Tropical Cyclone Debbie has started to slowly move southwest towards the far north Queensland coast.
The low pressure system was upgraded to a Category 1 cyclone on Saturday morning.
But Debbie is predicted to intensify over the weekend and develop into a Category 4 by Monday night, bringing with it wind gusts of more than 200km per hour.
Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist Andrea Peace said a Category 4 would cause "significant structural damage, dangerous airborne debris and also power failures".
Ms Peace said heavy rain in excess of 200mm per day was expected to develop on Sunday along the far north and central Queensland coast, as well as in adjacent inland areas.
"Abnormally high tides are also expected to occur between at least Lucinda and Mackay as the cyclone approaches the coast," she said.
"Large waves may also develop along the beachfront so coastal inundation is likely and those highest waves will be on the southern side of the cyclone."
A cyclone watch zone for residents living between Cape Tribulation and St Lawrence remains in place.
A flood watch is also current between Cairns and Gladstone.
Ms Peace said the BoM predicted Tropical Cyclone Debbie would make landfall between Cardwell and Hamilton Island either on Monday night or Tuesday morning.
Earlier on Saturday BoM Queensland regional director Bruce Gunn would not rule out the possibility it could intensify into a Category 5.
Residents in the watch zone are being urged to prepare for a cyclone.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told people not to wait until Sunday night or Monday because it could "be too late".
A decision about school closures will be made on Sunday following the second meeting of the Queensland Disaster Management Committee.
Coordination centres in Cairns, Innisfail, Townsville and Mackay have also been activated.
Townsville Local Disaster Management group chair Jenny Hill urged residents to familiarise themselves with the council's evacuation guide to determine whether their house may be at risk of flooding.
The Queensland Fire and Emergency Services deployed 50 staff from its Disaster Assistance and Response Team to Cairns on Saturday afternoon to bolster local crews.
