Here’s the latest update from the Bureau of Meteorology from 4am Thursday, 6 March.
Warning zone: Double Island Point in Queensland to Grafton in New South Wales, including Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Byron Bay and Ballina but not including Grafton.
Watch zone: None.
Cancelled zones: None.
Details of Tropical Cyclone Alfred 22U at 4:00 am AEST:
Intensity: category 2, sustained winds near the centre of 95 kilometres per hour with wind gusts to 130 kilometres per hour.
Location: within 20 kilometres of 27.5 degrees South, 156.3 degrees East , 325 kilometres east of Brisbane and 300 kilometres east of Gold Coast .
Movement: west southwest at 7 kilometres per hour .
Tropical Cyclone Alfred will continue its approach towards the southeast Queensland coast, with the far western edge already impacting the coast from about Coolangatta to Ballina.
Alfred is a category 2 cyclone, and is forecast to maintain this intensity as it continues to approach the southeast Queensland coast. The centre of Alfred is expected to cross the coast during Friday, most likely between Maroochydore and Coolangatta.
Hazards:
Gales with DAMAGING WIND GUSTS to 120 kilometres per hour are developing near the coast from Coolangatta to Ballina. Gales with DAMAGING WIND GUSTS to 120 kilometres per hour are expected to develop along the remaining southeast Queensland and northeastern New South Wales coastal and island communities between Double Island Point and Grafton during Thursday and will persist through Friday.
DESTRUCTIVE WIND GUSTS of up to 155 kilometres per hour may develop about coastal and island locations near, and to the south of, the cyclone centre, possibly as far south as Cape Byron, late Thursday or early Friday as Alfred’s destructive core approaches and crosses the coast. DESTRUCTIVE WIND GUSTS may extend to the further inland close to the cyclone centre during Friday.
A DANGEROUS STORM TIDE is likely along the coastal foreshore for exposed areas near and south of the cyclone centre, possibly as far south as Cape Byron, if the time of coastal crossing coincides with the high tide. Tides are likely to rise significantly above the highest high tide mark with damaging waves and dangerous inundation of coastal low-lying areas.
DANGEROUSLY HIGH TIDES may cause further coastal erosion and some inundation of low-lying areas near exposed beaches on the Gold Coast, including to the NSW/Qld border and the Tweed Coast.
ABNORMALLY HIGH TIDES are likely to continue causing MINOR FLOODING of coastal low lying areas between Double Island Point and Grafton, particularly during the time of high tides early Thursday morning (Wednesday night), early Friday morning (Thursday night) and early Saturday morning (Friday night). DAMAGING SURF leading to significant beach erosion remains likely for the open beaches between Double Island Point and Grafton, and further south over the New South Wales coast. Separate Coastal Hazard and Hazardous Surf Warning are current for southeast Queensland and northeastern New South Wales coasts.
HEAVY RAINFALL may develop for southeast Queensland and northeastern New South Wales from Thursday evening. HEAVY to locally INTENSE RAINFALL which may lead to DANGEROUS AND LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODING may occur near and south of the cyclone centre as Alfred approaches and crosses the coast. Separate Severe Weather Warning and Flood Watches are current for southeast Queensland and northeast New South Wales.
Refer to associated warnings for Queensland and New South Wales at www.bom.gov.au/australia/warnings.
Recommended Action:
People between Double Island Point in Queensland and Grafton in New South Wales should immediately commence or continue preparations, especially securing boats and property.
– For cyclone preparedness and safety advice, visit the Get Ready Queensland website (www.getready.qld.gov.au)
– If you choose to take shelter away from your home, stay COVID-19 safe and pack a mask and hand sanitiser (if you have them).
– For emergency assistance call the Queensland State Emergency Service or New South Wales State Emergency Service (SES) on 132 500 (for assistance with storm damage, rising flood water, fallen trees on buildings or roof damage).
