DANGEROUS surf conditions, flood warnings and possible severe thunderstorms - Queensland is in for a wild, wet weekend.

The weather bureau has issued a hazardous surf warning from Sunshine Coast beaches down to the Gold Coast today.

Surf and swell conditions are expected to reach around 4m high in some areas this weekend and will be dangerous for coastal activities such as rock fishing, boating and surfing.

Surf Life Saving Queensland has advised people to consider staying out of the water.

Sunshine Coast beaches at Kawana Waters, Marcoola, Maroochydore, Mudjimba, Peregian and Sunshine Beach have been closed.

The dangerous conditions are being caused by a combination of weather systems near Fraser Island, which will lead to “a long fetch of strong to gale force easterly winds, leading to large waves and surf over Gold Coast waters”, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.

A minor flood warning is also in place for areas from Gladstone down to the Sunshine Coast following heavy rain on Friday night.

A flood watch has been issued for catchments including Dawson and Don Rivers, Calliope River, Boyne River, Baffle Creek, Kolan River, Burnett River, Burrum and Cherwell Rivers, Mary River, Noosa River, Sunshine Coast Rivers and Creeks.

The BoM said the dry conditions of these catchment areas and prolonged period of little rainfall would act as a buffer for any significant run-off.

The heaviest rainfall is expected to begin across inland areas, including the Don, Dee and Upper Burnett River catchments from Friday evening and then extend further east to the coast during Saturday.

Boondooma, north of Kingaroy, received the heaviest falls since 9am yesterday morning, recording 209mm.

Noosa also received significant falls (157mm) in the past 24 hours as the Sunshine Coast recorded more than 200mm of rain in the past four days.

The tropics were also given some relief from a dry winter period with Townsville recording 35mm of rain overnight and Cairns about 12mm.

BoM forecast Chris Joseph said thunderstorms were likely to continue around the tropics, through the central interior, Central Highlands and northern Wide Bay districts today.

“For the southeast though and out to Toowoomba, we are just expecting rain today, no storms,” he said.

“We are expecting around 30 to 35mm for the Brisbane area.

“(Temperatures) are also well under the average for the southeast, about 5C to 6C below.”