MELBOURNE - Jan 15/13 - 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. The Strong Wind Warning for waters from Yeppoon to Double Island Point, including Hervey Bay, has been cancelled. For the latest warning information please check the Bureau's web site www.bom.gov.au/qld Weather Situation A surface trough extends from the northwest of the state into the southern interior and will contract westwards into the far west of the state during Wednesday, freshening the monsoonal flow through the Gulf of Carpentaria. An upper level trough over the central interior will also contract into the northwest of the state during Wednesday. A high in the Tasman Sea will continue to extend a ridge along the southern Queensland coast. Forecast for the rest of Tuesday A band of showers and gusty thunderstorms from the northern interior through the central west and into the Maranoa and Warrego district with some moderate to heavy falls likely. Some thunderstorms are likely to be severe. Scattered showers, patchy rain and isolated storms from the southern central and Capricorn coasts through the central interior. Mostly fine over the far eastern tropics with only isolated showers and possible inland storms. Scattered showers and thunderstorms over the remaining tropics with rain areas developing in the evening. Mostly fine in the southeast with only isolated showers. Isolated showers and thunderstorms in the northwest and fine and mostly clear in the southwest. A Severe fire danger in the Channel Country and a Very High fire danger over remaining western districts. Moderate to fresh SE to NE winds about the east coast and eastern interior, tending NE to NW about the far north of the state. Moderate to fresh S to SE winds though the Channel Country. Forecast for Wednesday Cloudy conditions with rain areas and isolated thunderstorms through northern districts and parts of the central west, with possible moderate to heavy falls. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms through central districts and in the southwest of the state. 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. A Very High fire danger in the North West, Channel Country and Central West districts. Moderate to fresh SE to NE winds through most parts, tending NE to NW about the far north of the state. Moderate S to SE winds over the far west of the state early, tending NE'ly during the day. Forecast for Thursday The upper trough or low is expected to shift west into the Northern Territory and should merge with the now deep monsoon trough extending through the Northern Territory into the southern Gulf of Carpentaria. Rain areas and thunderstorms should continue through the Peninsula, Gulf Country and North West districts in the moist monsoonal flow wrapping into the trough. Scattered showers and isolated storms will occur through remaining parts of the tropics and central districts in a moist and unstable NE'ly wind flow. The unstable airmass extends into the southwest of the state though with less moisture so only isolated showers and thunderstorms are expected here. Conditions should remain mostly fine in the southeast under the influence of the ridge with only isolated showers expected north of the Sunshine Coast. Forecast for Friday The monsoon trough will extend from the Northern Territory through the southern Gulf of Carpentaria and into the Peninsula district. Monsoonal rain and thunderstorms will occur through the Peninsula district, Gulf of Carpentaria coast and Torres Strait to north of the monsoon trough. Scattered showers and thunderstorms should occur through remaining parts of the tropics and the northwest in a deep and unstable NE'ly wind flow to the south of the monsoon trough. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms about the central coast should decrease late in the day as a drier wind flow moves into the area. Isolated showers and thunderstorms are expected in the southwest and central west due to an unstable airmass ahead of a trough approaching the southwestern border. Temperatures will increase through southern districts due to a N'ly wind flow ahead of this trough, particularly about the southeast. Forecast for Saturday The monsoon trough will continue to lie through the southern Gulf of Carpentaria and into southern parts of the Peninsula district. Monsoonal rain and thunderstorms will therefore persist about the Gulf of Carpentaria coast, Peninsula district and through Torres Strait. Remaining parts of the tropics should expect isolated showers and thunderstorms which may also extend to the central coast. Most of the remaining central districts should remain fine and mostly sunny. The surface trough is likely to move east across far southern parts of the state with isolated showers and thunderstorms developing across the southern and southeast interior, mainly near the southern border. Maximum temperatures will be well above the January average across the southern interior and the southeast of the state in the N'ly flow ahead of the trough. Outlook for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday The deep monsoonal flow should continue to strengthen and extend eastwards across the far north of the state and northern Coral Sea during the outlook period. Rain areas and thunderstorms should therefore persist through much of northern Queensland, particularly through areas north of about Cairns. Central districts should see only isolated showers and thunderstorms, however scattered showers and thunderstorms may develop over the southern and southeast interior as a weak upper trough persists in the area. Temperatures should return close to average over southeast districts as winds turn more E to SE'ly. The next routine forecast will be issued at 4:45 am EST Wednesday. 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