Northern Australia warned to brace for storms, deluge

The Bureau of Meteorology said some areas south of Darwin could experience up to 500mm of rain between Sunday and Wednesday with widespread totals elsewhere in the region totalling 200 to 300mm.

A severe weather warning has been issued for the Top End in the Northern Territory, including Darwin and the Tiwi Islands, with damaging wind gusts and monsoon squalls also expected.

Senior meteorologist Angus Hines said the combination of the low-pressure area and predicted thunderstorms could lead to damaging winds.

"We could see damaging wind gusts in excess of 90km/h through the course of Sunday and into Monday as it stays windy into the new week," he said on Sunday.

"Some areas might see as much as 500mm through this part of the country with much more widespread totals in the region of 200 to 300mm.

"As well as that there will be extensive rainfall of 100mm-plus through much of Northern Territory, a lot of north Queensland as well."

A monsoon trough spanning from Western Australia across to the far north Queensland coast is expected to bring heavy rainfall to an already saturated region.

Douglas Shire Mayor Michael Kerr said residents of flood-stricken Degarra in Queensland's far north are still trying to clean up the damage from ex-tropical cyclone Jasper last month.

"The residents of Degarra are at breaking point," he said.

"We need what was promised for the locals.

"It's a ludicrous situation that we can provide assistance for countries overseas within hours but our residents have been waiting over a month since the disaster and seven days since approval was given for assistance and they're yet to see any."

The Department of Housing has sent caravans as temporary accommodation to the region, but Mr Kerr said they are a three hour walk away for Degarra residents.

Through the week, the bureau forecast totals of 100 to 200mm of rain and frequent widespread thunderstorms with the risk of flooding across Queensland's far north.

A severe weather warning for North Tropical Coast, Tablelands, Herbert and Lower Burdekin Forecast Districts was cancelled early on Monday.

Flood watches are in place for parts of the NT's western Top End and areas to the southwest, west and north of Cairns in Queensland.

"As we track the rainfall across these river catchments, they may well respond with flood responses through the course of the next couple of days," Mr Hines said.

Australian Associated Press