A low pressure system is bringing the "last hoorah" of the wet season to north Queensland, with the chance of 300 millimetres of rain falling in some areas.
Heavy downpours have already been recorded on Magnetic Island, which received more than 150mm since yesterday morning.
Late this morning, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) issued a severe weather warning for heavy rain for people in parts of the North Tropical Coast and Tablelands, and the Herbert and Lower Burdekin forecast districts.
The BOM said 158mm was recorded at Halifax, near Ingham, in the six hours to 10:30am.
The Daintree recorded 100mm, Townsville received 99mm, while Cairns got 50mm.
BOM senior forecaster Harry Clark said a low pressure trough was offshore but very close to the coast.
He said the system was already pushing significant moisture onto coastal communities and if it came onshore, there was the potential for "many hundreds of millimetres" of rain.
"A lot of people up there are looking for rain, it's been a fairly lacklustre season, which might sound odd given how wet we've seen [south-east Queensland].
"We'll have to keep an eye out for any damage if that rainfall does occur."
The BOM has issued a severe weather warning for heavy rain which may lead to flash flooding for areas between Mossman and Rollingstone this morning.
The heavier rain may extend northward towards Cooktown for the remainder of the day and through Saturday morning.
"Six-hourly rainfall totals between 150 to 200mm are possible, reaching up to 250mm over the coast and ranges," the warning said.
SES gets calls for help
The Queensland Fire and Emergency Services said locals were preparing for potential inundation, with nine people requesting sandbags and tarps near Tully and Townsville.
The State Emergency Service regional director Wayne Coutts said they had three minor jobs overnight, relating to over-flowing gutters.
"Not a lot of rain overnight. That may change today but we don't expect a great deal of SES jobs and we hope there won't be," he said.
"The big thing is — if there is some flash flooding and we do get 200 millimetres in a short period of time — that people don't attempt to drive through flooded roads.
"Hopefully it won't be too bad for Anzac Day."
Holidaymakers have been urged to check weather warnings before hitting the road ahead of the long weekend.
"To make sure they won't be caught on the road or trapped where they go," Queensland Fire and Emergency Services regional manager Darryl Camp said.
He said volunteers were on stand-by if the situation worsened over the weekend.
"They've got everything they need to respond and we've got back up here in Townsville that we can get to Ingham or where needed," he said.
