Far North Queensland is receiving a drenching as heavy rainfall cuts roads, closes public parks, and rapidly fills rivers, with forecasts of more to come.
A broad band of cloud with embedded rain and storms is hovering over the top part of the state as a monsoon trough moves over the region.
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe weather warning for parts of Cape York Peninsula and the North Tropical Coast, forecasting heavy rainfall that could lead to flash flooding.
Six-hourly rainfall totals of up to 300 millimetres are possible in parts of the region.
In Julatten, about 55 kilometres north of Cairns, Amber Dahlberg said she had recorded more than 100mm of rain between 5:00am and 8:00am.
"If you're going to venture out today you're going to need a snorkel," Ms Dahlberg said.
"All the little causeways on the highway around Mount Molloy-Mossman Road are all running across the roads at the moment.
"Euluma Creek's cut off at the coastal end with about 200mm over the road there."
BOM duty forecaster Steve Hadley said heavy rainfall was increasing along the coast on Thursday, but it was difficult to forecast where the greatest totals would fall.
"Some of the latest models we're looking at are trending towards the north of Cairns seeing the heaviest rainfall over the next 24 to 48 hours," Mr Hadley said.
"Cairns itself and northwards to include the northern beaches, Port Douglas and up into the Cooktown area."
Ms Dahlberg said a small creek that flows over her driveway during heavy rainfall was "well and truly pumping".
"I can hear bits of my driveway being taken away right now so we won't be going anywhere today," she said.
"If this rain keeps up, that can cause us to be landlocked for a couple of days."
Copperlode Dam, west of Cairns, recorded 88mm of rain in the 24 hours to 9:00am Thursday, while south of the city the Peets Bridge Alert at Goldsborough recorded 108mm in the same period.
In Cairns itself the council has closed a number of parks and sporting fields.
Deputy Mayor Terry James said the heavy rainfall over the next few days would coincide with expected king tides, which could lead to localised flooding in low-lying areas.
"In the really bad areas Council will have road blocks and signage up there, but people need to be aware," Mr James said.
BOM expects a weak tropical low in the Gulf of Carpentaria to make landfall in the southern part of the gulf on Thursday night, with the monsoon trough continuing to impact the east coast into Friday.
It said the Mulgrave and Russell Rivers, south of Cairns, would likely reach or exceed minor flood levels late Thursday.
