Queensland coast braces for potential cyclone as Ingham enjoys rainfall reprieve
Residential streets in Ingham were inundated by floodwaters on Monday. (Supplied: Sue Barany)
In short:
A flood watch has been issued for large parts of Queensland as a tropical low lingers in the northern Coral Sea.
A monsoonal trough has formed over the Cape York Peninsula and could also develop into a tropical low.
What's next?
The Bureau of Meteorology predicts the low in the Coral Sea, 29U, has a moderate chance of reaching cyclone strength.
Large parts of Queensland are on flood watch as a tropical low, with a moderate chance of reaching cyclone strength this week, lingers in the Coral Sea.
Meanwhile, the Bruce Highway has reopened to one lane of traffic after flooding in the watch area.
The critical road was cut between Townsville and Cairns, north of Ingham, yesterday, leaving truckies and travellers stranded.
Flooding has closed the Bruce Highway between Townsville and Cairns. (Supplied: Shakir Vaughns)
A monsoonal trough has established over the Cape York Peninsula, driving more wet weather over saturated north Queensland catchments in the interim.
The tropical low, 29U, in the Coral Sea is about 900 kilometres east of Cairns.
Tropical low 29U is lingering in the Coral Sea off Queensland. The weather bureau warns it could form into a cyclone later in the week. (Supplied: Bureau of Meteorology)
The Far North Queensland coast is already sodden from consistent heavy falls.
Since 9am yesterday, some areas have received more than 200 millimetres of rain.
The Mossman Treatment Plant received 225mm, the Rex Creek Intake station had 300mm and 118mm fell on Craiglie.
The weather bureau's forecast shows tropical low 29U reaching the Queensland coast from Friday, with a 25 per cent chance of forming into a cyclone. (Supplied: Bureau of Meteorology)
Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) forecaster Morgan Pumper said the low would likely track towards Queensland's North Tropical Coast, where communities had copped hundreds of millimetres of rainfall since Saturday.
"It is expected to move south-west as we see that possibility of a tropical cyclone increase to moderate on Thursday or Friday," she said.
"We can see it moving over the coast between Cairns and Mackay later this week."
She said the system would weaken as it moved over land, either as a tropical low or cyclone.
Loading...Major flooding
The BOM has issued a flood watch for the western Cape York Peninsula and North Tropical Coast.
Flood warnings remain in place for the Herbert, Norman, Flinders, and Nicholson and Leichardt Rivers.
The BOM warned further rainfall was a risk for the days ahead and would result in rapid rises in the catchments.
Roads throughout the sugar-producing Hinchinbrook Shire were cut by floodwaters after the region received rainfall in excess of 285mm between Sunday and yesterday.
Streets throughout the town centre of Ingham were cut on Monday. (Supplied: Sue Barany)
Hinchinbrook Mayor Ramon Jayo said no bursts of heavy rain were expected in the short term and the Herbert River had peaked.
"It appears that the river is starting to fall. It will take some time, but the worst of it seems to be over for now," he said.
"It is going to take two or three days at least for the river to return to normal levels."
The region's Local Disaster Management Group will remain on alert as the Hinchinbrook Shire monitors tropical low 29U.
Cr Jayo said the region, which was devastated by flooding to homes in 2025, had been vigilant throughout the summer.
"The community has been in a state of preparation since January because the river has been jumping up and down like a yo-yo,"he said.
"It is still a bit too far out to predict what its movements are going to be, but once we get to Thursday we will have a good idea.
"All we can do is watch and wait."