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Early-season deluge continues in Queensland

Ben Domensino, Thursday October 19, 2017 - 14:41 AEDT

Unusually heavy October rainfall continues to soak eastern Queensland as records tumble along the state's North Tropical Coast.

The mass of rain and thunderstorms that has been inundating central and eastern Queensland since the weekend has slowly shifted north during the last two days.

After setting new October daily rainfall records along the central coast earlier in the week, the heaviest falls have targeted the area north of Townsville during the last 24 hours.

Widespread falls of 100-200mm were recorded along the coast and adjacent inland between Rollingstone and Port Douglas during the 24 hours to 9am on Thursday. The highest total in the area was 431mm at a rain gauge called Moyla Alert, near Cairns.

Cardwell's 185mm during the 24 hour period was its heaviest October daily rainfall total on record and more than three times its monthly average at this time of year. Rainfall observations at this site are available back to the late 1800s.

Cairns Airport collected 135mm in the 24 hours to 9am today, which is its heaviest October rain in six years and close to three months worth of rain at this time of year.

Flooding is still affecting a number of river catchments in eastern Queensland following this week's heavy rain.

The latest flood advisories are available here: http://www.weatherzone.com.au/warnings.jsp

- Weatherzone

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