Increased shower activity, flash flooding in Qld on Friday, Saturday

Large parts of Queensland are bracing for heavy rain and flash flooding this weekend as a flood watch remains for a large part of the state. An emergency alert has been issued this morning, urging residents in one area to prepare to be isolated by floodwaters.

The Bureau of Meteorology has predicted increased shower activity across Queensland today and tomorrow, with heavy rainfall and flash flooding a very real threat.

A coastal trough has already dumped more than 80mm on some towns.

BOM meteorologist Brooke Pagel said the current weather pattern could see flash flooding kick back in.

Despite a number of active flood watches across the state being rescinded this morning, Ms Pagel said residents in at-risk areas needed to remain on high alert.

“There is a widespread flood watch active between the towns of Rockhampton and Caboolture,” Ms Pagel said.

“There is still a minor flood warning active for Brisbane, we are keeping an eye on that one.”

Ms Pagel said the areas she expected to see the bulk of the downpour spanned from Proserpine down to the Gold Coast.

She said North Queensland had already experienced the peak of the wet weather with 83mm of rain falling on South Mission Beach, near Innisfail, in the 24 hours to Friday morning.

The coastal trough also dumped 73mm at Clump Point, 60mm at Cowley Beach and 53mm at Mourilyan.

“We are expecting to see most of the state affected by rainfall activity in some way over the next couple of days,” she said.

“We are expecting the higher rainfall totals to be registered on Saturday for both Brisbane and the Gold Coast.”

According to rainfall predictions, both Brisbane and the Gold Coast can expect up to 40mm of rain tomorrow.

The Rockhampton region is predicted to cop the brunt of the rain in Central Queensland, with 35mm expected there on Saturday.

Mackay is expecting up to 30mm between today and tomorrow.

People heading out to vote on Saturday should take an umbrella, with rains to continue before clearing on Sunday. Picture: News Corp/Attila Csaszar)

Ms Pagel said the two-trough system currently impacting Queensland was similar to the one that sparked flooding around the state last week, but she said we shouldn’t see quite as much rain with the weather easing by Sunday.

“These are the main two days that we are going to get that rain,” she said.

“It’s pretty much all coastal from Rockhampton down to Caboolture where we will have those hotspots for heavy showers.

“It will be shifting south into Brisbane tomorrow.”

An emergency alert on Friday morning warned people in Dirranbandi and Hebel, in the state’s south-west, to prepare for increasing floodwater this weekend, and the likelihood some properties would be cut off.