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Potential tropical cyclone for Queensland

Beef Central, 03/03/2014

Weather forecasters are keeping an eye on a deepening tropical low near the Solomon Islands which could form into a tropical cyclone tomorrow.

The low is currently 1350km north east of Cairns and is expected to track in a southwest direction towards the Queensland coast.

Weatherzone says the low has moderate risk of developing into a tropical cyclone tomorrow.

As it tracks closer to the coast rainfall is likely to increase significantly, with over 200mm possible in areas from Cooktown to Townsville.

If this cyclone does form it will be the 7th so far this season, which ends on April 30.

The average number of Tropical Cyclones that form within the Australian region is 11 per year, with four in the QLD region.

Meanwhile, western and central parts of New South Wales received some welcome and much needed follow-up rain last weekend, with some places seeing their best March rain in three decades.

Across the area, widespread falls of 25-to-50mm were recorded, with some places seeing even heavier falls than the rain event a little over a week ago.

The normally dry Bourke saw more than its entire March average rainfall in the 24 hours to 9am today, recording 55mm. This was also the town's heaviest rain since January 2012, and for March since 1983.

Elsewhere in the west, Nyngan collected 41mm and Lake Cargelligo 81mm, the best rain in two years for both places.

Most of the Hunter Valley and lower Mid North Coast also saw significant rain after a very dry summer. Mount Seaview and Kempsey both saw their heaviest daily fall since autumn last year, recording 73mm and 45mm respectively. Maitland collected 54mm and Tocal 47mm, the heaviest rain since November.

The widespread rain across the state has been caused by a series of low pressure troughs, with one lying over the inland and one just off the coast. These troughs have been fed by humid onshore winds sourced from the Tasman Sea, creating cloudy and unstable weather.

This pattern is expected to continue today, with the state's central west, central coast and Mid North Coast likely to see the most rain. Across these parts, further widespread totals of 10-to-30mm are likely, with isolated falls of up to 100mm.

By Sunday the pattern will begin to break down, with only the state's north coast likely to see further significant rain with up to 50mm possible.

From the start of the working week, it will be significantly drier across the state. However at least for the south and west, another trough should cross during the week bringing the risk of showers and thunderstorms, although the rain is not expected to be as widespread or as heavy.

Source: Weatherzone

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