Cyclone Alfred live updates: What you need to know

Brisbane has turned into an eerie ghost town as millions of residents retreat into their homes as they wait for Tropical Cyclone Alfred to unleash its full fury on the city.

After almost a week of nervous anticipation, the category 2 system has again been delayed and it now expected to cross over the Moreton Bay Islands about 7am on Saturday before hitting the mainland between Noosa and Beenleigh about three hours later.

The state’s southeast is already experiencing gale force winds in excess 100km/h and enduring heavy downfalls as the storm thunders towards the coast at a speed of 8km/h.

The belated arrival means that the region is now expected to be battered by storms for up to five days instead of three, with wind gusts of up to 155km/h and a deluge of 800mm rain predicted over the weekend.

More than 84,000 homes and businesses are already without power across the Gold Coast and northern NSW amid warnings the blackouts will go on for days because it is simply too dangerous to send out repair crews during the dangerous weather conditions.

Even more are expected to lose access to electricity in the coming 24 hours as wind speeds continue to increase and more powerlines come down.

A major electricity substation at Tugun on the Gold Coast has already been taken out by wind-blown debris, adding to the widespread outrages.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says authorities are ‘hoping for the best but preparing for the worst’.

He has dispatched more than 100 Australian Defence Force personnel to reinforce the regions’ hard-pressed SES volunteers.

He warns residents should not be deceived by the slow progress of the storm – which simply means the region will be battered by wild weather for even longer.

‘As it is over warmer waters (it also has) the potential to increase intensity,’ he says.

The only positive is that the steady pace has given locals a little more time to prepare for the onslaught before going into lockdown.

Traffic cameras throughout Queensland’s southeast reveal the region is now virtually empty with even its busiest streets devoid of any cars.

It comes as the eye of the storm is now clearly visible on the Bureau of Meteorology’s Brisbane radar loop, and the agency has begun to issue rolling, hourly updates on the cyclone’s progress.

NSW SES Deputy Commissioner Deb Platts says it is vital people stay up to date on the latest developments as Cyclone Alfred edges towards the coast.

She says warnings and alerts will continue to rapidly evolve throughout the storm.

‘We need people to keep up to date with the warnings.

‘We’ve seen that overnight where we’ve been able to change some evacuation warnings based on the Bureau of Meteorology’s information and forecasts.’

Her advice comes as heavy rainfall and gale force winds, with gusts of more than 100km/h, are already pummeling southeast Queensland and northern NSW with conditions to intensify throughout the day.

Moreton Bay local Ally Karin has come up with an ingenious way of keeping her prized chooks Barb and Joscelyn safe from the wild wet weather outdoors… by converting her own shower indoors.

Ms Karin, who hails from D’aguilar near Woodford, shared photos on Facebook of her new makeshift coop.

‘It just seemed the safest spot for them, nice and enclosed,’ she told the ABC.

‘They say the safest place in your house is the smallest room, usually the bathroom.

‘It will be easy to clean up too (thanks to) the bendy showerhead hose thing.

‘They’re happy enough, it’ll keep them dry.’

One proud mother has experienced a ‘moment of magic’ amid the chaos and impending carnage of Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli says a local mum in Dunwich, on North Stradbroke Island, gave birth to healthy twins overnight as the region was rapidly going into lockdown mode.

‘We had paramedics and midwives who assisted the mum and they continue to care for her,’ he says.

‘That’s one of those little gems in an otherwise really stressful time for everybody.’

Gold Coast residents will experience Cyclone Alfred’s full fury when it finally makes landfall midmorning on Saturday.

The Bureau of Meteorology says the densely populated coastal city will be struck by raging winds of up to 150km/h as the category 2 system wreaks havoc along the coast.

But by the time the storm works its way inland to Brisbane, it is forecast to have weakened to a category 1 storm.

This means that while the Queensland capital will still be slammed by gusts of up to 120km/h, it could be spared the worst of Alfred’s wrath.

Both cities are in for a deluge, though, with the Bureau’s Matthew Collopy saying intense rainfall is forecast across the state’s south-east, with daily totals of between 300mm to 500mm.

‘As the cyclone moves across Moreton Bay islands, it is expected to weaken from a category two to a category one system,’ he says.

‘This will mean that destructive winds are unlikely for Brisbane itself.

‘But damaging wind gusts to 120km/h are expected, and they will develop quickly as the system approaches.

‘We may (also) see 800mm totals for this event as it stretches through the next 48 hours or so.’

Coles and Woolworths supermarkets are closing across southeast Queensland and northern NSW as wild storms intensify.

Queensland premier David Crisafulli says the government has been working with the supermarket giants to ensure they could ‘stay open as long as possible’ but that outlets are beginning to close ‘on a case by case basis’ in affected regions.

Coles shut its stores on the Gold Coast on Friday morning as well as at eight key locations across northern NSW, including Tweed City, Lismore, Ballina and Murwillumbah.

More stores are scheduled to shut throughout the afternoon, with Coles’ Brisbane supermarkets all set to close between 2pm and 4pm and its Sunshine Coast and Grafton outlets at 4pm.

‘As Cyclone Alfred gets closer, we have made the decision to begin closing our stores in highly impacted areas,’ a Coles spokesperson says.

‘This will ensure our team have time to get home while it is still safe.

‘We will keep a close eye on the impacts from Cyclone Alfred, and make a decision on reopening our stores as soon as it is safe to do so.’

The chains have done their best to keep shelves stocked with essentials in the lead up to the cyclone despite widespread panic buying that has sent residents driving hours inland to snap up supplies.

Premier Crisafulli says 1,049 schools have also been shut, along with 2,081 childcare centres, while all public transport from Noosa to northern NSW will be suspended from tomorrow.

NSW Minister for Housing Rose Jackson warns local residents will likely remain without power for days due to the danger of conducting repairs during a cyclone.

She says some 35,000 homes and businesses in northern NSW remain without electricity and warns there will be more power outage in the days ahead.

‘The extent of the winds and the damaging winds we are going to see, it is fair to say people who have power be prepared it may go out,’ she says.

‘People need to have clear expectations that power is likely to be out for a few days and the number of people who are without power is likely to grow.

‘If you currently have power in this region we really encourage you to make sure your phone is charged, devices are charged, make sure there are batteries in your torch.’

NSW deputy premier Prue Car says hundreds of schools will be closed next week as the state’s north is smashed by storms.

She says 343 schools and 17 TAFEs will remain closed until at least Monday and that the lockdown could continue into the following week.

Northern NSW has already been inundated with flash floods and coastal tidal surges as Cyclone Alfred slowly thunders towards the coast.

‘With the event of this tropical cyclone coming over the weekend, and then the impact after that, the schools that are currently closed will remain non-operational on Monday,” she says.

‘As soon as we know what we’re doing on Tuesday the schools will be informed and will inform the community because my biggest priority is keeping the students and staff of those schools safe.’

The Prime Minister says he believes climate change has played an obvious part in the impending natural disaster about to hit southeast Queensland and northern NSW.

‘What we know is that the science tells us that there would be more extreme weather events, they would be more frequent and they would be more intense,’ he said in a press conference on Friday morning.

‘I think anyone who looks at the science knows that is what is occurring.’

His comments come as Cyclone Alfred becomes the first category 2 system to ravage the region in more than a century when it makes landfall on Saturday.

‘You can’t say this is just because of climate change,’ Mr Albanese said.

‘(But) what you can say is that climate change is having an impact on our weather patterns.

‘The world’s hottest years have been increasing from year to year.’

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says authorities are ‘hoping for the best but preparing for the worst’ as he dispatches more than 100 Australian Defence Force personnel to southeast Queensland and northern NSW.

Speaking from the National Situation Room in Canberra this morning, Mr Albanese revealed he has approved the request as Cyclone Alfred continues on its slow-moving collision course with the country’s east coast.

The category two system has been delayed yet again and is now forecast to hit the mainland as late as 10am on Saturday, according to the Bureau of Meteorology’s latest tracking data.

Mr Albanese says while the system has slowed, ‘we should not think that slower means better’.

‘As it is over warmer waters (it has) the potential to increase intensity,’ he says.

‘I have approved the request for 120 ADF personnel to depart immediately for NSW, they’ll work today supporting the local SES door knocking as well as conducting welfare checks on vulnerable members of the community.

‘They will also support the SES with road clearance, sandbagging, clearing access to critical infrastructure, damage assessments and essential services.’

He says Australia’s Chief Medical Officer has also activated the Department of Health and Aged Care’s national incident centre to co-ordinate the state and federal response to the looming natural disaster.

Aussies could be slapped with a $16,000 fine for ‘reckless actions’ on rock walls, piers, and beaches as conditions worsen on the east coast.

The Gold Coast City Council said two people have already been hospitalised after being injured by being too close to the water’s edge.

Surf Life Saving Queensland lifesaving services manager Natalie Edwards said those who broke the rules were putting emergency services personnel at risk.

‘We are experiencing erosion along Gold Coast beaches already that has created cliff drops of up to two metres in highly populated areas of Surfers Paradise, Main Beach down to Burleigh and Coolangatta,’ she says.

‘Now is not the time to head to the beach for a look, especially with young children who may be pulled out by the fast-moving tides that are encroaching on walkways and areas that normally would be far from the water.’

The NSW SES on Friday morning asked residents in the state’s Northern Rivers region to stay inside their homes unless they were ordered to evacuate.

Cyclone Alfred is now less than 150km out from Brisbane as the fierce category two system slowly closes in on the coast at little more than ‘walking speed’.

The tropical storm, which was 195km out from the Queensland capital at 4am, has made slow but steady progress towards one of the country’s most densely populated corridors so far this morning.

By 7am, it was just 165km east of Brisbane and 140km northeast of the Gold Cold and travelling 6km/h.

The cyclone is currently forecast to hit the mainland about 10am on Saturday.

BoM senior meteorologist Angus Hines says Cyclone Alfred’s unhurried speed was ‘unusual’ for a storm of such ferocity.

‘That’s only really about walking speed, which is quite unusual for such a big and powerful system,’ Hines says.

The region is already being hammered by rain and gale force winds, with the storm’s slow progress extending the length of the carnage.

‘We are still on the ramp up. The weather is getting worse as the tropical cyclone approaches,’ he says.

Qantas aims to have planes back up in the air at Brisbane, Gold Coast and Ballina airports from as early as Sunday – little more than 24 hours after Cyclone Alfred unleashes its full fury across the cities.

The airline’s head of integrated operations, Ben Holland, says although all three of the airports remain closed, they were continually reassessing the situation.

‘We’re looking at extensive rainfall, within 20 to 30 miles (32km to 48km) of the Brisbane region, particularly towards the south,’ he told the Today show.

‘And so we need to understand what the infrastructure and resource support will be prior to resuming services.

‘However, we expect to dispatch an aircraft to Coffs Harbour within the next hour as we try to resume services and keep passengers moving safely to their destination.’

It is not just domestic travel that has been impacted by the brewing storm either.

Mr Holland says more than 4,500 overseas passengers were scheduled to fly into Brisbane only to have their flights cancelled.

He says Qantas is doing what it can to offer them seats on flights into other Australian cities.

Tropical Cyclone Alfred has been captured on NASA’s live camera on the International Space Station as it approaches the Queensland coast.

The cyclone can be seen orbiting about 400km from sea level.

NSW Premier Chris Minns is in Grafton, where the residents of the Northern Rivers city are still hurting from the devastation of raging floods less than two years ago.

‘I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy – this is incredibly traumatic for a community who has gone through so much,’ Mr Minns told the local ABC radio station this morning.

‘We’ll get through this – but you have to listen to emergency broadcasts.’

However, he says he is disappointed some stubborn residents have failed to heed last night’s evacuation warnings and continue to put themselves in danger by refusing to leave their at-risk homes.

‘Even the best resourced emergency department in the world… is not going to (have) enough boats for enough houses in the event of a catastrophic natural disaster,’ he says.

The military is on standby to assist emergency services crews as authorities are flooded with pleas for help as thunderous storms settle across the coast.

Southeast Queensland’s 2,000 SES volunteers have been bolstered by 100 reinforcements from the state’s north.

Emergency Management Minister Jenny McAllister says the defence force is ready to assist as Cyclone Alfred unleashes its wrath on the Australian coast.

‘From a Commonwealth perspective, we have indicated that the Australian Defence Force are on standby and, of course, have agreed to Queensland’s request that we preposition aerial support for any search and rescue,’ she told the Today show this morning.

‘We’ve also got personnel available to do welfare checks after Cyclone Alfred makes landfall.

‘Very significant preparations are underway here.’

Astonishing footage has captured the moment a man using a metal detector is almost swept away in giant swell as Cyclone Alfred nears the coast.

The man was only given a few seconds notice before the monster wave swept him off his feet and slammed him into a sand bank.

The footage, believed to have been filmed at a beach on the Gold Coast, quickly caught the attention of Aussies after it was shared online.

Many voiced their frustrations at the ‘idiot’ act just hours before Cyclone Alfred was due to cross the Queensland coast on Saturday.

‘What a moron,’ one wrote.

‘Probably better to wait a bit,’ a second pointed out.

‘This is incredible for those people who don’t know Gold Coast beaches stay away, it’s only for a couple of days. The water is unpredictable,’ a third said.

David Crisafulli is savaging the ‘handful of idiots’ who have created unnecessary headaches for emergency services by venturing into the swelling seas.

The Queensland Premier says that, in once instance, precious resources had to be wasted rescuing a jet-skier after they ignored warnings.

‘You have a handful of idiots who do that, and in the end, they don’t just put themselves at risk, they put the emergency services who may have to go and rescue them as well,’ he says.

It comes as beaches from the Sunshine Coast to Byron Bay remain officially closed with authorities imploring people to keep clear and stay safe.

Acting Gold Coast Chief Superintendent Peter Miles warns the city has issued a disaster declaration, giving police extra powers to enforce community safety and slap people with fines to up to $16,000 for ‘reckless actions’.

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli is urging millions of residents across the state’s southeast to finalise their plans and either bunker down now or evacuate before Cyclone Alfred hits and it’s too late.

‘As the system continues to move in, my message to Queenslanders is… the best place to be is at home,’ he said.

‘If you are in a storm tide zone, or in an area where you know there is riverine flooding, you really need to consider and think about your evacuation now.’

Mr Crisafulli said the government will strive to keep bridges and roads open as long as possible to allow those fleeing to get out, and emergency services access in.

‘The potential for waves and wind, rainfall and then eventually flooding remains real,’ Mr Crisafulli said.

‘It is a strong system, and that delayed run into the coast does give people who may not have finished their preparations that little bit more of a window.

‘That prospect of a crossing late into Thursday, into Friday, well, that window has been pushed further into Friday, so that gives a little bit more time for those who may need a bit more time to get ready.’

He warned severe weather conditions will intensify throughout the day before the storm strikes overnight.

‘The bureau is telling us that increasingly we’ll start to feel those wind speeds even in the likes of Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast,’ he said.

‘And then there’s that rainfall issue as well — it’s a large system and the prospect of a lot rain over the next few days is a challenge.’

Cyclone Alfred is now less than 200km out of Brisbane as wild storms and gale-force winds hammer the Queensland capital and its surrounds.

The category 2 system was about 190km east of the state capital and 180km northeast of the Gold Coast at 4am on Friday as it continues on its collision course with the coast.

The tropical cyclone is predicted to maintain its intensity until it makes landfall overnight Friday most likely close to Moreton Bay between Noosa and Coolangatta.

The storm is then expected to weaken slightly to a category 1 system as it makes its way inland.

Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Christine Johnson has warned Brisbane will experience fierce thunderstorm conditions for up to six hours – even before the force of Cyclone Alfred hits.

‘It’ll be those sort of conditions that we’re used to seeing for 20 minutes or so at a time with a thunderstorm coming through… but potentially sustained for six hours or more,’ she told ABC Radio Brisbane on Friday morning.

She added that Moreton Island is now at the epicentre of the superstorm’s path.

‘It looks like it will initially make landfall on Moreton Island in the very earlier hours of tomorrow morning, or close to midnight, and then move across the mainland coast through the early hours of tomorrow,’ she says.

‘We will feel the effects well and truly before it makes landfall.’

There are warnings Cyclone Alfred’s ‘erratic’, slow moving path could trigger five days of severe flooding across large stretches of southeast Queensland and northeast NSW.

The category 2 storm had initially been predicted to hit the coast overnight Thursday but its arrival has been delayed by more than 24 hours as it continues to change course.

The cyclone is now less than 200km from Brisbane and is expected to hit the coast late Friday night or in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The belated arrival means that the region is now expected to be battered by storms for up to five days instead of three, with wind gusts of up to 155km/h and a deluge of 800mm rain predicted over the weekend.

More than 20,000 home were already in darkness overnight amid widespread blackouts across the Gold Coast and Tweed Heads after the region was battered by storms.

Thousands of residents across northeast NSW were urged to evacuate on Thursday night or risk being cut off for days by floodwaters.

Supermarkets throughout the region have closed with Daily Mail Australia hearing reports people have been heading inland to stock up on supplies as far away as Warwick and Clifton.

Cyclone Alfred has changed its course once again as it prepares to make imminent impact.

Four million residents in northern NSW and southeast Queensland will hunker down on Friday as gale force winds of 155km/h and torrential rainfall totals of up to 450mm smash the region.

The slow moving category-two system is now 245km east of Brisbane after Alfred spun back around to the east for a second time on Thursday.

Current modelling suggests that Alfred is expected to make landfall early Saturday morning near Redcliffe, 41km north of Brisbane, slightly further north than previously indicated.

Heavy overnight rainfalls could lead to dangerous and life-threatening flooding as Alfred approaches the coast.

‘Due to the very slow moving nature of the cyclone, there is a very high risk of significant impacts due to widespread heavy rainfall over the coming days,’ the latest Bureau of Meteorology alert states.

‘The centre of Alfred is expected to cross the coast Friday night or early Saturday morning.’

Gusts of up to 120km/h developed near the coasts between Cape Moreton and Cape Byron late Thursday which are expected to extend to coastal and island communities between Noosa and Ballina early Friday.

Rainfall amounts could reach between 200mm and 250mm over six hours and between 350mm and 450mm within a 24 hour period.

A dangerous storm tide is also likely for exposed coastal areas between Cape Moreton and Yamba, including the Gold Coast and Byron Bay beaches.

Hundreds of residents have already evacuated their homes to seek shelter higher ground.At least 20,000 homes across both regions are also without power.

More than 20,000 homes were in darkness as of midnight on Thursday, with more than 12,000 Energex customers in the Gold Coast affected.

Energex spokesperson Brett Judge urged customers to remain patient.

‘Where our crews can respond, they will, and where they can’t, they can’t get power on,’ he told ABC Radio.

Meanwhile, 10,000 homes and businesses between Tweed Heads and Bulahdelah lost power on Thursday afternoon, according to Essential Energy.

‘Crews are working to restore as soon as it is safe to do so as outages occur, with some locations unable to be accessed due to heavy rainfall flooding river crossings or water on the roads,’ a spokesperson said.

Aussies have been warned their homes may be without power for a long time due to the dangerous conditions forecast.

Redland Council has issued an urgent warning for Moreton Bay and Stradbroke Island residents to take shelter inside their homes now.

Destructive and persistent winds from Tropical Cyclone Alfred will begin from 4am on Friday as Cyclone Alfred makes landfall.

‘You may need to go to the strongest, safest part of the building you are in. This will be away from big windows,’ the council advised.

‘It could be a bathroom, walk-in wardrobe or hallway. Stay there. This could take several hours.

‘Emergency services will not be able [to] get to you because it is too dangerous.

‘Winds could stop suddenly if the eye of the cyclone goes over. Very dangerous winds could start again quickly from a different direction.’

Power, phone and internet services ‘could be out for a long time’.

Residents have also been advised to cover windows in their ‘safe rooms’ with mattresses or heavy blankets in case the glass shatters and to shelter beneath mattresses and blankets incase the roof of their house blows off.

‘Listen to local radio on your battery-powered radio for updates; keep all doors and windows closed; stay in your safe place until you are told it is safe. This could take several hours,’ the council instructed.