Australia -- Queensland Weather Update

MELBOURNE - Jan 30/13 - SNS -- The current forecast for the state of Queensland was released by Australia's Bureau of Meteorology.

Warning Summary at issue time
Flood Warnings are current for rivers east of a line about
Rockhampton to Goondiwindi.
A Fire Weather Warning has been issued for the North West district and parts of
the Channel Country, Gulf Country and Northern Goldfields and Upper Flinders and
Central West districts for Thursday.
For the latest warning information please check the Bureau's
web site www.bom.gov.au/qld
Weather Situation
A trough lies near the southern coast of Queensland and is expected to move
west into inland parts of the Southeast Coast district during tonight and early
Thursday. A second trough extends through the central interior of the state. A
high over southern Australia extends a ridge into western Queensland. Powerful
surf generated by a low to the  south of Fiji is expected to affect the southern
Queensland coast over the next couple of days.
Forecast for the rest of Wednesday
Isolated showers and thunderstorms over the tropics, mostly north of
Cooktown. Isolated showers and thunderstorms extending from the central coast
through the central interior and into the Carnarvon ranges. Isolated showers and
thunderstorms also over southeast districts on and east of the Great Dividing
Range, with showers increasing to scattered on the Sunshine Coast. Some moderate
falls are likely. Fine and clear over the remainder of the state. Moderate to
fresh S to SW winds west of Longreach. Moderate to fresh W to NW winds over the
far northern tropics. Light to moderate SE to NE winds elsewhere, fresh at times
along the southern coast. A Very High fire danger over western districts and the
Gulf Country district. Powerful surf about the coast and islands from Fraser
Island to the New South Wales border.
Forecast for Thursday
Cloudy at first with scattered showers and possible isolated thunderstorms
about the southern coast, decreasing to isolated showers during the afternoon.
Some moderate falls are likely during the morning, possibly locally heavy with
storms. Isolated showers and thunderstorms over remaining eastern districts and
through the central west, increasing to scattered inland during the afternoon.
Fine, sunny and hot through areas west of Winton with moderate to fresh S to SW
winds. Moderate W'ly winds over the far northern tropics, gusty at times in the
lee of the ranges during the early morning. Light to moderate SE to NE winds
elsewhere. Powerful surf about the coast and islands from Fraser Island to the
New South Wales border. A Very High to Severe fire danger over the North West
district and parts of the Gulf Country, Northern Goldfields and Upper Flinders,
Central West and Channel Country districts.
Forecast for Friday
The surface trough will extend from the Gulf Country to about St George and
should deepen in response to an upper trough moving east over the state. Moist
and unstable conditions near and to the east of the surface trough will result
in a band of showers and gusty storms extending from the central interior
through the Maranoa and Darling Downs and Granite Belt district, more widespread
during the afternoon and evening hours. Mostly fine conditions are expected
through the Capricornia and remaining southeast with only isolated showers and
possible afternoon and evening storms, mostly over inland parts as the trough
approaches from the west. Isolated showers and thunderstorms will occur through
the Central Coast and tropics. Fine and sunny conditions are expected over
remaining western districts in a dry S'ly airstream in the wake of the trough,
with cooler maximum temperatures expected in the far southwest. Elevated fire
dangers are likely to persist in the west.
Forecast for Saturday
The upper level trough is expected to contract off the southern coast during
the morning. The surface trough will also most likely shift eastwards and
contract off the southern coast late morning or early afternoon, with a dry
SW'ly wind flow developing in its wake. Isolated showers or patchy rain will
occur about southeast and southern central districts before the trough passage,
with fine and sunny conditions developing in its wake. Isolated showers and
thunderstorms should persist over the eastern and northern tropics. Fine, dry
and sunny conditions will occur elsewhere with elevated fire dangers continuing
in a gusty wind flow. Maximum temperatures will be up to 8 degrees below the
February average through the southwest of the state, with generally warm
conditions persisting elsewhere.
Forecast for Sunday
The surface trough will continue to contract north through the Coral Sea,
while a second trough will shift east off the New South Wales coast, extending a
fresh to possibly strong S'ly wind change through southern Queensland waters and
generating a 2 to 3 metre S'ly swell. Mostly fine conditions will occur along
the coast south of Mackay with only isolated showers expected. Isolated showers
and thunderstorms will persist over the tropics while fine and dry conditions
will occur through the interior. Maximum temperatures will generally be below
the February average in the south and above average in the north.
Outlook for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday
A large high will move east over the Tasman Sea during the outlook period,
extending a firm ridge along the east Queensland coast. An inland trough will
most likely develop over western districts on Tuesday and shift further west on
Wednesday. This inland trough may trigger isolated showers and thunderstorms.
Isolated showers will occur about the east coast in the onshore wind flow.
Isolated storms will persist about the northern tropics. Fine and mostly sunny
conditions are expected elsewhere.
The next routine forecast will be issued at 4:45 am EST
Thursday.
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This page was created at 13:00 on Wednesday 30 January 2013 (GMT)
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