Australia -- Queensland Weather Update

MELBOURNE - Mar 19/12 - 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 the Northern
Goldfields and Upper Flinders, North Tropical Coast and Tablelands, Herbert and
Lower Burdekin, Central Coast and Whitsundays and parts of the Gulf Country,
Peninsula and Northwest districts.
A Strong Wind Warning is current for southeast Gulf of Carpentaria waters.
A Strong Wind Warning is current for coastal waters between Bowen and Point
Danger, excluding Moreton and 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 deep tropical low is situated over land over the Gulf Country, and extends
an active monsoon trough across to the North Tropical Coast and Tablelands
region. The low and trough is expected to move slowly southwards during the next
few days. A high in the Tasman Sea extends a firm ridge along the southern and
central coast of Queensland.
Forecast for the rest of Monday
Rain areas, showers and thunderstorms will continue about the tropics and
central coast with moderate to heavy falls. Showers and areas of patchy rain
over the northwest and central districts. Isolated showers about the southeast
coast and over the nearby inland areas.  The southern interior and southwest
should be fine. Fresh to strong S to SE winds about the southern and central
coasts.  Fresh to strong NW to NE winds over the northern tropics. Moderate to
fresh E to SE winds elsewhere.
Forecast for Tuesday
The high should lie over New Zealand maintaining a ridge along Queensland's
east coast. The associated onshore wind flow will maintain showers about the
southeast coast and nearby inland areas, and also over parts of the central
interior.  The tropical low is likely to be over the northwest of the state, and
should extend the monsoon trough across to the Townsville area. Rain areas,
showers and isolated thunderstorms with moderate to heavy falls are likely to
remain over the northern districts and the central coast region, and to also
extend southwards into parts of the Northwest and Central West districts.
Squally showers and gusty conditions are also expected about the state's
northwest near the low.  The southwest and southern interior should be fine.
Forecast for Wednesday
The tropical low and monsoon trough is expected to drift further southwards
into the central regions of the state, causing the moderate to heavy rain areas
to gradually contract from the northern interior and Herbert and Lower Burdekin
regions into the central interior and the Capricornia district.  Squally showers
are also possible near the low centre as it passes over the northwest and
central west districts.  Scattered showers, patchy rain and isolated storms over
the far north of the state.  The high near New Zealand should weaken, but it
will nevertheless extend a continuing onshore flow and mainly isolated showers
over Queensland's southeast. The southwest and southern interior should remain
fine.
Forecast for Thursday
An upper level trough is likely to push the tropical low to the southeast
through central Queensland, maintaining moderate to heavy rain areas and
isolated thunderstorms over the central interior, and extending moderate to
heavy falls into the Capricornia, the Wide Bay and possibly into the southern
interior.  Scattered showers, patchy rain areas and isolated thunderstorms
should continue in the monsoon flow over the northern tropics.  An onshore flow
should maintain scattered showers about the southeast, spreading to rain areas
during the day. Fine conditions persisting in the southwest.
Forecast for Friday
The forecast uncertainty is higher than usual for the longer term forecasts
in this situation, however the present information suggests that the low should
dissipate into a low level trough during Friday.  The low level trough may work
with an upper level trough to extend rain areas over the southeast districts.
Scattered showers and isolated storms over the remaining eastern districts, and
fine and dry in the west.
Outlook for Saturday, Sunday and Monday
The forecast for the outlook period remains uncertain but the present
information indicates the rain over the southeast should have contracted
offshore by Saturday, leaving just some isolated showers about the southeast
coast.  Isolated showers about the remaining east coast, and scattered showers
and isolated storms over the Peninsula and northeast districts.  A new high in
the Great Australian Bight will extend dry S to SE winds over most of the state,
leading to fine conditions.
The next routine forecast will be issued at 4:45 am EST
Tuesday.
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This page was created at 16:15 on Monday 19 March 2012 (GMT)
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