BIG parts of northern Queensland and the Northern Territory look set to receive a drenching, with an early start to the wet season predicted.
Bureau of Meteorology mapping shows 75 to 80 per cent chance of early onset rainfall in northern regions, with most of the rest of Queensland and the NT having a 60 to 65pc chance of early rain.
"An earlier than normal northern rainfall onset for the 2022-23 season is likely across Queensland and most of the NT, while some areas of the Pilbara and southern Kimberley in WA are likely to have a later than usual onset," the forecast issued on Thursday reads.
"Climate influences include warm ocean temperatures to the north of the continent, the emerging negative Indian Ocean Dipole and the potential reformation of La Nina later in the year."
The onset is defined as when enough rain has fallen to stimulate plant growth after the dry season - or an accumulated 50mm of rain on a given location after September 1.
Meanwhile, Queensland is expected to experience generally fine weather until Sunday, with some light rain predicted for the southern half of Queensland starting Monday.
BoM says the south east interior can expect a frost on Sunday.
BoM's northern rainfall onset outlook is a guide to rainfall within the first months of the Australian northern wet season.
The outlook is the percentage likelihood of the rainfall onset beginning earlier than normal.