Santa has delivered postcard-perfect weather conditions for southeast Queenslanders, but in the north residents remain on flood watch and out west, it’s hot.

December 25, 2018

Southeast Queenslanders are enjoying picture-perfect weather on Christmas Day but in the state’s north, persistent rainfall has made for a soggy celebration and out west, it’s getting hot.

On the Gold Coast temperatures are forecast to peak at a comfortable 28C, while in Brisbane, the mercury will hit 30C with low humidity, the Bureau of Meteorology says.

“Pretty nice and fine conditions for today and tomorrow, and right up to the weekend,” meteorologist Adipi Sharan told AAP on Tuesday.

Beach-goers can expect a light easterly sea breeze that will swing to the northeast by Wednesday.

In the state’s north, however, showers and thunderstorms are lingering from Mackay right to the tip of Cape York.

Minor flood warnings have been issued for the Mulgrave and Russell rivers, south of Cairns.

“It will be pretty wet over the next few days in the north,” Ms Sharan says.

A trough in the Coral Sea will continue to dump rain over the next week as it shifts west onto the coast, she said.

Rainfalls of about 100mm are expected in the Port Douglas and Cooktown areas, north of Cairns on Christmas Day.

In Cairns and Townsville temperatures are forecast to reach 31C, with rainfalls of about 50mm.

In southwest Queensland, weather conditions are fine, dry and hot with temperatures expected to rise over the next week.

Birdsville is forecast to peak at 43C for Christmas Day, while in Thargomindah it will reach 39C and in Charleville 36C.

Winds from central Australia are pushing warm air into the region and will trigger a low-intensity heatwave, Ms Sharan says.

“These hot temperatures will be lasting right through the weekend,” she said.