Ex-tropical cyclone Owen has dumped as much as 350 millimetres on the north Queensland coast in 24 hours and could reintensify into a cyclone once again in the Gulf of Carpentaria.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
A severe weather warning remained in place between Port Douglas and Ingham as heavy rain continued on Monday and flood warnings also remained for the Mulgrave River and coastal catchments between Cairns and Rollingstone.
The highest rainfall total recorded in the 24 hours to 9am on Monday was 349 millimetres at Kirrama Range. Meanwhile, Flaggy Creek recorded 286 millimetres, Cardwell saw 278 millimetres and the Kuranda Railway 239 millimetres.
Meteorologist Adam Woods said ex-TC Owen made landfall near Port Douglas about 3am on Monday, having brought 200-300 millimetre falls to the north Queensland coast.
"We could see Owen come back to life, even as an ex-tropical cyclone it has certainly packed a punch," he said.
Mr Woods said the system was expected to reach the warmer waters in the Gulf of Carpentaria on Tuesday, where it could re-intensify into a tropical cyclone.
"Some models have it tracking back down to south-east Queensland, but it is uncertain at this stage," he said.
"We also have an inland upper trough moving through the southern interior that will affect all of the state and bring showers and storms.
"There is a wet week ahead generally and then we have Owen, which may move towards south-east Queensland and the southern interior."
The weather bureau was monitoring another low-pressure system in the Coral Sea, halfway between Queensland and New Caledonia, but it was not expected to develop into a tropical cyclone.
In a severe weather warning, the bureau said ex-tropical cyclone Owen could dump more than 150 millimetres of rain in six hours and bring gusts in excess of 90km/h.
Areas in the firing line were Julatten, Cairns, Yarrabah, Mareeba, Atherton, Innisfail, Ravenshoe, Mount Garnet, Tully and Cardwell.
