As Cyclone Alfred continues to close in on the Queensland coastline, everything about it seems uncertain.
Latest information on a rapidly changing situation is available on the Gympie Today website.
And despite challenging conditions, the print edition of Gympie Today is being delivered normally and is available at all the usual outlets.
The threat of Cyclone Alfred remains unpredictable, although the Bureau of Meteorology’s cyclone tracker indicates a probability it will cross the coast at Brisbane, rather than the Sunshine Coast.
Against that, the cyclone has changed course erratically, at one point looping around before resuming its progress towards the coast.
Although the main forecast track is towards Brisbane, the area where anything is possible runs from Hervey Bay to Yamba.
The worst impact is forecast for south of Brisbane.
Latest BoM information this morning says “there is a High likelihood that Alfred (will) remain as a Category 2 tropical cyclone until it crosses the coast, before it weakens below tropical cyclone strength and moves inland.
“Southeast Queensland and northeast New South Wales will be impacted as Alfred approaches and crosses the coast, with gales and heavy rainfall developing, and deteriorating coastal conditions.”
The bureau says the centre of Alfred is expected to cross the coast late Friday or early Saturday, “most likely between Maroochydore and Coolangatta.”
Offshore, a Gale Warning is current for the K’gari coast, increasing to Storm Force for waters from the Sunshine Coast to the Gold Coast.
Gale Force means strong winds to 33 knots with gusts to 63 knots.
Residents have been urged to avoid the water and use any delay in cyclone progress to continue to ready their properties and get water craft stowed.
In Gympie, most supermarkets have restocked their shelves, but the Woolworths Gympie website says it will be closing at 2pm.
The Coles website says it will be open to 9pm and the Gympie IGA website says it will be open until 8pm.
Keep an eye on the Gympie Today website for updates as the situation continues.
