Australia -- Queensland Weather Update

MELBOURNE - Feb 1/13 - 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.
A Fire Weather Warning has been issued for the North West and Channel Country
districts and parts of the Central West and Maranoa and Warrego districts for
Saturday.
For the latest warning information please check the Bureau's
web site www.bom.gov.au/qld
Weather Situation
A surface trough lies from the northwest of the state to the southeast
interior and will move eastwards, contracting off the southeast coast during
Saturday morning. An upper trough is also moving eastwards over southern
Queensland and should also contract offshore during Saturday morning. A high in
the Great Australian Bight extends a ridge over western Queensland and a ridge
will develop over southeast Queensland on Saturday in the wake of the
trough.
Forecast for the rest of Friday
A band of scattered showers and gusty thunderstorms extending from the
tropical coast, through the Central Highlands and into the Maranoa will move
eastwards trough the Darling Downs and Granite Belt district through the rest of
today. These showers and storms may enter the far west of the Capricornia, Wide
Bay and Burnett and Southeast Coast districts late this evening. Some of these
thunderstorms are expected to be severe. Isolated showers and thunderstorms
through the northern districts east of Normanton to Richmond. Fine and clear
elsewhere. Powerful surf conditions about the southern coast. Moderate SE to SW
winds to the west of the trough. 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
Patchy rain, showers and isolated thunderstorms will clear from eastern
districts during the early morning with only isolated showers persisting about
most of the east coast during the rest of the day. Isolated showers and
thunderstorms about Cape York Peninsula with possible thunderstorms about the
coast and adjacent inland north of St Lawrence.  Fine and mostly sunny over the
remainder of the state. Cooler across the southern and central interior with
moderate S to SW winds but remaining warm across the north of the state and
about much of the east coast. Moderate SW to NW winds elsewhere, with NE sea
breezes about much of the east coast, however a fresh to strong S to SE wind
change will move through far southern waters. Powerful surf conditions over
waters south of Sandy Cape.
Forecast for Sunday
The surface trough will continue northwards along the east coast with a fresh
S to SE wind change in its wake extending north into the southern tropics, with
strong winds persisting over far southern waters. Powerful surf conditions are
also expected to continue about the east coast of Fraser, Moreton and Stradbroke
Islands. Mostly fine conditions will occur along the coast south of about Mackay
with only isolated showers expected. Isolated showers and thunderstorms will
persist over the tropics. Fine and mostly sunny elsewhere in the dry southerly
flow. Maximum temperatures will generally be below the February average in the
south with the humid conditions easing. However, temperatures will continue to
be several degrees above average trough the tropics.
Forecast for Monday
Fine and sunny conditions are expected across most of the state under the
influence of a large high, moving eastwards across southeast Australia and into
the Tasman Sea during the day. A 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 S to SE winds are likely to persist about
southern coastal waters as a firm ridge extends over southern waters. Maximum
temperatures will remain generally below the February average in the south and
above average through the tropics.
Forecast for Tuesday
The strong high is expected to move slowly eastwards across the Tasman Sea
and will continue to extend a firm ridge along much of the east coast of
Queensland. The ridge is expected to maintain fresh to strong S to SE winds
about the east coast south of about Mackay. The onshore flow about the east
coast should feed isolated showers onto the east coast and adjacent inland with
scattered activity about the tropics. Isolated showers about Cape York Peninsula
and the Gulf Country. Fine and mostly sunny elsewhere. Remaining cooler than
average about the southeast of the state.
Outlook for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
The large high will remain slow moving near New Zealand through the outlook
period and is expected to weaken. The ridge along the east coast will therefore
also weaken with the S to SE winds slowly easing. The onshore flow will maintain
isolated showers about the east coast and adjacent inland through the outlook
period. Isolated showers and thunderstorms should persist through the tropics.
Fine and mostly sunny elsewhere.
The next routine forecast will be issued at 4:45 am EST
Saturday.
Notice Board
Northwest Queensland weather radar installation complete
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This page was created at 14:00 on Friday  1 February 2013 (GMT)
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