A day after severe weather hit Queensland, heatwave conditions and thunderstorms are again set to test the state's emergency services.
Two women were injured when a house was damaged during a storm near Kilcoy, north of Brisbane, on Wednesday, reportedly starting a bushfire.
The Bureau of Meteorology says "fairly similar" storms are forecast for the southern half of the state on Thursday, with even worse expected on Friday.
Severe thunderstorms are predicted across the Wide Bay and Burnett regions as well as the southeast coast and parts of the Darling Downs late on Thursday.
The bureau says heavy rainfall, large hail and damaging wind gusts are expected.
The storms also bring the threat of fires being started by lightning, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services said.
More than 4000 lightning strikes were recorded in the Kilcoy region when the two women - in their 60s and 70s - were injured and their house extensively damaged when storms swept through on Wednesday afternoon.
"Dry lightning strikes are always a concern," a QFES spokesperson told AAP.
About 50 fires are burning in Queensland.
Storms may also hit the Maranoa and Warrego regions as well as the central highlands on Thursday.
"It is looking like another active afternoon in the southeast," the bureau spokesperson told AAP.
The weather may get worse on Friday and affect a broader area, with storms set to move further inland and up to the northwest.
"It could well be worse tomorrow given that we do have a trough moving into a region where we already have got a whole lot of activity expected," the bureau said.
The storms are set to combine with heatwave conditions.
Temperatures of up to 10 degrees above average are forecast for some regions on Thursday.
Heatwave conditions are expected for parts of central west, Central Highlands, up into the northwest, Northern Goldfields, Upper Flinders and up to the Gulf of Carpentaria.
Temperatures will hover around 40 degrees in some regions with Longreach expected to hit 44, Winton 43 and Mount Isa 42 on Thursday.
Even overnight temperatures may be up to eight degrees above average in some regions, the bureau said.
Meanwhile, Queenslanders are being urged not to let cost-of-living pressures stop them preparing for natural disasters.
James Cook University disaster studies researcher Yetta Gurtner says bare essentials in disaster kits did not have to be expensive.
Families and households have also been urged to discuss what they would do if separated during a natural disaster.
Australia's cyclone season is usually from November to April, typically peaking in Queensland in February and March.
Australian Associated Press
