Heavy rain and thunderstorms hit Queensland and New South Wales

Queensland recorded the highest rainfall over the weekend, with the Wide Bay-Burnett and Central Ranges receiving more than 200 mm and 300 mm respectively, as a blocking high-pressure system sat over the Tasman Sea. Humid easterly winds brought showers and thunderstorms to the state's southeast coast.

"Many parts of Queensland have seen two to four times their average rain October rainfall in the last week," Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Sarah Scully said.

The State Emergency Service (SES) in Queensland logged 67 calls for assistance overnight, most of them in the Downs region (12 call-outs). The Sunshine Coast, Brisbane and Fraser Coast reported nine, seven and five call-outs respectively. Structural damage was the most common reason for assistance, accounting for 28 % of calls, while 9 % involved flooding and downed trees.

Weather warnings for flooding remain in effect across parts of Queensland as water levels rise along the coast. Further south, a 1,500 km line of thunderstorms stretched from southern Queensland into New South Wales and out to the Tasman Sea. Western Sydney experienced more than 1,200 lightning strikes on Sunday night.

The Bureau of Meteorology warned that flash flooding, damaging winds and large hail could continue across the Mid North Coast and Northern Tablelands of New South Wales into southeast and central Queensland on Monday.

"Severe thunderstorms are possible across parts of the Northern Territory, but ... the focus on Monday will be across Queensland and down into NSW," meteorologist Jonathon How said.

Forecasts indicate that from Tuesday the severe weather will shift further north, moving across central Australia for the remainder of the week.