Far north Queensland residents are being warned to brace themselves for damaging winds, heavy rainfall, flash flooding and abnormally high tides as a tropical cyclone could form by Thursday.

A Bureau of Meteorology spokesman said the trough was expected to strengthen over the northern Gulf of Carpentaria and far north Queensland.

"A tropical low is situated over north-east Gulf of Carpentaria waters and is forecast to develop over the next few days, though at this stage it is rated a low chance of forming into a tropical cyclone by Thursday," he said.

"Damaging winds, with peak gusts of around 90 kilometres per hour, are possible about far north Queensland, including the Torres Strait Islands, from late Thursday.

"Water levels on the high tide could exceed the highest tide of the year at some Torres Strait islands today."

Within a six-hour period, 100 to 150mm of rain were likely to hit the eastern side of the Cape Peninsular and locally heavier falls were possible with any thunderstorms.

According to the weather tracking map on Windy.com the cyclone was expected to develop over the Gulf of Carpentaria before moving inland then across to the Northern Territory. It is then expected to turn back and return into Queensland.

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