Flood-battered regions of northern Australia face another dangerous weekend, with monsoonal conditions and the possibility of a tropical cyclone threatening to bring more life-threatening rain.

Heavy rain and storms are forecast to ramp up from Friday into the weekend, likely renewing water level rises in the already-drenched regions.

After a slight reprieve in heavy rain on Wednesday, the region copped hundreds of millimetres of rain on Thursday, bringing flash flooding in Townsville.

The Bureau of Meteorology said Townsville had had 142 millimetres of rain in the past day, while further south the Burdekin region got 221 millimetres.

But the bureau has warned that rain will escalate from Friday in another round of showers, rain and thunderstorms in the Townsville and Mackay areas.

Already sodden areas may get another 150 millimetres of rain – and some even more.

The BOM has warned up to 300 millimetres of rain will fall from Ayr to Tully over the weekend.

“When are conditions expected to ease? Not for some time across north-east Queensland, unfortunately, with a fresh burst of heavy rainfall from tonight through Saturday, through Sunday, and continuing to be wet into the start of next week,” the bureau’s Angus Hines told the ABC on Friday.

“In our slightly longer range forecast, we could see an overall shift in weather pattern sometime through the middle of next week, which might bring some drier conditions.”

A tropical low is expected to develop in the Coral Sea off the Queensland coast on Saturday. The weather bureau said it had a low chance of becoming a cyclone.

It is expected to move east, away from the mainland over the weekend.

There are already flood warnings from Cairns in the far north to Saint Lawrence in central Queensland.

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli was in Townsville on Friday. He said the weather system remained intense.

“We are asking people to stay connected, please listen to advice … To the people of north Queensland, thank you for your resilience. This weekend will further test that resilience and that spirit, but if anyone has proven their mettle over the years it is people of this region,” he said.

He said the state government was “ready for what Mother Nature can throw at us this weekend”.

An operations centre has been established in the Mackay district, with seven flood boats deployed. Crisafulli said a further four had been sent to the Whitsundays.

Elsewhere, more support and emergency services are bound for the north as the recovery effort continues.

Ingham has been one of the worst hit with floodwaters cutting power, disrupting telecommunications and affecting food supply.

Power was finally restored and a temporary crossing built on a damaged bridge for emergency services to transport much-needed supplies late on Thursday.

But the sodden town is again on alert due to the latest forecast.

The army helped construct the temporary crossing on the collapsed Ollera Creek Bridge that had left Ingham residents stranded.

It will initially be open for emergency services to deliver critical supplies to the flood-hit town.

The Ingham substation, which had been inundated, was also switched back on to progressively restore power to the thousands who had been left in the dark for almost a week.

Ergon Energy will fast-track restoration work and transport more generators to help Ingham recover from flooding that claimed two lives.

Supermarket supplies also remain a priority for the north with the state government triggering a disaster planning event to allow businesses to operate 24/7.

Two planes were due to fly to Cairns to provide food supplies for Weipa and the tropical coast. Another flight with refrigerated goods was expected in the north on Friday.

-with AAP