Australia Weather News

Queensland has recorded its latest start to a monsoon season in 70 years, as authorities monitor several offshore weather systems that could develop into tropical cyclones. 

Heavy rainfall and potential flooding is forecast for parts of Queensland today, with the possibility of a cyclone in the state's north increasing later this week.

"We're getting this monsoon surge from the later part of this week into this weekend [which] looks likely to persist through that first week of February," Senior meteorologist Miriam Bradbury said.

"It's a significantly late start to the monsoon season but it's really kicking off with a bang.

"We've got quite a number of tropical lows that we at the [weather] bureau keeping a really close eye on."

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) estimates there is a 25 per cent chance a low in the Coral Sea, off the north-east coast, will develop into a tropical cyclone over the weekend.

A second system, further out to sea, has a 35 per cent chance of becoming a cyclone by Monday. 

There's also a lower chance a third tropical cyclone will form in the Gulf of Carpentaria over the weekend.

"It's too early to pick which area is most likely to develop at this stage," meteorologist Shane Kennedy said. 

Flood watch for north coast

The BOM has issued a severe weather warning for heavy rain and possible flash flooding between Rollingstone and Babinda in north Queensland tonight and tomorrow. 

Six-hourly rainfall totals of between 130 and 180 millimetres are possible, with isolated 24-hour totals of up to 300mm also possible.

Wet weather has already set in across the broader north Queensland region, with Rita Island near Ayr recording 143mm in six hours.

Mr Kennedy said the peak period of rainfall was expected tonight, continuing into Wednesday morning.

"It will likely be pretty wet conditions for several days for the far north," Mr Kennedy said.

The rain is due to a low-pressure system lingering over the Gulf of Carpentaria, extending through to the Coral Sea.

While rain should ease tomorrow, Mr Kennedy said the low-pressure system would continue to deepen as the week went on.

"It may even develop into a monsoon trough on the weekend or early next week," he said. 

A flood watch is in place for parts of the Tropical North Coast, with catchments between Innisfail and Ingham likely to fill up due to heavy rain.

The warning covers four catchments including the Johnstone, Tully, Murray and Herbert Rivers.

Mr Kennedy said minor flooding could occur as early as this evening.

"It's probably more likely tomorrow, but it depends on how quickly the rain falls and where we see it fall over the catchments."

Heat reprieve unlikely out west

While temperatures have returned to average in the state's south-east corner this week, there is no real reprieve in sight for those living inland.

Severe heatwave conditions will persist around Mt Isa in the state's north-west today.

Residents in central and south-west Queensland will continue to swelter as temperatures in many areas are expected to stay above 40 degrees Celsius until at least the end of the month..