"Then the focus shifts further to the coast tomorrow and the Gold Coast as well."

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Meteorology is closely monitoring a tropical low in the Coral Sea off the north Queensland coast, which could turn into a tropical cyclone, but it was not expected to head towards the Sunshine State.

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Mr Majchrowski said the main bulk of the rain was forecast to hit the south-east coast on Wednesday evening and continue into Thursday, but it would not be as much as initially forecast.

The Gold Coast was set for up to 100 millimetres, while Brisbane was forecast to receive 20-40 millimetres on Wednesday and a further 70 millimetres on Thursday, before easing on Friday.

"We did have a coastal trough forming off the Sunshine Coast and we were forecasting 100-150 millimetres, but that depended on the passage of an upper trough," he said.

"The upper trough did not move as quickly as was forecast, that trough did not deepen and so we did not get the significant rainfall totals we are expecting.

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"At the moment we are expecting 40-80 millimetres for the Sunshine Coast today [Wednesday]."

Mr Majchrowski said the combination of a southerly change and lingering moisture from last week's tropical low were responsible for generating the wet weather.

"The best of the rain is actually between Noosa and Bundaberg today with 40-80 millimetres forecast and tomorrow [Thursday] it will ease off and move out onto the coast," he said.

"However, out in the west where the rain is needed, we may see some good rainfall totals for tomorrow after 30 millimetres through the Lockyer Valley.

"We currently are expecting severe thunderstorms with damaging winds and heavy rainfall extending from the Gulf Country down into the Maranoa and Warrego district.

"There is also a flood watch in place for coastal catchments south of Maryborough down to NSW."