MELBOURNE - Jan 31/13 - 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 various rivers east of a line from about Rockhampton to St George. A Fire Weather Warning is current for the North West and Channel Country districts and parts of the Gulf Country, Northern Goldfields and Upper Flinders, Central West and Maranoa and Warrego districts for Friday. For the latest warning information please check the Bureau's web site www.bom.gov.au/qld Weather Situation A broad trough lies over western parts of the state and will move east to extend from the Gulf Country south to about Cunnamulla on Friday. The trough should deepen in response to an upper trough moving east over the state. A high over southern Australia extends a ridge into western Queensland. Powerful surf is expected to affect the southern Queensland coast into the weekend. Forecast for the rest of Thursday Partly cloudy about the southeast with isolated showers, mostly inland. Scattered showers and thunderstorms over remaining eastern districts and through the central west. Fine and clear through areas west of Quilpie. Mostly light to moderate SW to NW winds west of the trough and over the far northern tropics, tending NE to SE elsewhere east of the trough. Powerful surf about the coast and islands from Fraser Island to the New South Wales border. Very High fire danger over areas west of Winton. Forecast for Friday A band of showers and gusty storms is expected to extend from the tropical coast between Townsville and Mackay across the highlands and through the interior south to the Maranoa and Darling Downs and Granite Belt districts, becoming more widespread during the afternoon and evening hours. Some of these thunderstorms are likely to be severe. 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 through the northern districts east of Normanton to Richmond. Fine and sunny elsewhere with a cooler day in the far southwest. Moderate SE to SW winds to the west of the trough, fresh and gusty at times during the morning. Light to moderate W to NW winds over the far northern tropics, tending NE to NW over the remaining areas. Very High to Severe fire dangers over areas west of about Quilpie. Forecast for Saturday The upper level trough is expected to contract off the southern coast during the day. The surface trough should extend across inland parts of eastern districts and will also most likely shift eastwards and contract off the far southern coast during the day. Isolated showers and thunderstorms will occur about southeast and southern central districts before the trough passage, with fine conditions and a strong S to SE flow developing over far southern waters 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, with a fresh to strong S'ly wind change in its wake extending north through southern Queensland waters and generating a 2 to 3 metre S'ly swell. Mostly fine conditions will occur along the coast south of Rockhampton 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. Forecast for Monday Fine, sunny and dry conditions are expected across most of the state under the influence of a large high moving east from the Bight into the Tasman Sea. The moist onshore flow will generate isolated showers along the east coast and adjacent inland south of Bowen, with isolated showers and thunderstorms over the tropics north of a line from Bowen to Normanton. Fresh to strong winds will persist over southern coastal waters with powerful surf expected to continue. Maximum temperatures will remain generally below the February average in the south and above average in the north. Outlook for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 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 Friday. 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