Australia Weather News

BOM have forecast between 70mm and 150mm of rain in Brisbane on Thursday. - ABC

South-east Queensland is set for a drenching today with rainfall in excess of 200 millimetres possible in some localised areas, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has warned.

A severe weather warning for damaging wind and heavy rainfall is current for much of the south-east.

It is all due to ex-Tropical Cyclone Debbie, which is expected to continue moving southwards over the central interior of the state before tracking in a south-easterly direction.

BOM forecaster Brett Harrison said Brisbane experienced some patchy showers throughout Wednesday, but would face heavy rain on Thursday as Debbie makes her way through the south-east.

"The heaviest of the falls [are] expected during the latter part of [Thursday] afternoon and evening where we could see some areas picking up over 100mm and certainly couldn't rule out over 200mm in localised areas," he said.

Senior severe forecaster with BOM Matt Bass said the low was expected to track just to the west of Emerald overnight before taking a south-easterly track over Dalby.

"Then as we go Thursday night into Friday morning it should track pretty much over the south-east over Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast area, and then move off the coast in the early hours of Friday morning," he said.

"At this stage we're looking at 100kph wind gusts particularly around exposed coastal areas and coastal ranges.

"Areas towards Moreton Bay, Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast are more likely to see those wind gusts."

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said contingency plans were in place.

"We'll be watching that weather system every step of the way as it moves gradually down our coast," she said.

"And what it goes to show you is we have a very, very large state here ... and this is a very, very big weather system that's going to wreak havoc all the way down the coast."

The BOM also warned the rainfall was likely to lead to major river flooding over a broad area this week.

A Flood Watch is current for coastal catchments between Gladstone and the New South Wales border, extending inland to parts of the Central Highlands and Coalfields, Central West, Maranoa and Warrego, and Darling Downs and Granite Belt forecast districts.

ABC