Weather Situation

An upper level trough lies over southern Queensland, with an upper low developing near the Northern Territory border. A second upper low may develop over southeast Queensland on Friday. A ridge on the southern Queensland coast will strengthen as a high develops into the Tasman Sea over the next three to four days. A surface trough lies over inland Queensland from the northwest through the central highlands to the northern Darling Downs.

Forecast for the rest of Thursday

Showers and thunderstorms over the tropics and adjacent southern districts. Fine over other inland parts apart from isolated showers about the southeast. Thick cloud and rain areas about the southeast corner, gradually easing from the south during the day. Winds mostly light to moderate SE to NE, becoming fresh at times along the southern coast.

Forecast for Friday

An upper level low is likely to develop over southeast Queensland, and cloud generated by this low will spread and thicken onto the southern coast and adjacent inland, leading to rain areas, showers and local thunder. Scattered showers and thunderstorms will occur over the tropics while isolated showers and thunderstorms will occur over remaining southern districts.

Forecast for Saturday

The upper low will move westwards while weakening, with the rain areas, showers and local thunder spreading inland about the southern and central inland, while possible beginning to ease to showers and a storm or two about coastal parts. Showers and storms will continue in most remaining areas of the state.

Forecast for Sunday

The upper low will move south out of the state while the ridge along the east coast will firm and spread northwards. Moderate to fresh SE winds and showers will occur into southern and central east coast districts. Elsewhere over the state, showers and storms will occur in most districts in the moist airmass.

Outlook for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday

The ridge along most of the east coast will slowly weaken as a frontal system moves across south-eastern Australia and southwest Queensland. Initially, across most of the interior, showers and storms will become isolated as conditions become more stable in the atmosphere. However, from Tuesday onwards, as the frontal system moves into the state, a band of scattered showers and storms will develop near and to the east of the front. The front will be very slow moving so this activity will spread only a little further eastwards by Wednesday. Over the far north of the state showers and storms will become widespread a the monsoon trough becomes more active.

The next routine forecast will be issued at 4:10 pm EST Thursday.