Experts anticipate that Tropical Cyclone Alfred will make landfall between the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast late Thursday, with damaging winds, storms, and heavy rain to affect a larger warning zone spanning Queensland and NSW.
According to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), the cyclone is currently 510 kilometres east of Brisbane and 480km east of the Gold Coast.
It’s moving towards land at a rate of 12 kilometres per hour, maintaining intensity as a category two cyclone as it travels towards the southeast Queensland coast. The current warning zones are Double Island Point in Queensland to Grafton in New South Wales, including Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Byron Bay and Ballina.
Gales with damaging wind gusts of up to 120 kilometres per hour are due to hit from Wednesday, increasing to 155 kilometres per hour by Thursday afternoon “as Alfred’s destructive core approaches and crosses the coast”.
BOM Senior forecaster Dean Narramore has warned that “much of south-east Queensland and north-east New South Wales” will be in for torrential rainfall when the cyclone hits land.
“We know we get a lot of storms here in south-east Queensland, you know when we get that really big burst of heavy rainfall and strong and gusty winds,” he said, per the ABC.
“Imagine that for six, nine, 12 hours — that’s what we’re looking at.”
Speaking to ABC News Breakfast this morning, Queensland Premier David Crisafulli warned that Cyclone Alfred was a “serious event” and encouraged those in affected areas to put in the work now to stay safe when it does arrive.
“In the last few days, we’ve spoken to people about having days to prepare; we’re moving into that phase where it’s now about hours,” he explained.
“Do all the little things now, it’ll make a world of difference.”
Crisafulli also stated that some residents in southeast Queensland have already been evacuated, with councils preparing to begin doorknocking efforts in areas expected to be hit by the cyclone.
“If somebody turns up at your door and they are providing you with information, you need to take it seriously,” he said.
On Tuesday, NSW Premier Chris Minns spoke to the media, encouraging residents in northern NSW to take measures to prepare to the impacts of Cyclone Alfred.
“Even with all of those resources … we still rely on the public to act early, be prepared to listen to information so that we can limit the amount of exposure to people potentially losing their lives,” he said.
For information on how to prepare for a cyclone, click HERE. You can check out all the associated cyclone warnings HERE. If you’re in an affected cyclone area, you can find advice HERE.
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