Australia -- Queensland Weather Update

MELBOURNE - Jan 5/13 - 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.
A Fire Weather Warning has been issued for Sunday for the North West, Channel
Country and Central West districts and parts of the Northern Goldfields and
Upper Flinders and Maranoa and Warrego 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
which will be reinforced by new high that will move over southeast Australia
during Sunday. A surface trough will remain slow moving over central Australia.
A prolonged hot spell is occurring through western Queensland due to N'ly winds
ahead of this trough. A weak upper trough will move through southeast Queensland
on Sunday.
Forecast for the rest of Saturday
Isolated showers along the east coast and adjacent inland, scattered along
the central and northeast tropical coasts. Isolated showers and thunderstorms
over the northern Peninsula and in the far northwest of the state. Isolated
gusty showers and thunderstorms in the southwest though with little or no rain.
Moderate to fresh and gusty SE to NE winds over western districts and the
Central West with Very High to Severe fire dangers. Moderate to fresh SE winds
along the east coast, gusty at times north of Gladstone. Moderate SE to NE winds
elsewhere.
Forecast for Sunday
Isolated showers about eastern districts, scattered along the northeast
tropical coast. Showers are also likely to become more scattered near the
southeast coast and extend inland to the Great Dividing Range. Isolated showers
and thunderstorms over the northern Peninsula and western Gulf Country. Isolated
gusty showers and possible thunderstorms 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.
Moderate to fresh SE winds along the east coast. Moderate SE to NE winds
elsewhere, fresh at times over the interior. Severe to Extreme fire dangers in
the Channel Country. Very High to Severe Fire dangers in the North West,
Northern Goldfields and Upper Flinders, Central West and Maranoa and Warrego
districts. A Very High fire danger in the Herbert and Lower Burdekin, Central
Highlands and Coalfields, Capricornia and Darling Downs and Granite Belt
districts.
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.
Forecast for Wednesday
The ridge along the east coast will continue to weaken whilst a trough is
likely to move northwards into the far south of the state. This trough may
trigger isolated showers and thunderstorms about the southeast interior,
particularly over the ranges. The monsoon trough should persist through the Gulf
of Papua and northwestern Coral Sea with rain areas and storms through Torres
Strait. Isolated showers and thunderstorms are expected elsewhere in the
Peninsula district and about the Gulf Country. Isolated showers about the North
Tropical Coast in the weak onshore flow. Fine elsewhere and very warm to hot
across most of the state due to the hot airmass persisting over the state.
Outlook for Thursday, Friday and Saturday
A trough will most likely remain slow moving near the southern Queensland
border during the outlook period. Hot conditions will persist through much of
the state, with maximum temperatures expected 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 4:45 am EST
Sunday.
Notice Board
Northwest Queensland weather radar installation complete
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This page was created at 12:45 on Saturday  5 January 2013 (GMT)
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STAT News Service