Heavy rain and flooding impacting FNQ producers

On Friday morning the rain depression was west of Palmerville, slowly moving west across the southern Peninsula, and is forecast to have traversed across the Peninsula and into the Gulf of Carpentaria by Saturday morning.

In the meantime, the Pearce family at Telpara Hills on the Atherton Tableland is reporting serious flooding.

General manager Stephen Pearce said they had received 400mm of rain by Friday morning and had lost mains power, meaning they were relying on generators.

"We have 80 IVF calves due at the moment - they are really struggling born in these conditions," he said.

Similarly, Susan Shephard at Malanda said they were experiencing "just too much rain".

"We bought steers down (from the Cape) last week and they are really suffering," she said.

Further west, Simon and Tahna Jackson were sheltered from the worst of the rain on their property at Dimbulah, thanks to being on the western side of the Great Dividing Range, recording falls of 71 and 33mm by Friday morning.

"We've dodged a bullet so far, I'm glad we're not closer to the coast," Ms Jackson said. "I don't think I'd cope with 600mm."

She joked that they were "freezing" at 22 degrees, having to hunt out a jacket and long pants.

They had a start to the wet season in late November, recording 40mm, followed by warm days, meaning their grass cover was protecting their soil from some of the impacts of the rain.

The highest rainfall total in the region to 9am Thursday morning was 624mm at Yandill, north of the Daintree, which is the second highest daily rainfall ever recorded in the month of December anywhere in Australia.

According to retired CSIRO meteorologist Peter Nelson, the highest ever daily rainfall recorded was 724mm at Sarina, south of Mackay on December 30, 1990.

Mr Nelson said the rainfall at Cairns to 9am Thursday, 178.6mm, was the city's wettest December day since 180.2mm fell on December 24, 1990.

He noted that the September to November period in 1990 had been very dry in Cairns, mirroring similar conditions to this year in the region.

"Just before Cyclone Jasper made landfall, Burketown in the Gulf of Carpentaria recorded a maximum temperature of 43.4 degrees, almost the hottest December day on record," he said.

"Last month, November, there was also near record heat for November at Burketown when the maximum temperature reached 42.7.

"Back in 1990 the same near record heat also occurred in both November and December at Burketown."

A severe weather warning is current for the North Tropical Coast and Tablelands for heavy, to locally intense rainfall and damaging winds.

According to the Bureau of Meteorology, heavy rain that may lead to flash flooding is possible on Friday north of and including Port Douglas.

Six-hourly rainfall totals between 100 to 150 mm are possible, with isolated falls up to 200 mm along the coast and adjacent ranges, while 24-hourly rainfall totals between 150 to 250 mm are possible, with isolated falls up to 300 mm possible along the coast and adjacent ranges.

Rainfall will persist across broad areas south of Port Douglas, although current expectations are for rainfall rates to be sub-severe.

For Cape York Peninsula, west of the Tablelands, heavy rainfall that could lead to flash flooding is possible through parts of the southern Peninsula today, Friday, extending west towards Kowanyama during early Saturday.

Six-hourly rainfall totals between 100 to 140 mm are possible, with 24-hourly totals up to 200 mm, particularly on the eastern side of the system centre.

A flood watch and flood warnings are current for the North Tropical Coast, and parts of the Cape York Peninsula and Gulf Country.

Locations that may be affected include Port Douglas, Palmerville, Cooktown, Musgrave, Hope Vale and Julatten.