Australia -- Queensland Weather Update

MELBOURNE - Jan 6/13 - 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 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 firm ridge along the east coast of
Queensland. A surface trough will remain slow moving over central Australia. A
prolonged hot spell is occurring through western Queensland due to NE'ly winds
ahead of this trough. The hot conditions are expected to spread to eastern
districts from mid week, particularly the southeast. A monsoon trough is
developing through the Gulf of Papua and northwestern Coral Sea. A weak low may
form on the trough during the forecast period though is not expected to deepen
significantly.
Forecast for the rest of Monday
Scattered showers about the northeast tropical coast. Isolated, mostly light
showers over remaining eastern districts, scattered about the coast early
morning. Isolated showers and thunderstorms over the Peninsula and Gulf Country
districts, increasing to scattered through Torres Strait with rain areas
developing. Mostly fine through western Queensland with just the chance of
isolated gusty showers and thunderstorms though with little or no rain. A hot
day through western Queensland and the Peninsula and Gulf Country districts.
Moderate to fresh SE to NE winds across the state, gusty at times through the
interior and along the east coast north of Fraser Island. Very High to Severe
fire dangers in the North West, Channel Country and Central West districts and
parts of the Northern Goldfields and Upper Flinders and Maranoa and Warrego
districts. Very High fire dangers in the Peninsula, Herbert and Lower Burdekin,
Capricornia and Darling Downs and Granite Belt districts.
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 mostly fine through the interior with just the chance of isolated
showers and storms in the far west though with little or no rain expected.
Forecast for Wednesday
The ridge along the east coast will continue to weaken whilst a trough is
likely to move northeastwards from New South Wales across southern parts of
Queensland. This trough may trigger a band of isolated showers and gusty
thunderstorms from the northwest of the state into the central and southeast
inland though with little or no rainfall expected. 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. Mostly fine
conditions will occur about the North Tropical Coast with only isolated showers
expected in the weakening onshore wind flow. Fine conditions will occur over
remaining eastern districts. Maximum temperatures will be well above the January
average across much of the state, particularly through western and southern
districts.
Forecast for Thursday
The surface trough should lie from the northern Channel Country to the
western Darling Downs with a weak upper trough lying in a similar position. A
weak southerly change may also move north through far southern coastal waters.
The combination of the surface trough and weak instability may trigger isolated
showers and thunderstorms from the northern interior through the central and
southeast inland though again with little or no rainfall expected. Isolated
showers and thunderstorms will continue about Cape York Peninsula and the Gulf
of Carpentaria coast. Fine conditions are expected over the remainder of the
state. Maximum temperatures will remain well above the January average across
most of the state.
Outlook for Friday, Saturday and Sunday
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 during the outlook period [through southern and western
districts in particular]. The monsoon trough and an associated weak low will
persist through the northwestern Coral Sea. Scattered showers and isolated
thunderstorms will continue through the Peninsula district. Mostly fine
conditions are expected through remaining parts of the state, with just the
chance of isolated showers and thunderstorms in a band from the northwest of the
state to the southeastern interior though with little rainfall expected.
The next routine forecast will be issued at 4:10 pm EST
Monday.
Notice Board
Northwest Queensland weather radar installation complete
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This page was created at 01:30 on Monday  7 January 2013 (GMT)
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