Australia -- Queensland Weather Update

MELBOURNE - Mar 16/12 - 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 is current for parts of the
Peninsula and Gulf Country districts.
Wind Warnings are current for Eastern Gulf of Carpentaria waters.
A Strong Wind Warning has been issued for Sunday for waters between Bowen and
Point Danger, including Hervey Bay.
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 very weak  ridge along Queensland's
southeast coast.  A strong monsoonal low lies over the far southern waters of
the Gulf of Carpentaria, and the monsoon trough extends out of the low across
Cape York Peninsula to the North Tropical Coast and Tablelands region.  A weak
upper trough lies over the southern interior.
Forecast for the rest of Saturday
Cloudy with scattered showers, isolated storms and areas of patchy rain over
the southern and central interior. Mainly isolated showers about the state's
southeast districts initially, though with patchy rain areas developing late in
the day.  Squally monsoonal showers, areas of rain and isolated storms about the
northern tropics, with some moderate to heavy falls, especially about the Gulf
of Carpentaria coast and the North Tropical Coast.  Higher than normal tides are
also expected about the Gulf of Carpentaria coast.  Moderate SE to NW winds
about the east coast, tending fresh NW to NE over the northern tropics. Fresh to
strong W to NE winds about the Gulf of Carpentaria coast. Moderate to fresh SE
to NE winds elsewhere.
Forecast for Sunday
A high over Victoria should push a strong southerly wind change up
Queensland's southeast coast, and showers along the southeast coast and into the
southeast and southern interior. The upper level trough is expected to contract
northwards, producing scattered showers, isolated storms and areas of patchy
rain over the Northwest district and the central districts.  Moderate to heavy
falls are possible about the Central Coast and Whitsundays as the onshore flow
increases due to southerly wind change.  The monsoon trough should remain over
the North Tropical Coast and southern Gulf of Carpentaria waters, maintaining
the moderate to heavy falls over the northern tropics, and strong winds and
higher than normal tides about the Gulf of Carpentaria coast.
Forecast for Monday
The high is likely to strengthen over the western reaches of the Tasman Sea,
causing the heavy rain to be pushed northwards of the Central Coast region and
maintaining fresh to strong winds about the southern and central coasts.  The
monsoon trough should remain over the North Tropical Coast and southern Gulf of
Carpentaria waters, maintaining the moderate to heavy falls over the northern
tropics, and strong winds and higher than normal tides about the Gulf of
Carpentaria coast.  A weakening upper trough is expected to produce areas of
patchy rain over the Northwest district and the central districts, while a fresh
to strong onshore flow should produce scattered showers about the southeast
coast, and more isolated showers over the nearby inland areas.
Forecast for Tuesday
The high should maintain a strong ridge along Queensland's east coast as it
slips to the southeast over New Zealand.  The associated onshore wind flow will
maintain showers about the southeast coast and nearby inland areas, and also
over parts of the central interior.  Meanwhile the monsoon trough is likely to
contract a little southwards, possibly lying extending between the Gulf Country
and the North Tropical Coast and Tablelands regions, and allowing moderate to
heavy falls to also extend southwards into parts of the Northwest and Central
West districts.  Moderate to heavy falls are also expected to continue over the
northern tropics, along with strong winds and higher than normal tides about the
Gulf of Carpentaria coast.
Outlook for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
The forecasts for late next week contain a high level of uncertainty because
the forecast guidance is having difficulty in consistently dealing with the
active nature of the expected weather patterns.  Nevertheless the early
indications are that the monsoon trough may contract towards the southeast late
in the week, bringing at least moderate falls with it.  A new high in the Great
Australian Bight should push substantially drier air and fine weather into the
state's interior late in the week.
The next routine forecast will be issued at 4:10 pm EST
Saturday.
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This page was created at 03:00 on Saturday 17 March 2012 (GMT)
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