The remnants of Ex-Tropical Cyclone Maila have already started to bring moderate to heavy rainfall to parts of the north Queensland coast, and more rainfall is expected today and over the coming days, with the potential for flash flooding and possibly riverine flooding.
Hi, it's Christie at the Bureau, and let's start by taking a look at where Ex-Tropical Cyclone Maila has been tracking.
Earlier this morning, the system was located over the far north of the Cape York Peninsula, extending a trough down towards the North Tropical Coast, with areas of moisture pushing across the peninsula and into the Cassowary Coast.
In terms of rainfall totals through to 9 am this morning, the heaviest rainfall was up in the Torres Strait – 170 mm at Coconut Island. We also saw significant rainfall around the Cassowary Coast, with close to 100 mm at Topaz. With that sort of rainfall already falling and more expected, we do have a Flood Watch current. This covers the Daintree and Mossman Rivers in the north around Cairns, the Mulgrave and Russell Rivers, and also the Tully, Herbert, Murray and Black Rivers.
If you're in these areas, it's important to stay up to date with the latest forecasts and warnings. A Flood Watch means there is the potential for warnings to be issued in the coming days. Depending on rainfall over the next 24 to 48 hours, some of these Flood Watches may be upgraded to warnings.
For the rest of today, we are still expecting showers and thunderstorms along the North Tropical Coast, potentially extending down towards Townsville and as far as the Whitsundays or Mackay. We will also see showers and storms extending inland, particularly through the Northern Goldfields, Upper Flinders and northern parts of the Central West District. Showers will begin easing over the far north as the system moves into the Gulf of Carpentaria.
On Thursday, showers and storms will continue along the North Tropical Coast, likely heaviest in the morning and easing slightly in the afternoon. The focus will shift to central and north-west Queensland, as well as eastern parts of the Northern Territory.
By Friday, rainfall and thunderstorms will extend across a large part of northern Queensland and into the Northern Territory, particularly the eastern Top End.
So how much rainfall are we expecting? We've already seen 50–100 mm through parts of the North Tropical Coast. The purple areas show where a further 100–200 mm is possible, with locally higher totals if thunderstorms repeatedly move over the same area. Inland areas show more moderate rainfall totals in the yellow and orange zones – generally 20 to 50 or 60 mm – but some localised heavier falls of 70 to 80 mm are possible. Given how wet the ground already is, this could lead to localised flash flooding.
In the Northern Territory, the heaviest rainfall is expected in the eastern Top End, with more moderate totals elsewhere across central and western regions.
It will be important to stay up to date with the latest forecasts and warnings over the next few days, especially where thunderstorms are involved. Check the radar and official updates via the Bureau website or the BOM Weather app.
Follow all advice from local emergency services and stay safe.
Hi, it's Christie at the Bureau, and let's start by taking a look at where Ex-Tropical Cyclone Maila has been tracking.
Earlier this morning, the system was located over the far north of the Cape York Peninsula, extending a trough down towards the North Tropical Coast, with areas of moisture pushing across the peninsula and into the Cassowary Coast.
In terms of rainfall totals through to 9 am this morning, the heaviest rainfall was up in the Torres Strait – 170 mm at Coconut Island. We also saw significant rainfall around the Cassowary Coast, with close to 100 mm at Topaz. With that sort of rainfall already falling and more expected, we do have a Flood Watch current. This covers the Daintree and Mossman Rivers in the north around Cairns, the Mulgrave and Russell Rivers, and also the Tully, Herbert, Murray and Black Rivers.
If you're in these areas, it's important to stay up to date with the latest forecasts and warnings. A Flood Watch means there is the potential for warnings to be issued in the coming days. Depending on rainfall over the next 24 to 48 hours, some of these Flood Watches may be upgraded to warnings.
For the rest of today, we are still expecting showers and thunderstorms along the North Tropical Coast, potentially extending down towards Townsville and as far as the Whitsundays or Mackay. We will also see showers and storms extending inland, particularly through the Northern Goldfields, Upper Flinders and northern parts of the Central West District. Showers will begin easing over the far north as the system moves into the Gulf of Carpentaria.
On Thursday, showers and storms will continue along the North Tropical Coast, likely heaviest in the morning and easing slightly in the afternoon. The focus will shift to central and north-west Queensland, as well as eastern parts of the Northern Territory.
By Friday, rainfall and thunderstorms will extend across a large part of northern Queensland and into the Northern Territory, particularly the eastern Top End.
So how much rainfall are we expecting? We've already seen 50–100 mm through parts of the North Tropical Coast. The purple areas show where a further 100–200 mm is possible, with locally higher totals if thunderstorms repeatedly move over the same area. Inland areas show more moderate rainfall totals in the yellow and orange zones – generally 20 to 50 or 60 mm – but some localised heavier falls of 70 to 80 mm are possible. Given how wet the ground already is, this could lead to localised flash flooding.
In the Northern Territory, the heaviest rainfall is expected in the eastern Top End, with more moderate totals elsewhere across central and western regions.
It will be important to stay up to date with the latest forecasts and warnings over the next few days, especially where thunderstorms are involved. Check the radar and official updates via the Bureau website or the BOM Weather app.
Follow all advice from local emergency services and stay safe.
Weather update: Heavy rainfall and flood risk for northern Queensland
15 April 2026
Video current: 12:00 pm AEST Wednesday 15/04/26.