Australia -- Queensland Weather Update

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
A Strong Wind Warning has been issued for waters south of
Double Island Point, including Moreton Bay, for Saturday.
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 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 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. Some morning drizzle areas about the
southeast coast otherwise 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 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 4:10 pm EST
Friday.
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This page was created at 01:45 on Friday  1 February 2013 (GMT)
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