SATURDAY had a cool start with some frost around.

The day turned out to be fine and clear with a light breeze from the south-east. Some high cloud moved in overnight and made for some fantastic colours at sunrise on Sunday morning.

The cloud cleared by mid-morning and it turned out to be a great Southern Downs Sunday. Once again, we can thank a high for the clear conditions.

Today is going to warm up as a cold front sweeps across the south of the country, pushing gusty, westerly winds ahead of it and into our region.

This will bring a warm day, clear skies and a very high fire danger to the Downs and Granite Belt. Please be careful today as it could quickly turn into a serious situation.

The winds should settle in the late afternoon as the trough moves off the coast. It should be 6-25 degrees.

Tomorrow will be a calmer day with moderate south-west winds tending to the south-east in the afternoon. A clear, sunny day is forecast after a cool morning and a light frost in low-lying areas. It should be 5-23 degrees.

Wednesday will see a partly cloudy day as a trough associated with a cold front moves over the east of Australia and there is a slight chance of a shower in the afternoon. Winds should be moderate from the north to north-east. It should be 3-23 degrees.

Thursday will see the region clear as we come under the influence of a high and this will bring a cool morning with sunny skies throughout the day. Winds from the south should be moderate and there is a chance of frost in low-lying areas in the morning. It should be 3-23 degrees.

Friday will be fine with cooler temperatures and a frost in the morning as the high moves south-east and a cold front moves over NSW. Winds should be light from the south-east and blue skies are forecast throughout the day. It should be 2-21 degrees.

At this stage the weekend is not looking the greatest as a trough moves east through our region. This will generate some high cloud and there is a chance of isolated showers.

Daytime temperatures will be well above the August average as a northerly airflow is pushed over us and then a cool and gusty southerly wind change on Sunday afternoon.

- Terry West, Southern Downs Weather and Storm Chasing