NEWSBITS

The trough that has been ducting a slowly eastward moving band of warm northeasterlies over southern WA sped up today, but still gave an area around Esperance and northwards top temperatures between 36 and 40°. The maximum of 37.3 at Esperance was 11.1 above average. There were widespread thunderstorms around the trough overnight, with Gascoyne Junction reporting a heavy duststorm and Ongerup reporting hail with the storms.

In the Fitzroy River, the main flood waters are in the Yaamba area where river levels are close to their peak with minor to moderate flooding. River levels are rising slowly downstream at Rockhampton with minor flooding. The Fitzroy River at The Gap peaked at 10.97 metres at 11.30pm today and minor flooding is slowly easing. In the Burnett River, flood levels have all dropped below minor, with the peak now in the Bundaberg area.

Quality control note: Data is final. It includes late-received rainfall data and has been subject to BoM quality control checks.
Data is as received at 13:38EST, 03/03/2004.

42.3 OODNADATTA AIRPORT NE Pastoral SA
42.1 RABBIT FLAT N Plateau NT
42.0 WULUNGURRU N Plateau NT
42.0 MARREE NE Pastoral SA
41.7 WARMUN E Kimberley WA

+11.1   37.3 ESPERANCE Lower West WA
+9.6   36.0 EYRE Eucla WA
+8.5   39.0 BALLADONIA Eucla WA
+7.3   36.0 BURRINJUCK DAM SW Slopes N NSW
+6.6   37.7 NORSEMAN Goldfields WA

29.6 KARRATHA AERO E Pilbara WA
29.6 BALGO HILLS Interior WA
29.4 THEVENARD ISLAND W Pilbara WA
29.3 ROEBOURNE E Pilbara WA
29.2 TROUGHTON ISLAND N Kimberley WA

+9.4   23.9 RAVENSTHORPE Cent Wheatbelt WA
+8.1   18.5 BOMBALA (THERRY STREET) Goulburn/Monaro NSW
+6.8   21.0 SALMON GUMS RES.STN. Goldfields WA
+6.5   22.2 HYDEN Cent Wheatbelt WA
+6.4   24.1 KALGOORLIE-BOULDER AIRPORT Goldfields WA

14.4 MOUNT READ W Coast TAS
15.5 MOUNT WELLINGTON Southeast TAS
15.5 MAATSUYKER ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE Southeast TAS
17.0 MANJIMUP Lower West WA
17.0 TASMAN ISLAND Southeast TAS

-9.9   17.0 MANJIMUP Lower West WA
-8.9   17.4 PEMBERTON Lower West WA
-8.4   21.2 BRIDGETOWN COMPARISON Lower West WA
-7.6   27.0 BADGINGARRA RESEARCH STN Lower West WA
-6.8   29.5 MULLEWA Central West WA

-1.5 LAKE ST CLAIR NATIONAL PARK Central Plateau TAS
0.8 LIAWENEE Central Plateau TAS
1.3 TARRALEAH VILLAGE Derwent Valley TAS
2.0 MOUNT WELLINGTON Southeast TAS
2.2 MOUNT READ W Coast TAS

-7.8   4.8 PORTLAND (CASHMORE AIRPORT) W Coast VIC
-7.5   -1.5 LAKE ST CLAIR NATIONAL PARK Central Plateau TAS
-7.1   7.0 CRANBOURNE BOTANIC GARDENS E Central VIC
-7.1   2.9 BUSHY PARK (BUSHY PARK ESTATES) Derwent Valley TAS
-6.3   5.6 HEYWOOD FORESTRY W Coast VIC

127.4 CHILLAGOE ATHERTON STREET Upper Carpentaria QLD
92.0 PETFORD N Coast--Barron QLD
84.2 LANSDOWN CSIRO Central Coast E QLD
83.0 EASTMERE Central West QLD
81.6 CLERMONT POST OFFICE Central Highlands QLD

NORTHERN TERRITORY
    N Rivers
80.0 GERIATRIC PARK
63.0 LEADERS CREEK
54.0 ELIZABETH VALLEY
53.0 GROOTE EYLANDT AIRPORT AWS
52.6 BERRIMAH SIL
52.0 MANTON DAM

QUEENSLAND
    N Peninsula
65.0 STRATH HAVEN STATION
    Upper Carpentaria
127.4 CHILLAGOE ATHERTON STREET
69.0 VAN LEE
    N Coast--Barron
92.0 PETFORD
71.0 ALMADEN
60.2 MALANDA POST OFFICE
52.0 RAVENSHOE KURADILLA STREET
50.8 KAIRI RESEARCH STATION
    Central Coast E
84.2 LANSDOWN CSIRO
63.8 BELGAMBA
56.2 KELSEY CREEK DITTMER RD
55.5 HAYMAN ISLAND RESORT
53.0 TURRAWULLA STATION
    Central Highlands
81.6 CLERMONT POST OFFICE
74.6 DYSART POST OFFICE
59.0 WINVIC
55.2 KURRAJONG
50.0 LANSDOWNE STATION
    Central West
83.0 EASTMERE
    Warrego
53.8 BAYSWATER

QUEENSLAND
    Gulf Country
JULIA CREEK AIRPORT : 102(170/ 43 ) at 15:19