‘Up to 100mm’: Sandbag stations open as Queenslanders brace for another round of heavy rain

Flash flooding has hit parts of Brisbane as forecast rain moves across vast areas of the state, with more than a dozen saturated catchments placed on flood watch.

Heavy rain is hitting already soggy catchments between Sarina and the state’s southeast.

Queenslanders on Friday afternoon were bracing for more wet weather from a coastal trough which had already dumped more than 80mm on some towns in the tropical north.

The Bureau of Meteorology on Friday issued a flood watch for 14 catchments between Sarina and Caboolture, warning they were likely to respond quickly to any further rainfall.

With overnight rain, there are already reports of flash flooding at Buchanan Rd at Morayfield, north of Brisbane.

Authorities and councils across Queensland have renewed warnings for residents to be disaster-ready with Moreton Bay Regional Council opening about a dozen sandbag stations on Friday.

Local surfer Roxy Emberg doesn't let the wet weather stop her from going for a surf at Burleigh Heads beach. Picture: NIGEL HALLETT

Senior Meteorologist Steven Hadley said the highest rainfall totals were expected in coastal areas.

Broad totals of between 30mm to 60mm are expected today while isolated heavier rain could bring totals of 100mm, including to parts of the southeast.

“While conditions are not expected to be as heavy, prolonged or widespread as recent rainfall, there remains a risk of flash flooding with thunderstorms between Proserpine and Hervey Bay, and the forecast rainfall may lead to river level rises in saturated catchments,” Mr Hadley said.

The heavy rain which is expected to move south throughout today should ease by Sunday when up to 15mm is expected to fall on Brisbane.

Showers across central Queensland brought by a second trough is also expected to ease this weekend.

Residents braved the rain to attend the Gympie Show this week.

The system comes after a wetter-than-average few months with the year-to-date rainfall in many areas already exceeding average annual totals.

Almost 1.5m of rain has fallen on Brisbane in 2022 and it’s made for the highest annual total in 12 years.

Moderate to major flooding across the state was generally easing on Friday.

The most significant flooding was occurring along the Moonie River, the Condamine-Balonne River system and Thomson-Cooper catchment.

The Lower Brisbane River is expected to ease at Lowood on Friday afternoon and expected to remain below the minor flood level on the high tides in Brisbane over the coming days.

Meanwhile, freshening southeast winds, cloud and rain will lead to low daytime temperatures across the south into the weekend.

Daytime temperatures in the state’s north are expected to close to average.

Gales are forecast for the Capricorn Coastal Waters on Saturday with gusts up around 60km/h to 80km/h possible along adjacent coastal fringes.