Australia Weather News

Thunderstorms are lessening across south-east Queensland however multiple emergency alerts are in place after large bursts of rain and severe thunderstorms on Monday morning.

Both Queensland and New South Wales have been lashed by the driving rain, sparking flash flooding as the system moves further inland, leaving more than 200,000 people without power. 

The Bureau of Meteorology said a severe weather warning extends from north of Gympie down to the Queensland border and westward to include areas of Toowoomba and out to Goondiwindi.

"Typically, six-hour rain totals are expected to be in the range of 80 to 120mm but totals up to 150mm in a six-hour period is not out of the question," a BOM spokesperson said.

Queensland's SES has fielded 3,676 calls for help in the past 24 hours, with interstate back-up arriving today.

"That is the largest 24-hour period in the history of Queensland State Emergency Service," Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said.

"They've been out in force in such a wide range of communities and they've made a difference, and we're grateful for their work."

Emergency warnings 

BOM senior meteorologist Miriam Bradbury said the low in Alfred's wake was bringing large bursts of rain and severe thunderstorms through south-east Queensland and northern NSW.

Nambour on the Sunshine Coast has had well over 300 millimetres of rain since 9am on Sunday, its heaviest March rain since 1893.

Brisbane will not break its March record but the 275mm-plus total is the highest in any month since Cyclone Wanda in 1974. 

In the Lockyer Valley, locals have been warned to take shelter, with the prospect of "dangerous flooding". 

A serious storm cell was moving over the area Monday morning.

The Warrego Highway, a major highway connecting Brisbane and Toowoomba, has been closed and will remain so for some time.

People in Laidley and Grantham have been doorknocked and warned to take shelter. 

Mr Crisafulli said the flood-prone area, west of Brisbane, was a "major area of focus" today.

Meanwhile, there are Watch and Act alerts for the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast.

A Watch and Act emergency alert has been issued for Brisbane's Enoggera Dam, with nearby residents warned about "increased outflows". 

A Flood Watch and Act alert has been issued for Ipswich. 

Logan City Council has issued an emergency alert for some areas due to major flooding at Upper Oxley Creek. 

There is also an emergency alert for Tamborine, Cedar Creek, Wolfdene, Bannockburn, Windaroo, Mt Warrant Park, Beenleigh and Eagleby. 

Flooding is also occurring in the Albert River catchment and major flooding is occurring at Beaudesert in the Logan River, south of Brisbane.

Further rises were expected, peaking at 10.3 metres, the BOM said.

Support payments start

Mr Crisafulli said there will be support payments available for people affected by the weather event.

The first wave of payments will be available for people on the Gold Coast, Redlands and Logan — $180 per person, $900 per family.

Many schools still shut

In northern NSW, more than 290 schools are closed until at least Tuesday.

On Monday, 463 state and 259 independent and Catholic schools were closed and parents would find out by 5pm today whether they'll shut again on Tuesday.

"Getting your kids safely back to school remains a priority for us," Mr Crisafulli said.

"I'm mindful that that's the difference between a police officer, a health professional, someone working at the supermarket, someone working at the petrol station, being able to go back, serve their community and earn a living."

In Queensland, more than 210,000 homes and businesses are without power, 67,000 of those on the Gold Coast. 

State-owned Energex said a "huge round two" of wind damage on Saturday night had "put a dent in our damage assessments and restoration planning".

"Power restoration is a trickle-down process: we need to do damage assessments to plan the best approach, then we repair the high voltage network and critical infrastructure before moving onto the street-level low voltage network — there's no point in fixing a pole at the end of a feeder if the high-voltage network supplying it is in on the ground," it said.

'Massive clean-up' ahead

Hervey Bay was hit by extensive flash flooding on Sunday, trees toppled, power lines were brought down, and supermarkets flooded, which will affect food supply, Mr Crisafulli said.

"While the weather conditions are starting to look a little better, we urge that community to obviously stay connected, we have SES and the fire department on the ground," Mr Crisafulli said.

"We as yet don't know the scale of the damage but we do have intel on the ground to suggest it is significant."

In the NSW town of Kyogle, about 45 kilometres north-west of Lismore, Mayor Danielle Mulholland said people had been flooded in, and authorities would need to inspect and restore access to residents.

"Once the water goes down we'll have a massive clean-up job," she said.