Australia -- Queensland Weather Update

MELBOURNE - Feb 8/13 - 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 the Condamine and Balonne
Rivers, the Lower Weir River and the Moonie River.
A Fire Weather Warning has been issued for southern and western parts of the
Channel Country district for Saturday.
For the latest warning information please check the Bureau's
web site www.bom.gov.au/qld
Weather Situation
A high over the Tasman Sea extends a firm ridge along the east coast of
Queensland. The high will weaken during the weekend, gradually relaxing the
ridge. A slow moving surface trough lies near the southwestern Queensland
border. A trough over the northern Coral Sea is expected to move slowly west
today and onto the east tropical Queensland coast during the weekend. This will
enhance shower and storm activity along the east tropical coast and ranges
between Cairns and Townsville and may combine with spring tides to cause some
localised inundation of low lying areas.
Forecast for the rest of Friday
Cloudy with scattered showers along the east tropical and central coast and
ranges with some moderate falls and possible isolated thunderstorms between
Cairns and Townsville. Isolated showers over the remaining east coast and inland
to the ranges, increasing to scattered over Fraser Island. Isolated showers and
thunderstorms northwest of about Cooktown to Bedourie. Fine and partly cloudy
elsewhere. Moderate to fresh SE winds along the east coast and through the
southern Channel Country, tending light to moderate SE to NE elsewhere. A Very
High Fire Danger over southern parts of the Channel Country district.
Forecast for Saturday
Cloudy with showers increasing to rain at times and possible isolated
thunderstorms over the east tropical coast and ranges. Moderate falls are
likely, locally heavy near the coast between Cairns and Townsville. Scattered
showers and possible isolated thunderstorms over the remaining east coast north
of the Sunshine Coast, extending through the eastern interior during the
afternoon. Scattered showers over the southeast near and south of the Sunshine
Coast, decreasing to isolated from the east during the afternoon. Isolated
showers and thunderstorms extending into the central interior during the late
afternoon or evening. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms through the
Peninsula and near the Gulf of Carpentaria coast. Fine and mostly sunny over the
remainder of the state. A warm day through the Channel Country district with
Severe fire dangers south of about Windorah and west of Thargomindah. Very High
fire dangers over the Central West and North West districts. Light to moderate E
to SE winds, fresh at times along the east coast south of Cairns and through the
southern Channel Country.
Forecast for Sunday
The trough from the Coral Sea will continue to move west over the tropics,
generating scattered showers and  thunderstorms north of the Flinders Highway,
with moderate to locally heavy falls along the coast and ranges between Cairns
and Townsville. Moist and unstable conditions associated with a weak middle
level trough will generate scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms over the
central coast and adjacent ranges, with more isolated shower and thunderstorm
activity extending through the central and southern interior east of about
Charleville. The high should weaken as it slips east of New Zealand, relaxing
the ridge and decreasing the onshore wind flow along the southern Queensland
coast. This will result in fine and mostly sunny conditions over the southeast
apart from the chance of isolated light morning showers north of the Sunshine
Coast. Conditions will remain fine and sunny over the west, with warmer than
average maximum temperatures continuing.
Forecast for Monday
The trough from the Coral Sea will continue to move west over the tropics,
generating scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms north of the Flinders
Highway, with moderate falls possible along the coast and ranges between Cairns
and Ingham. A new high in the Great Australian Bight is expected strengthen and
move slowly eastwards, reinforcing the ridge along the east coast and generating
isolated showers north of the Sunshine Coast in the moist onshore flow. An upper
level trough is expected to generate isolated showers and thunderstorms about
the southern inland border. Conditions will remain fine and mostly sunny over
the remainder of the southeast and through the central interior under the
influence of the ridge. A weak surface trough combined with an increasingly
moist airmass may generate isolated showers and thunderstorms through western
Queensland though will little rainfall expected. Maximum temperatures will
remain above the February average through the southwest.
Forecast for Tuesday
The high will shift further east through the Great Australian Bight,
extending the firm ridge further north along the east Queensland coast and
contracting the moist and unstable airmass and associated scattered shower and
storm activity to areas north of about Cairns to Mount Isa. Isolated to
scattered showers will occur along the remaining east tropical and central
coasts. The upper level trough will increase instability further through far
southeastern Queensland, with isolated showers and possible thunderstorms,
particularly near the southern border. The weak surface trough through western
Queensland should also trigger isolated showers and thunderstorms west of about
Longreach. Fine and mostly sunny conditions are expected elsewhere.
Outlook for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
The high in the Great Australian Bight should continue to move slowly
eastwards into the Tasman Sea during the outlook period, while a surface trough
should remain near stationary across the far southwest of the state. This
surface trough should trigger isolated showers and thunderstorms through western
Queensland and the southern interior and this activity could be further enhanced
by a new upper level trough entering far southern Queensland on Friday. A moist
and marginally unstable airmass will persist over the southeast during the
outlook period with isolated showers expected and the chance of isolated
thunderstorms, particularly about the ranges. Isolated showers will occur over
the remaining east coast, tending to scattered with possible isolated
thunderstorms north of about Ingham and also extending through the Peninsula
district.
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 17:30 on Friday  8 February 2013 (GMT)
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