NEWSBITS

A low and associated cold front moving away from TAS this morning gave gale to storm force winds to exposed coastal and mountain areas of the state. Wind gusted to 117km/h at Maatsuyker Island and 119km/h atop Mt Wellington, where the 6am temperature was a chilly 2.4°. Winds were increasing also this evening along the southern and central QLD coast as ex-tropical cyclone Beni moved WNW, about halfway between New Caledonia and the QLD coastline.

Residents of Albany WA and surrouds sweltered in unaccustomed heat as the mercury rose to 37.6, 12.6° above average today. Top temperatures were around 10 above normal along the southern WA coastline, reaching the mid to high 30s. Meanwhile, in Welshpool, a suburb 10km SE of Perth CBD, a fire which began late last night burnt through 10 hectares of bushland overnight and threatened six houses before being brought under control this morning.

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.

43.0 JULIA CREEK AIRPORT Gulf Country QLD
43.0 WINTON AIRPORT Northwest QLD
43.0 RICHMOND POST OFFICE Upper Carpentaria QLD
42.9 LONGREACH AERO Central West QLD
42.3 WINTON POST OFFICE Northwest QLD

+12.6   37.6 ALBANY AIRPORT Lower West WA
+10.9   33.9 ALBANY Lower West WA
+10.5   36.4 MOUNT BARKER Lower West WA
+9.8   33.5 WINDY HARBOUR Lower West WA
+9.5   35.8 PEMBERTON Lower West WA

30.4 LONGREACH AERO Central West QLD
30.0 BARCALDINE POST OFFICE Central West QLD
29.5 BLACKALL AIRPORT Central West QLD
29.4 WINTON POST OFFICE Northwest QLD
29.0 ISISFORD POST OFFICE Central West QLD

+7.8   30.4 LONGREACH AERO Central West QLD
+7.4   30.0 BARCALDINE POST OFFICE Central West QLD
+6.8   26.7 TAMBO POST OFFICE Central Highlands QLD
+6.6   29.0 ISISFORD POST OFFICE Central West QLD
+6.6   25.8 MILES POST OFFICE Darling Downs W QLD

9.3 MOUNT READ W Coast TAS
11.2 MOUNT WELLINGTON Southeast TAS
13.0 MT BAW BAW W Gippsland VIC
13.5 HARTZ MOUNTAIN (KEOGHS PIMPLE) Southeast TAS
14.6 MAATSUYKER ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE Southeast TAS

-7.4   23.0 CASINO AIRPORT North Coast NSW
-7.1   17.5 LITHGOW (BIRDWOOD ST) C Tablelands S NSW
-7.0   15.3 KATOOMBA (NARROW NECK RD) C Tablelands S NSW
-6.6   19.1 TABULAM (MUIRNE) N Tablelands E NSW
-6.0   23.1 LISMORE (CENTRE STREET) North Coast NSW

0.3 THREDBO VILLAGE Snowy Mtns NSW
1.0 BOMBALA AWS Goulburn/Monaro NSW
1.0 MT BAW BAW W Gippsland VIC
1.5 MOUNT READ W Coast TAS
2.0 MOUNT BULLER Upper NE VIC
2.0 MOUNT WELLINGTON Southeast TAS

-9.3   6.8 EYRE Eucla WA
-8.0   7.6 ROSEDALE (TURRETFIELD RESEARCH CENTRE) Adelaide/Lofty SA
-7.8   5.7 CASTLEMAINE PRISON N Central VIC
-6.9   7.4 BENDIGO AIRPORT Upper North VIC
-6.6   15.5 WILUNA Interior WA

102.0 TORRENS CREEK POST OFFICE Upper Carpentaria QLD
53.2 MURGANELLA N Rivers NT
51.4 UPPER ADELAIDE RIVER N Rivers NT
49.5 LOLWORTH STATION Upper Carpentaria QLD
48.4 FOSSIL DOWNS W Kimberley WA

WESTERN AUSTRALIA
    W Kimberley
48.4 FOSSIL DOWNS

NORTHERN TERRITORY
    N Rivers
53.2 MURGANELLA
51.4 UPPER ADELAIDE RIVER

QUEENSLAND
    Upper Carpentaria
102.0 TORRENS CREEK POST OFFICE
49.5 LOLWORTH STATION

QUEENSLAND
    Brisbane/SE Coast
CAPE MORETON LIGHTHOUSE : 69(140/ 63 ) at 23:00
VICTORIA
    W Gippsland
WILSONS PROMONTORY LIGHTHOUSE : 91(240/ 78 ) at 08:00
TASMANIA
    N Coast
CAPE GRIM B.A.P.S. : 76(240/ 67 ) at 06:00
    Southeast
MAATSUYKER ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE : 117(310/ 93 ) at 00:20
MOUNT WELLINGTON : 119(240/ 87 ) at 04:30