MELBOURNE - Jan 4/13 - 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 North West, Channel Country and Central West districts, and parts of the Northern Goldfields and Upper Flinders, Maranoa and Warrego and Gulf Country districts. For the latest warning information please check the Bureau's web site www.bom.gov.au/qld Weather Situation A high in the Tasman Sea extends a ridge along the Queensland east coast. A weak surface trough lies over the far southwest of the state while another trough is moving slowly east over central Australia. A prolonged hot spell is occurring through western Queensland due to N'ly winds ahead of this trough. Ex-Tropical Cyclone Freda lies well to the southeast of New Caledonia and is expected to continue moving towards the south. Forecast for the rest of Saturday Isolated showers along the east coast and adjacent inland, increasing to scattered at times along the central and northeast tropical coasts. Isolated showers and thunderstorms over the northern Peninsula and in the far northwest of the state. Possible isolated afternoon and evening gusty showers and thunderstorms in the southwest though with little or no rain. A hot day in western districts, the Gulf Country and tropical interior with moderate to fresh and gusty E to NE winds and Very High to Severe fire dangers. A Very High fire danger also over the Peninsula and through the Central Highlands and Coalfields, Capricornia and Herbert and Lower Burdekin districts. Moderate to fresh SE winds along the east coast, gusty at times north of Gladstone. Moderate SE to NE winds elsewhere. Forecast for Sunday A new high will move east over southeastern Australia, reinforcing the firm ridge along the east Queensland coast. Isolated showers will continue about eastern districts in the onshore wind flow, increasing to scattered along the northeast tropical coast. Showers are also likely to become more scattered near the southeast coast and extend further inland to the Great Dividing Range due to the passage of an upper level trough. Isolated showers and thunderstorms will continue over the northern Peninsula and western Gulf Country. Isolated gusty showers and possible thunderstorms are expected through the southwest of the state though with little or no rain. Temperatures will remain well above the January average through western districts of Queensland and the western tropics. Forecast for Monday The high will weaken as it moves east into the Tasman Sea, slightly relaxing the ridge along the east coast. Showers will remain scattered along the northeast tropical coast but should decrease to isolated along the remaining east coast during the morning. Isolated light showers will extend into the eastern interior. A monsoon trough is expected to deepen through the Gulf of Papua and northwestern Coral Sea, with rain areas developing through Torres Strait. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms will occur through the remaining Peninsula district and near the Gulf of Carpentaria coast. Mostly fine conditions will occur through western Queensland with just the chance of isolated gusty showers and thunderstorms in the northwest though with little or no rain. Temperatures will remain well above the January average through western districts of Queensland and the western tropics. Forecast for Tuesday A trough will approach the southwestern border of the state and become slow moving. Warm to hot N'ly winds will continue to affect western Queensland and extend into the southeastern interior. The monsoon trough will most likely continue to deepen through the Gulf of Papua and the northwestern Coral Sea with rain areas and storms persisting through Torres Strait and scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms through the remaining Peninsula district. A weak ridge will persist along the east Queensland coast, with isolated showers moving onto the coast and adjacent inland in the onshore wind flow north of about Fraser Island, remaining more scattered about the northeast tropical coast. Conditions should remain fine through the interior apart from the chance of isolated showers and storms in the far northwest. Outlook for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday A trough will most likely remain slow moving near the southern Queensland border during the outlook period. Hot conditions will spread through much of the state, with maximum temperatures rising to be 5 to 10 degrees above the January average through southern and western districts in particular during the outlook period. The monsoon trough will persist through the northwestern Coral Sea where a weak low may form. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms will continue through the Peninsula district, increasing to rain at times through Torres Strait. Mostly fine conditions are expected through remaining parts of the state, with just the chance of isolated showers and thunderstorms near the southern border and through the far northwest though with little or no rain. The next routine forecast will be issued at 4:10 pm EST Saturday. 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