Australia -- Queensland Weather Update

MELBOURNE - Mar 15/12 - 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 parts of the
Peninsula and Gulf Country districts.
A Strong Wind Warning has been issued for Eastern Gulf of Carpentaria waters for
Friday.
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
A high near New Zealand extends a weakening ridge along most of the
Queensland east coast. The monsoon trough lies over the southern Gulf of
Carpentaria and across Cape York Peninsula. A tropical low on the monsoon trough
is expected to enter far northwest Queensland during Friday. A new upper trough
and accompanying surface trough will enter the far southwest of the state late
on Friday.
Forecast for the rest of Thursday
Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms over northern and eastern
districts, spreading to areas of rain over the tropics with some moderate to
locally heavy falls. Isolated showers and thunderstorms elsewhere, tending
scattered over the southern interior. Moderate to fresh E to SE winds along the
east coast, shifting NW to NE over the northern tropics. Light to moderate SE to
NE winds elsewhere.
Forecast for Friday
Widespread showers, rain areas and thunderstorms activity will continue over
the tropics and northwest of the state with moderate to heavy falls expected.
This activity is expected to spread slowly south into the central interior and
central coast areas during the day. The tropical low in the far northwest of the
state will bring strong W to NW winds to the eastern Gulf.  Showers and
thunderstorms over western Queensland and the southern interior will spread to
rain areas late in the day. Isolated showers about the east coast south of about
Rockhampton and mostly fine with isolated showers over the southeast interior.
Moderate to fresh SE to NE winds about the east coast, tending NW to NE over the
northern tropics. Fresh to strong NW winds about the Gulf of Carpentaria coast.
Moderate SE to NE winds elsewhere.
Forecast for Saturday
A new high is expected to drift over southeast Australia, resulting in
isolated showers about the Southeast and the Capricornia coasts. The upper level
trough is expected to move east over southern Queensland, generating cloud with
patchy rain and isolated thunderstorms. The monsoon trough should remain close
to the southern Gulf of Carpentaria and across Cape York Peninsula with the
tropical low likely to be move east into the far southern Gulf. Thunderstorms
and rain areas with some moderate to heavy falls are therefore expected across
northern, central and western districts.
Forecast for Sunday
The high will move slowly southeast to become centred to the south of
Tasmania by the end of the day. The upper level trough is expected to move into
eastern Queensland, accompanied by a cloud band with showers and thundery rain
areas across the south of the state. The monsoon trough is expected to remain
slow moving over the tropics with the tropical low likely expected to move into
the southeast Gulf of Carpentaria. This will result in further showers,
thunderstorms and rain areas with moderate to heavy falls across northern and
central districts.
Forecast for Monday
The weather pattern becomes uncertain on Monday but the high is likely to
continue moving east into the Tasman Sea and strengthen. It is also possible
that the upper trough will generate a low off the east coast and this is most
likely to be off the central east coast, but this is subject to considerable
uncertainty. The high in the Tasman Sea combined with the possible low is likely
to cause strong SE winds to develop about the east coast, south of about Bowen.
The monsoon trough is likely to sink further south along the east coast and is
likely to stretch from the southern Gulf to about Bowen. Therefore showers, rain
areas and thunderstorms are expected across the north of the state and along
most of the east coast and adjacent inland north of about Bundaberg, with
moderate to heavy falls possible. The far southeast  of the state should see
scattered showers.
Outlook for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
The pattern remains complicated and very uncertain into the new week as the
upper level trough is likely to move east into southeast Queensland and the
monsoon trough remains active over the tropics. Further widespread showers,
thunderstorms and rain areas with heavy falls can be expected over at least the
northern and central districts. Conditions over Queensland will be highly
dependent on the upper level trough and any surface developments that may occur
as a result, but it looks likely that the upper trough will move offshore by
Thursday with conditions generally easing. Day time temperatures remaining below
average in most areas.
The next routine forecast will be issued at 4:45 am EST
Friday.
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This page was created at 14:15 on Thursday 15 March 2012 (GMT)
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