A CYCLONE could batter North Queensland as early as next week when a monsoonal trough hits the region.

The weather bureau is keeping an eye on low pressure systems developing in the Indian Ocean that are expected to move across the Gulf Country to the Coral Sea.

It warns there's a greater chance of a cyclone if these coincide with the return of a monsoon trough, which travels east to west across the tropics during the monsoon season.

The bureau says the monsoonal trough would usually be across central Australia at this time of year, but it's stayed in North Queensland.