Residents evacuated, roads closed as wet weather smashes Far North Qld

The worst of the wet weather is yet to come for residents in one state, as several cyclones threaten to develop in the area.

Residents in Far North Queensland have been forced to evacuate after the state was battered by severe rain, storms and flash flooding overnight.

Overnight, heavy rain smashed areas of northern Queensland, with Cairns to Mackay being inundated with more than 100mm of rainfall on Wednesday evening and Thursday morning.

In the past 48 hours, more than 300mm of rainfall was recorded in Cairns and its surroundings, including 346mm at the Boulders and 321mm at Cairns Racecourse.

“Over the past three days, since Monday morning, some locations about Tropical North Queensland have received more than 600mm-700mm of rainfall,” Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Jonathan How said.

Monsoon season is arriving much later than anticipated, meaning the wet weather is likely going to stick around. Picture: WeatherZone

The heavy rain and blistering winds are driven by one of five tropical lows being monitored in the northern regions of Australia that the bureau said could develop into cyclones over the next week.

While rain is set to ease across Cairns and its surrounds on Thursday morning, the bureau warned that more wet weather was to come later in the afternoon, bringing thunderstorms, flash flooding and gusty winds with it.

The bureau confirmed all immediate severe weather warnings had been cancelled, though several minor and moderate flood watch warnings for residents remained in place.

Moderate flood warnings include the Mulgrave and Russell rivers, and minor flooding for the Tully River in Far North Queensland.

Another flood watch warning was issued between Cairns and Townsville.

“After heavy rainfall in the region over the past couple of days, the catchments are quite saturated, so any new rainfall can cause new river rises,” Mr How said.

“We will see more widespread rain redevelop.”

Catchments in the north are becoming saturated, causing river rises across the state.

Five tropical lows, with three forming around Queensland, are heading for Australia. Picture: Bureau of Meteorology

While the wild weather is nothing unusual for Queenslanders in summer, Mr How told NewsWire the wet season began much later than expected.

“This year has been the latest monsoon onset in our history,” he said.

“Normally, monsoon season develops in late December, but the fact that it hasn’t developed yet in late January makes it late-onset, so it’s a very late monsoon onset for Northern Queensland and the Top End.”

However, as the low pressure system continues to develop, residents could be in for monsoon season as soon as Friday.

Monsoon season usually brings “widespread cloud cover, lots of rain (and) cooler temperatures”, Mr How said.

Several roads in Far North Queensland have shut due to heavy rain.

Far North Queensland residents been evacuated from flooded streets as heavy rain lashed parts of the state, leaving up to 20 roads blocked and train lines disrupted as water submerged roads and tracks.

A Queensland Rail spokesman told NewsWire that crews were working to get services back up and running.

North Coast lines have been closed between north of Townsville and south of Cairns due to “worsening conditions expected from the rain event”.

It is not yet known when the tracks will be cleared, though the spokesman said track inspections would take place when it was safe to do so.

Parts of the Bruce Highway and Silkwood Japoon Rd have been shut, with long delays expected as water washes over the roads.

Originally published as Residents evacuated, roads closed as wet weather smashes Far North Qld