Tropical Cyclone Alfred is expected to become a category two storm off the coast of Queensland overnight.
At 4am AEST the cyclone will likely intensify, and conditions are expected to deteriorate further as Alfred approaches the south-east Queensland coast.
Gales with damaging wind gusts of up to 120 kilometres per hour are expected to develop along the coast, according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM).
The system could impact heavily populated areas across hundreds of kilometres of coastline in the coming days.
It is likely to cross the Queensland coast late on Thursday or Friday, with authorities warning people from Sandy Cape in Queensland to Grafton in New South Wales to be prepared.
Destructive winds expected
BOM senior meteorologist Sarah Scully warned of “widespread impacts” due to destructive onshore winds over what she believes will be a “multi-day event”.
“The greatest impacts will be on the southern flank where you get those onshore winds, very heavy rainfall and of course the damaging and destructive winds,” Ms Scully said.
“We’re also expecting big storm tides, increasing the likelihood of coastal inundation and flooding of low-lying areas.”
On top of the wind, the BOM is warning residents to be prepared for heavy rain and potential flooding.
Daily rainfall totals of between 200 millimetres and 400mm are possible.
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What to expect from a category two cyclone
The BOM says this is what you can expect from a category two system:
- Destructive winds and minor house damage
- Significant damage to signs, trees and caravans
- Heavy damage to some crops
- A risk of power failure
- Small craft may break moorings
- The maximum mean wind speed is usually 89–117kph
- The typical strongest gust is 125–164kph
A radar image shows Cyclone Alfred on Monday. (Supplied: Windy)
Take this seriously, Qld premier says
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli has urged the public to take the cyclone seriously.
“The one thing that the bureau is telling us consistently is that the likelihood of it crossing the coast remains really high,” he said.
He said it was likely Cyclone Alfred would hit the Queensland coast in the next 24 hours between Fraser K’gari Island and the Queensland-New South Wales border.
The premier added that there would be big surf and erosion, damaging winds and complexity with flooding.
He expects that flooding will be of the most concern for areas of Queensland.
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“You’re already dealing with areas that are reasonably soaked already, so there are complications that come with that,” he said.
And the premier is asking people who live in the regions expected to be hit hardest by the cyclone to consider evacuating.
“We are asking residents to consider what the impacts could be on their home,” he said.
NSW residents warned
Northern NSW residents have also been urged to brace for Tropical Cyclone Alfred, which is heading for a large part of the state this week.
Residents are being warned of strong winds, powerful swells and flash flooding from Byron Bay to the Coffs Coast.
NSW residents have been warned to expect powerful swells. (ABC News: Bruce Mackenzie)
Areas along the northern rivers, including Tweed Heads, Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, Byron Bay, Ballina, Yamba, Woolgoolga and Brooms Head are on alert.
BOM manager of hazard preparedness Steven Bernasconi acknowledged it was “unusual” for a cyclone to be within reach of NSW.
“We don’t often have tropical cyclone watches and warnings in the New South Wales jurisdiction,” he said.
Storms and rain into the weekend
BOM forecaster Jonathan How said storms would continue after even Alfred made landfall.
“Even into the weekend we are likely to see widespread rain and storms,” he said.
“And, of course, that flooding may take some time to subside, so still a long way to go.”
The last tropical cyclone to cross the coast in south-east Queensland was ex-Tropical Cyclone Zoe in 1974.
