Australia -- Queensland Weather Update

MELBOURNE - Nov 30/12 - SNS -- The current forecast for the state of Queensland was released by Australia's Bureau of Meteorology.

Warning Summary at issue time
A Fire Weather Warning is current for the Channel Country,
and parts of the Maranoa and Warrego, Central West and North West districts.
For the latest warning information please check the Bureau's
web site www.bom.gov.au/qld
Weather Situation
A high [1021 hPa] extends a ridge along the Queensland east coast and
combined with a slow moving trough over central Australia and New South Wales
extends very hot northerly winds over western Queensland. The hot airmass will
extend further through central and southeast districts during the weekend as the
trough enters southwestern parts of the state and moves slowly east. An upper
level trough is expected to shift north over the tropics during the weekend,
while another upper level trough is expected to move east near the southern
Queensland border.
Forecast for the rest of Saturday
Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms over the tropics north of about
Cooktown and also near the Gulf of Carpentaria coast. Isolated showers over the
remaining east tropical coast north of about Townsville, scattered during the
morning. Cloud increasing over the far southwest with isolated late showers and
gusty thunderstorms but with little rainfall expected. Fine and mostly sunny
elsewhere. A hot to very hot day in western and southern districts, particularly
over the interior. Light to moderate SE to NE winds over the tropics and central
districts, fresh at times along the east coast. Moderate NW to NE winds over the
remainder, fresh and gusty at times through western districts and along the
coast. An Extreme fire danger in the Channel Country district. A Very High to
Severe fire danger over remaining western districts. A Very High fire danger
over remaining parts of the interior, the Capricornia and Wide Bay and Burnett
districts.
Forecast for Sunday
The trough will move slowly eastwards through western Queensland and the
southern interior. The trough will trigger isolated showers and gusty
thunderstorms through the interior west and south of Charleville, spreading
eastwards into southeast inland parts during the day, particularly about the
ranges. The southeast coast should remain mostly fine apart from the chance of
isolated showers or storms south of about Brisbane in the evening. Isolated
showers and thunderstorms are expected over far northern Cape York Peninsula and
Torres Strait and also through the western Gulf Country. Isolated showers will
clear the east tropical coast during the morning as the ridge along the east
coast weakens further. Fine and mostly sunny conditions are expected elsewhere.
Hot to very hot temperatures will persist across western and southern Queensland
with an enhanced fire danger.
Forecast for Monday
The ridge along the east coast will weaken further while the trough will most
likely extend from the northwest of the state into the southeastern interior.
The trough is expected to generate isolated showers and gusty thunderstorms over
southeast districts and the southern central interior, increasing to scattered
over the far southeast of the state during the afternoon due to the passage of
an upper trough and a more humid airmass. A slightly cooler, dry SW'ly wind flow
will extend into far southwestern Queensland. Patchy cloud will extend through
remaining western districts with the chance of isolated showers or storms though
with little or no rain. The tropics will remain mostly fine with only isolated
showers and possible storms through Torres Strait and near the southern Gulf of
Carpentaria coast. Hot to very hot temperatures will occur through central
interior and southeast districts. An enhanced fire danger in western districts
and the southeast interior.
Forecast for Tuesday
The trough will most likely contract off the far southern Queensland coast
during the day, with a dry W'ly wind flow gradually extending through to the
coast Brisbane and south. The isolated shower and thunderstorm area should
therefore focus through the Sunshine Coast, Wide Bay and Burnett and Capricornia
districts. Isolated showers and thunderstorms are again likely about the
southern Gulf of Carpentaria coast, with isolated showers also expected through
Torres Strait. Some patchy cloud will persist in the west though with little or
no rain expected. Fine and mostly sunny conditions will occur elsewhere. Very
hot temperatures will occur over much of the state, particularly through
southeast and central districts with an enhanced fire danger.
Outlook for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
The surface trough will most likely contract east off the Fraser coast into
the southern Coral Sea during Wednesday but slope back into the tropics.
Isolated showers and thunderstorms should therefore contract north into the
tropics and central coast during Wednesday, with fine and mostly sunny
conditions expected to the south. A high will move east over southeastern
Australia  and into the Tasman Sea during Thursday, extending a ridge along the
east Queensland coast and contracting the trough in the tropics further west
into the northern interior. This trough will continue to retreat west into
western Queensland by Friday, with isolated showers and thunderstorms occurring
through northern and central districts to its east. Temperatures will decrease
through southeastern and southern central districts during the outlook period as
winds tend cooler SE to NE'ly.
The next routine forecast will be issued at 4:10 pm EST
Saturday.
Notice Board
Northwest Queensland weather radar installation complete
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This page was created at 19:15 on Friday 30 November 2012 (GMT)
© Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2012, Bureau of Meteorology (ABN 92 637 533 532) | Disclaimer | Privacy | Accessibility
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