North Queensland braces for more flooding as potential cyclone builds off coast

North Queensland is set to receive another drenching this weekend as a tropical low off the coast of Cairns threatens to develop into a cyclone.

A flood warning has been issued for a 180-kilometre stretch of coastline between Mission Beach, south of Cairns, and Rollingstone.

The Bureau of Meteorology's Jonathan How said the warning could be extended to Townsville and its surrounds in the coming days.

Mr How said the tropical low "isn't much more than a mass of cloud and thunderstorms", but it was set to strengthen and organise itself over the course of the weekend.

The tropical low's exact path across the state remained uncertain, with Mr How urging Queenslanders to stay across updates on flooding and wild weather.

It comes after the region was hit with heavy rainfall causing flooding last weekend, with totals of up to 300mm in some areas.

Catchments already saturated from last weekend's rainfall are likely to overflow quickly as further rain lashes the region.

Rainfall is expected to ramp up over the weekend, with coastal regions expected to receive the worst of the storms on Saturday before the low move inland on Sunday.