A monsoonal trough that dumped torrential rain in north Queensland is easing, with the bulk of the wet weather leaving the region.
A severe weather warning for heavy rain and potential flash flooding for communities between Innisfail, Ayr and Charters Towers was cancelled late on Friday morning.
However some areas were still received decent falls this morning as the system tracked north.
In two hours, Cardwell got 37 millimetres and Gairloch had 20mm.
Townsville had some reprieve overnight from intense downpours experienced on Wednesday evening, which resembled falls seen in the devastating floods two years ago.
Parts of the city were inundated with flash flooding early yesterday amid the onslaught, however Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) forecaster Peter Otto said the city was spared further torrential rain overnight.
He said a low sitting over the region was now dumping most of its rain off the coast.
"Falls haven't been as heavy as initially expected," Mr Otto said.
"But there is still that risk of heavy falls through today, but the heaviest rain is offshore."
After getting 381millimetres in the 24 hours to 9:00am Thursday, Townsville's totals had reduced overnight, with inland areas receiving between 50mm and 80mm and even less towards the city's coastline.
Inland areas saw the highest 18-hour rain totals, from 9:00am on Thursday, with Upper Rudd Creek on the Herbert River receiving 102mm and further south Ida Creek on the Don River near Proserpine getting 124mm.
Monsoonal trough moving north
The heavy rain risk associated with the monsoon is expected to gradually head north today.
BOM forecaster Harry Clark said the monsoonal system should start to weaken by tomorrow though rain is expected to persist.
"We will still see persistent showers and thunderstorms storms north of Townsville for the coming days, so by no means a clearance just a gradual easing," he said.
"The one exception to this is in the north-west — regions north of Mount Isa — where we do really see these heavy shower and thunderstorm activity continue for the next few days right through the weekend and into early next week."
Mr Clark said weather will be much more stable in the southern half of the state.
He said there was a chance that storms could extend into the south-west, and the slight chance of some heavy falls in the southern parts of the channel country.
'Farmer tips out the rain gauge'
The break in rainfall is welcome news to the region's canegrowers who were experiencing run-off after the drenching.
Burdekin canegrower Phil Marano said he had to tip out the rain gauge more than once on Thursday.
"We've had well over 100 millimetres yesterday and we probably got up to 60 millimetres again last night," he said.
"It's run-off now, the rain that we are going to continue to get is probably not going to do much for us."
