Weather forecasters say a repeat of last year's devastating floods does not look likely this summer, with the upcoming storm season expected to be less severe and arrive later than usual.
The Bureau of Meteorology has released its seasonal outlook predicting a comparatively weak El Nino event to delay the onset of the big wet and lessen the impact of tropical cyclones off the east coast.
However, the dry conditions will mean higher than average summer temperatures, providing little relief for firefighters already battling through a difficult fire season. The bureau has also warned thunderstorms, strong winds and damaging hail could strike any time.
"Most global climate models predict a continuation of the El Nino through the summer months," the bureau outlook says.
"El Nino events are usually associated with below normal rainfall over much of Queensland and a below-average number of tropical cyclones in the Coral Sea. Cyclones are also more likely from late December than earlier in the season."
The news comes as Energex emergency response crews last week returned to Ashgrove in Brisbane's north-western suburbs, which bore the brunt of last November's record storm lashing.
The power provider, which played a major role in the clean-up following the destructive tempest, launched its 2009 storm season campaign, warning residents to prepare early.
Energex spent $80,000 on a new "forward response" caravan on the back of last year's lashing. It has also announced improvements to its emergency dispatch systems and will equip call centre staff to take emergency calls from home to speed up its response process.
Spokesman Mike Swanston said many lessons had been learned from last year's experience and despite the bureau's relatively positive outlook, it was important to remain vigilant.
"Yesterday we placed over 1000 of our staff on storm stand-by, from call centre staff to operational crews,' Mr Swanston said.
"Out of the wash up from last November was that we needed a bit of a focal point and a gathering point to co-ordinate the emergency response, and the caravan will provide that.
"It's also a point for the community to come to for help or information about what is happening. If they're without power [at home] they can charge their mobile phones.
"Last year in The Gap we found the only way people could communicate was by mobiles but they were constantly running out of battery.
"Our message this storm season is that they can hit any time. It doesn't have to be rain and thunderstorms. It has been windy recently and with 35,000 kilometres of overhead power lines, wind can be our biggest challenge."
In its forward predictions, the weather bureau said thunderstorms would probably begin rolling in from now until April "with a peak in South-East Queensland between November and January".
"If the environmental conditions are supportive, most storms have the potential to be severe with damaging wind and hail," it advised.
"Although a late onset of the wet season is more likely than not, river and flash flooding in response to rainfall events is always possible. High rainfall is linked to the location of the monsoon trough and the path of individual tropical cyclones and other low pressure systems. Slow moving thunderstorms are also capable of producing heavy falls.''
Storm preparedness seminars will be held across the state, particularly in cyclone and flood-prone communities in north Queensland.
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