Australia Day weather: State braces for 200mm rain to mark soggy Australia Day

It’s likely to be a wet Australia Day for many Queenslanders with meteorologists warning daily rainfall totals could reach 200mm in some parts from today.

It’s likely to be a wet Australia Day for many Queenslanders with meteorologists warning daily rainfall totals could reach 200mm in some parts from today.

The Bureau of Meteorology on Tuesday advised a trough lingering over western Queensland could bring severe storms to the region while a monsoon trough in the north is expected to bring heavy rain between Cooktown and Bowen.

Atmospheric scientist Brooke Pagel said wet weather from the monsoon trough could be compounded by converging winds likely to form over the northeast coast.

“Isolated heavy falls between 100mm to 200mm per day are possible dependent on the location of the coastal convergence area,” Ms Pagel said.

“Rainfall should shift north of Townsville on Friday and ease on the weekend as the trough and convergent area weaken and move north.”

A slight increase in rainfall is expected for the southeast today before storms contract west tomorrow.

Several initial minor and moderate flood warnings have been issued for the western, central and southern districts.

“Ongoing showers and thunderstorms are expected across several catchments over the next few days which may lead to further river rises,” Ms Pagel said.