MELBOURNE - Feb 9/13 - 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 is current for southern and western parts of the Channel Country district. 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. 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 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 a line from Richmond to 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 Bundaberg. Fine and sunny over the Channel Country district, while conditions should be mostly fine over remaining western districts with only some isolated afternoon or evening showers. Warmer than average maximum temperatures continuing over western districts. 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 St Lawrence 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 through the central interior and over the remainder of the southeast and central coast 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 Cooktown 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 southwest of about Winton to St George. 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 4:10 pm EST Saturday. 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