“It’s a low chance of developing into a tropical cyclone from Friday,” a bureau spokesman said.
“But most models don’t see it developing. They keep it as a weak low-pressure system even as it moves off the coast.”
The predicted low is set to move away from the north Queensland coast, taking the rain with it.
Flooding at Wolverhampton Bridge at Kedron Brook on Tuesday.Credit: Anna Campbell
“So we should see a lot less rainfall by Tuesday next week. It’s a brief boost of monsoon-like conditions,” the spokesman said.
Queensland’s north endured widespread flooding due to two tropical cyclones last season – Jasper in December followed by Kirrily in January.
The cyclone season usually extends from November through to the end of April.
Queensland has already copped a drenching, with showers continuing on Tuesday.
Brisbane City, Ipswich, Somerset, Lockyer Valley and Moreton Bay were hit with a sweeping storm about 2am on Tuesday, bringing heavy rain and causing flooding.
Roads were cut off, with the State Emergency Service receiving almost 80 calls for help from midday on Monday.
Almost 20 dams across the southeast were spilling on Tuesday, with the region’s biggest Wivenhoe beginning releases for what was believed to be the first time in two years.
Flood warnings remain for more than a dozen rivers and creeks in south-east, west and central Queensland.
The bureau said the wet weather leading up to the festive season was due to a low-pressure system off the north Queensland coast near Mackay and a coastal trough bringing moist and unstable conditions.
Hot temperatures are set to continue in the state’s west with heatwaves forecast.
Mount Isa was set to reach a high of 43C on Wednesday.
