the weekend as it slowly moves east. The trough is triggering widespread showers and thunderstorms and periods of thundery rain with some moderate to heavy accumulated falls and localised downpours. Forecast models have eased off a little on overall rainfall but some of the best rainfall in several months is still expected as it crosses the eastern states. Severe thunderstorms are likely to develop within the trough as it moves through the eastern states in the coming days. By Saturday the trough should have contracted to Queensland and the North of the Northern Territory and contracting to tropical areas by Monday Away from the trough conditions will be mostly clear apart from isolated showers about the south coast of Western Australia but they will clear Wednesday and isolated showers along parts of the Queensland eastern coastline. Tasmania will come under the influence of a couple of weak troughs and fronts triggering periods of showers.