnings are current for the Balonne, Condamine, Lower Macintyre the
Lower Barcoo Rivers and Cooper Creek.
2. A strong wind warning is current for coastal waters between Lockhart River
and Bowen.
STATE FORECAST
for Thursday night and Friday
Cloudy with rain areas over the south-east tropics clearing the coast overnight.
Showers and storms about the Gulf of Carpentaria and most western and southern
inland areas of the state clearing from western areas of the state overnight.
Showers elsewhere increasing to rain at times with some moderate to heavy falls
about the north tropical coast. Moderate to fresh SE to E winds about the east
coast becoming strong between Bowen and Lockhart river. Light to moderate NE
winds over the interior.
EXTENDED OUTLOOK
Saturday: The high will reach the New Zealand area and the ridge along the east
coast will weaken further. The inland trough will sharpen over the south-west of
the state as a new upper trough moves into NSW accompanied by a cloud and rain
band with storms. This cloud and rain band will move into the south-west of the
state late in the evening. Fine conditions will occur over most remaining inland
areas of the state. Isolated showers will continue along the east tropical coast
while isolated showers and storms will continue about the Gulf of Carpentaria.
Moderate to fresh SE winds will continue along the east tropical coast while
light to moderate E to NE winds will occur elsewhere.
Sunday: The upper trough will amplify and move across NSW and southern Qld.
Consequently, the associated thundery rain band will across southern districts
into the south-east by the afternoon. The surface trough will also move into
eastern districts of Qld. Isolated showers will continue along the east tropical
coast while isolated showers and storms will continue about the Gulf of
Carpentaria.
Monday: The upper trough will move off the coast with the thundery rain band
clearing the coast during the afternoon. The surface trough will move westwards
again as ridging builds along the east coast. So showers will persist mainly
near the coast in the wake of the cloud and rain band clearance. Isolated
showers will continue along parts of the east coast while only isolated showers
will occur about western Cape York Peninsula.
The outlook for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday: The inland trough will remain
near stationary over central areas of the state. A new upper trough will move
into NSW on Tuesday and then amplify over eastern Qld during Wednesday and
Thursday. So initially, isolated showers and possible storms will develop near
the inland trough on Tuesday with rain, showers and storms developing over the
south-east of the state and central areas of the state on Wednesday and then
continuing in these areas on Thursday. Showers will continue in the onshore SE
stream along the east coast north of Cardwell while isolated showers and storms
will occur about the Gulf of Carpentaria.

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STAT News Service