Fires to the south, a metre of rainfall to the north: Welcome to Queensland
Residents in far north Queensland and west in the Gulf Country have been issued with heavy rainfall and flash flooding warnings as a monsoon trough and embedded low make landfall.
The region was battered on Wednesday night with totals peaking at 136mm in Daintree Village and the deluge is forecast to continue as rainfall tracks across the Gulf of Carpentaria into the North Tropical Coast.
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued warnings for coastal areas north of Normanton and around Mornington Island, the Gulf Country and the North Tropical Coast on Thursday and into Friday.
As major bushfires continued the threaten residents on the Western Downs, an entirely different story was unfolding in the state’s far north. Flood watches and warnings have been issued for Burketown, Mornington Island, Normanton, Cairns, Port Douglas and Hope Vale.
Heavy rain has been consistent in the coastal municipality of Burketown since Christmas.
Mayor Ernie Camp says the region has had 935 mm since late December and their markers could pass over a metre by the end of Thursday.
“We’re very close to the metre club,” Cr Camp told AAP.
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“But it just takes a system like this now to come with deluge and things could go pear shaped really quickly. But anyway, fingers crossed.”
The Leichhardt river sits at 0.5 metres and Camp said it would be unlikely for it to peak and risk human and animal life.
No evacuations are in place yet for the town of less than 300 people.
Residents are preparing for an embedded low that is expected to drift slowly southwards over the next couple of days, most likely making landfall over the southern Gulf of Carpentaria on Thursday night.
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The bureau said a monsoon trough would combine with a southeasterly surge moving northward along the east coast to enhance rainfall about the North Tropical Coast.
Heavy rain that could spark flash flooding is expected in western coastal communities with totals between 100mm and 150mm forecast.
In the northern tropics, heavy rainfall and potentially life-threatening flash flooding is forecast, with six-hour totals nearing 200mm.
Localised intense rainfall is possible, with six-hour totals of 200mm to 300mm.
The bureau said the location and timing of rainfall was uncertain and a separate severe thunderstorm warning would be issued if it is to eventuate.
Meanwhile, 14 bushfires continue to burn across Queensland, with a dozen still causing concerns in the southwest.
Dozens of homes and sheds have been destroyed alongside property and farming equipment.
A fire in the Tara believed to have impacted at least 20 structures, including homes and sheds, has been contained, the QFES said.
Fire crews across the state remain on alert and aircraft on standby as the fire danger deepens in the coming days.
No fatalities or serious injuries have been reported.
