Australia -- Queensland Weather Update

MELBOURNE - Feb 1/12 - SNS -- The current forecast for the state of Queensland was released by Australia's Bureau of Meteorology.

Warning Summary at issue time
A Severe Weather Warning has been issued for Heavy Rain for
parts of the Central West, Central Highlands and Coalfields, Darling Downs and
Granite Belt and Maranoa and Warrego forecast districts for Thursday.
A Wind Warning is current for eastern Gulf of Carpentaria waters north of
Kowanyama.
A Wind Warning is current for waters between Torres Strait and Lockhart River
and a Strong Wind Warning has been issued for Thursday for waters between
Lockhart River and Cooktown.
Flood Warnings are current for various rivers and streams.
For the latest warning information please check the Bureau's
web site www.bom.gov.au/qld
Weather Situation
An upper level trough near our western border is expected to intensify and
move east into western Queensland on Thursday, thickening the cloud band over
the central and southern interior. A slow moving surface trough extends from
about Richmond to Charleville. A monsoon low lies over southeastern Gulf of
Carpentaria and is expected to move east over the Queensland tropics on Thursday
and shift into the Coral Sea near Cairns on Friday. The low has some chance of
development over the Coral Sea late in the week but will move east southeast
further away from the Queensland coast.
Forecast for the rest of Wednesday
Showers, rain areas and isolated thunderstorms in a band from the northern
tropics into the central and southern interior with some moderate to locally
heavy falls. Fine in the far southwest. Mostly fine over the southeast and
through central districts south of Moranbah with only isolated showers.
Scattered showers and possible thunderstorms elsewhere over central districts
and through the southern tropics. Moderate to fresh S to SE winds in the west.
Moderate to fresh and gusty W to NW winds over the far northern tropics. Light
to moderate SE to NE winds elsewhere.
Forecast for Thursday
Rain areas and squally showers and thunderstorms over the tropics north of
Cooktown. Cloudy and cool with rain areas, showers and isolated thunderstorms in
a band from the northwest of the state into the central and southern interior
with some locally heavy falls, particularly over the southern interior [refer to
Severe Weather Warning]. Showers and thunderstorms over the remaining eastern
tropics and through central districts north of Clermont, increasing to rain at
times near the coast. Mostly fine in the southeast with only isolated showers.
Fine in the Channel Country apart from isolated showers and drizzle areas east
of about Windorah. Fresh and gusty W to NW winds over the far northern tropics.
Moderate to fresh S to SE winds in the west. Light to moderate SE to NE winds
elsewhere, fresh at times near the coast.
Forecast for Friday
The monsoon low is expected to move east off the coast near Cairns into the
Coral Sea and has some chance of deepening though will move further east
southeast away from the coast. Nevertheless, the wind flow and instability
associated with the low will produce rain areas and thunderstorms with some
moderate to heavy falls over the tropics and gusty winds through the Peninsula
district. The upper level trough will move east into southeast districts in a
weakening mode. Rain areas will therefore gradually ease to showers through the
southern interior. Cloud will increase through the southeast though with only
patchy light rain and isolated showers expected. Conditions will remain fine
through the west apart from isolated light showers and drizzle areas east of
Windorah.
Forecast for Saturday
The low offshore of the northeast tropical coast is expected to move further
east over the Coral Sea. Rain areas and thunderstorms with some moderate to
heavy falls should persist over the east tropical coast and adjacent inland due
to an unstable, converging wind flow going into the low. The upper level trough
over southern Queensland will finally contract off the southeast coast, with
only showers expected through the southern interior east of Windorah and mostly
fine conditions near the coast. Patchy rain and isolated thunderstorms will
occur over the Peninsula district. Fine conditions will continue in the
west.
Forecast for Sunday
A new surface trough will enter western Queensland, though conditions will
remain fine over much of the state. Moist low level winds will generate shower
activity over the central and southern interior with just the chance of isolated
thunderstorms. A trough will continue to extend from the low over the Coral Sea
to the southern tropical coast, generating rain areas and isolated
thunderstorms. Patchy rain, showers and isolated thunderstorms will also occur
through the northern tropics. Mostly fine conditions will continue through the
southeast and central districts south of Mackay with only isolated showers.
Outlook for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday
A weak monsoon trough will most likely develop once again over the Peninsula
district during the outlook period, with showers and isolated thunderstorms over
the tropics increasing to rain areas near and north of the trough. The new
surface trough is expected to move rapidly east over the state on Monday,
contracting showers to eastern districts. A series of upper level troughs will
most likely increase instability over southeast and central Queensland on
Tuesday and Wednesday, generating showers and isolated thunderstorms.
The next routine forecast will be issued at 4:45 am EST
Thursday.
Weather & WarningsAustraliaNew South WalesVictoriaQueenslandWarnings SummaryForecastsBrisbane ForecastQld. Forecast Areas MapObservationsBrisbane ObservationsAll Queensland ObservationsRainfall & River ConditionsWestern AustraliaSouth AustraliaTasmaniaAustralian Capital TerritoryNorthern TerritoryAntarcticGlobal
National Weather Services
Tropical Cyclones
Tsunami Warnings
Agriculture
Marine and Ocean
UV Protection
WARNINGS  | 
WATER  | 
CLIMATE
Tropical Cyclones
Tsunami Warnings
UV & Sun Protection
Rainfall & River Conditions
Seasonal Outlooks
Climate Variability & Change
Seasonal Streamflow Forecasts
Radar
Maps
Forecast Explorer™
NSW & ACT  |  VIC  |  TAS
Rainfall Forecasts
Climate Data Online
Water Storage
National Weather Services
Marine & Ocean
Water and the Land
Aviation Weather Services
Defence Services
Registered User Services
Commercial Weather Services
Careers  | 
Sitemap  | 
Feedback
Freedom of Information
Indigenous Weather Knowledge
Learn About Meteorology
This page was created at 17:00 on Wednesday  1 February 2012 (GMT)
© Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2012, Bureau of Meteorology (ABN 92 637 533 532) | Disclaimer | Privacy | Accessibility
var hostname = window.location.hostname;
var host = hostname.split(".");
if (host[0] == "reg")
var _gaq = _gaq || [];
_gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-20386085-1']);
_gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);
else if (host[0] == "www")
var _gaq = _gaq || [];
_gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-3816559-1']);
_gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);
else if (host[0] == "wdev")
var _gaq = _gaq || [];
_gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-21709175-1']);
_gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);
(function() {
var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true;
ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js';
var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
})();

---

STAT News Service