Rain threatens to dampen New Year’s revelry in south-east

What was expected to be an almost perfect New Year’s Eve is now threatening to deliver spoiling downpours for some south-east Queensland revellers.

But Brisbane’s outlook has improved night, with rain less likely to dampen celebrations as the night goes on.

At 4.20pm on Tuesday, the Bureau of Meteorology revised its forecast to say that while there was still the chance of a thunderstorm in the western suburbs, and a medium chance of showers across the city, rain would be less likely later in the night.

Five people were rescued from floodwaters overnight.Credit: Nine News

Showers and storms were still forecast for New Year’s Day across Queensland.

However, authorities now believe flood releases will no longer be required from Wivenhoe and Somerset dams following earlier heavy rainfall in the catchment areas.

Five people were rescued overnight after campers were stranded and motorists were forced to climb onto their vehicles due to flash flooding.

Slow-moving storm cells sparked heavy downpours in central and southern Queensland, dumping more than 100mm in some areas on Tuesday and breaking the previous December rainfall record at Kingaroy, west of the Sunshine Coast.

It led to a string of water rescues in the early hours as floodwaters cut off roads, causing significant damage.

Three people were rescued from a campsite at Toogoom near Maryborough at 3.37am on Tuesday after they were stranded by flooding.

A number of motorists also needed help as water levels rose, with one reportedly seeking shelter in a tree before rescue crews arrived.

A man was taken to hospital after he was rescued from the top of his vehicle, which became stuck in floodwaters at 3.43am at Oxford in central Queensland.

A water rescue team found another motorist in floodwaters near Gladstone after he reportedly climbed out of his car and into a tree about 3.30am.

The weather bureau said Kingaroy received 149mm in 24 hours, nearly doubling its record for a daily December downpour set in 2008.

Queensland’s highest rainfall was 182mm at Torbanlea, north of Maryborough on the Fraser Coast, followed by 169mm at Hervey Bay’s Black Swamp.

Flood warnings remain for the Fraser Coast’s Burrum and Cherwell Rivers, as well as Wide Bay’s Stuart River and central Queensland’s Boyne River.

AAP