Severe thunderstorms struck from Townsville to Mackay early on Friday morning with a tropical low set to bring more wet weather.
Nearly 200mm of rain was recorded in six hours at Picnic Bay on Magnetic Island, while O'Connell in Gladstone received 176mm.
South Townsville copped more than 100mm in two hours while Antoneys Crossing was drenched by 152mm in three hours.
Thunderstorms will continue on Friday in the Whitsundays region from the far north to Mackay as a coastal trough continues to strengthen, the Bureau of Meteorology warns.
"An air mass rich in moisture will result in a risk of heavy rainfall with thunderstorms and showers," it said.
"Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding in the warning area over the next several hours."
A tropical low may also form within the northern trough and move off the coast on Friday, pushing into the Coral Sea over the weekend.
The bureau said the tropical low was not expected to develop into the season's first cyclone.
Multiple flood warnings are in place for rivers and catchments in the tropical north.
The heavy rainfall is already causing flooding with a number of roads in northern Queensland closed.
Drivers heading away for the holidays are being told to rethink travel plans or expect delays as a result of the road closures.
⚠️⛈️ Severe Weather Warning for HEAVY, LOCALLY INTENSE RAINFALL.— Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) For parts of Herbert and Lower Burdekin and Central Coast and Whitsundays Forecast Districts.Heavy, locally intense rainfall is forecast to continue today and Saturday morning.Details: https://t.co/dAdBcgmN9h pic.twitter.com/lb2SayuzaYDecember 19, 2024
The northern storms are expected to continue into Friday night, the bureau warned.
Queensland's southeast is meanwhile set for clear skies after days of storms and wet weather.
Some areas of the southeast and central coast copped more than 100mm, prompting emergency services to implore people not to play in floodwaters or drive through submerged roads.
"The rainfall in southeast had led to minor to moderate flooding on some of the rivers but thankfully rainfall is easing there in the coming days," the bureau's Dean Narramore said on Thursday.
A number of flood warnings remain in place for southeast Queensland as well as a list of road closures as swollen waterways continue to subside.
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