After a hot and mostly dry March over the Queensland central and northern coasts, a pair of tropical lows are helping to bring some late wet-season rain to the region.

After Hamilton Island's hottest March on record (maximum temperature averaging 30.3C, records since 1985), the 71.6mm overnight will bring some welcome relief. This was its heaviest April rain in 8 years and twice of what was recorded in March this year.

Other notable totals in the 24 hours to 9am Saturday have been 63mm at Preston, 54mm at Strathdickie, 53mm at Cannonvale, 50mm at Ingham and 37mm at South Mackay.

A tropical low has moved down from the northern Coral Sea and is now situated over the Great Barrier Reef off the Central Coast. While it is considered a 'very low' (less than 5%) chance to develop into a tropical cyclone, it is still drawing down moisture to the coast.

Another very small tropical low has formed very close to the Herbert and Lower Burdekin Coast and is helping to draw some of that tropical moisture to the northern coast.

Image: Satellite, radar and 24hr rainfall over the central and northern Qld coasts. The small tropical low can be clearly seen in the top left, with the larger low in the top right.

Over this weekend, 48 hour rainfall of 30-60mm is expected over a broad area between Cooktown and Ingham, and Bowen to Rockhampton. Isolated falls of more than 100+mm are also quite a high chance, particularly around the Proserpine and Mackay areas.

Areas nearby such as Townsville and Bundaberg are still a chance to receive some showers and a possible storm, but are less likely to receive significant falls.

Image: Forecast 48hr rainfall over the Qld coast this weekend from UKMO model

From the start of next week, the lows will weaken and migrate back to the north. This will help a trough to build in the north, leading to some more rainfall over Far North Qld and the Top End during the week.