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Queensland is once again staring down the barrel of a week of weather extremes with the south-east in the grips of an intense heatwave as North Queensland braces for impact from a tropical cyclone.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) expects the weather system to develop into Tropical Cyclone Kirrily off the Queensland coast by Monday, warning it could track south-westerly and gain strength as the week continues.
Severe thunderstorms with heavy rainfall are also forecast in the far north and north-west for tomorrow.
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BoM senior forecaster Felim Hanniffy said a "severe impact" is possible for the eastern coast, most likely on Wednesday, and advised communities to stay up to date with forecasts and warnings.
"It is more likely than not now this tropical cyclone will cross the coast at some point during this week," said Hanniffy
The bureau warned that it was most likely the cyclone would cross between Cooktown and Mackay, and potentially south of Cairns.
There is an 85 per cent chance of the storm reaching tropical cyclone strength by Tuesday, the bureau said.
Hanniffy said the movement of the storm becomes more uncertain towards the middle of next week, but there is "significant risk".
"The big uncertainty is will it cross the coast or will it approach the coast and then recurve away from the coast later next week," Hannify said.
"The area [it could cross] includes parts of the coast from Cooktown down to Mackay, inland towards Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory and all the way east to almost New Caledonia.
"So that gives you an idea, 80 per cent of the models predict that the low could be anywhere within that area by Thursday."
Premier Steven Miles said the state's disaster committee had met with the bureau.
It's been just over a month since Tropical Cyclone Jasper made landfall along the state's north, bringing torrential rain and major flooding across to the tropics.
Jasper left almost 40,000 homes and businesses without power in Far North Queensland after it hit land on December 13.
Intense rainfall from Jasper caused significant flooding across communities in the far north of the state and evacuated around 15,000 residents from their homes.
Twelve people and a dog were rescued on December 14 during a flash flooding event off the back of the cyclone.
Meanwhile, maximum temperatures in the mid-to-high 30s are expected for areas including Brisbane, Boonah, Gladstone and Ipswich next week with the next peak expected on Monday.
