Australia -- Queensland Weather Update

MELBOURNE - Jan 12/13 - 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 Channel Country
district and western parts of the Maranoa and Warrego district.
For the latest warning information please check the Bureau's
web site www.bom.gov.au/qld
Weather Situation
A high near New Zealand extends a weak ridge along the east Queensland coast.
A surface trough lies over the far southwest of the state and will contract
further southwest out of the state on Sunday. A moist and unstable airmass
currently extends through much of the state but should focus more through far
southern and western parts on Sunday. A cooler S'ly change and some cloud cover
should provide some relief from the extreme heat currently occurring through
much of the state from Monday.
Forecast for the rest of Saturday
Isolated to scattered showers and gusty thunderstorms through much of the
interior of the state, particularly through the northwest, central highlands and
the Granite Belt. Isolated showers along the northeast tropical coast, with
isolated thunderstorms over inland parts and through the far northern Peninsula.
A warm evening over southern and western districts. Light to moderate NE to NW
winds, fresh at times over the interior and along the southern coast. A Very
High fire danger over southern and central inland districts and the Capricornia
district.
Forecast for Sunday
Isolated showers and gusty thunderstorms over the southwest and near the
southeast inland border, mostly during the afternoon. Isolated showers and gusty
thunderstorms in the northwest, increasing to scattered during the afternoon.
Isolated showers and thunderstorms over northern parts of the Peninsula
district. Isolated showers contracting north along the northeast tropical coast
during the morning. Fine and mostly sunny over remaining parts of the state. A
hot to very hot day over much of the state, particularly through western and
southern districts. Light to moderate SE to NE winds over the northern tropics.
Moderate to fresh NW to NE winds elsewhere, gusty at times along the southern
coast and through the interior. A Severe fire danger over the Channel Country
and western parts of the Maranoa and Warrego district. A Very High fire danger
over remaining parts of the interior, southeast districts and the Capricornia.
Forecast for Monday
The surface trough is expected to move northeast through far southern
Queensland, with a cooler S'ly wind change developing in its wake. Temperatures
should also be moderated by an increase in cloud cover through far southern
districts associated with the passage of an upper level trough. This cloud cover
should bring patchy light rain and possible isolated thunderstorms through the
southern interior, and scattered showers and possible thunder in the far
southeast. Isolated showers and thunderstorms should develop through southern
central districts and the northwest during the late afternoon and evening as the
upper trough and S'ly change progresses north. Isolated showers and
thunderstorms will persist through the Peninsula and Gulf Country.
Forecast for Tuesday
A high will move east into the Tasman Sea, extending a ridge along the
southern Queensland coast. The S'ly wind change should move north through
Capricornia waters, while the upper trough will extend from the central coast to
the southwest of the state. This upper trough will combine with a deepening
inland surface trough to generate scattered showers, patchy rain and isolated
storms from the Capricornia through the central interior and into the southwest.
Scattered showers and thunderstorms will occur through the northern interior and
also should increase to rain areas during the evening as the upper trough shifts
northwest through the state. Isolated showers and thunderstorms will persist
through the far northwest and the northern Peninsula, and should also develop
along the northeast tropical coast. A much cooler day will occur through central
districts and the southern interior due to the cloud cover. Temperatures should
remain well above the January average through the northwest of the state.
Forecast for Wednesday
The upper trough is expected to shift into northwestern Queensland. The
monsoonal NW'ly wind flow through the Gulf of Carpentaria will freshen as the
inland surface trough through western Queensland deepens further. This moist
wind flow should combine with the upper trough to generate cloudy conditions,
rain areas and isolated thunderstorms through northern districts and parts of
the central west. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms should occur
through central districts and into the southwest of the state in a moist E to NE
wind flow to the east of the surface trough. The ridge should maintain mostly
fine conditions through the southeast with only isolated showers expected,
mostly near the coast. Maximum temperatures should become near or below the
January average through much of the state, particularly under the thicker cloud
through northern and central parts.
Outlook for Thursday, Friday and Saturday
The upper trough or low in the northwest of the state should continue
shifting slowly west during the outlook period towards the Northern Territory.
The monsoon trough should extend through the southern Gulf of Carpentaria, with
the moist NE wind flow to its south combining with the upper low to generate
rain areas and isolated thunderstorms over northern districts during the outlook
period. By comparison southern and central districts should be mostly fine apart
from isolated showers and thunderstorms, particularly near the southern border
during Friday and Saturday due to the passage of a new surface trough.
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 16:15 on Saturday 12 January 2013 (GMT)
© Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2013, Bureau of Meteorology (ABN 92 637 533 532) | Disclaimer | Privacy | Accessibility
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