Tropical Cyclone Alfred live updates: What Aussies need to know as it barrels towards coast

Gold Coast Acting Mayor Donna Gates says modelling now predicts the cyclone’s stormfront could reach almost 150km inland, stretching as far west as Toowoomba.

‘This looks like the most significant event in our city in terms of destructive winds and heavy rain that we have seen since 1954,’ she told reporters.

Ms Gates said the modelling on the council dashboard is worst case scenario but residents need to ‘be prepared in the case of the worst outcome’.

Nonetheless, she highlighted the extensive potential damage of the cyclone beyond the cost.

‘Even if a cluster of thunderstorms never advances beyond tropical low strength, they can still have tremendous impact on the mainland pushing flooding rains hundreds if not thousands of kilometres inland,’ she said.

A team of hundreds are responding to the incoming weather event, the acting mayor added.

Ms Gates said conditions were going to be ‘awful’ with 800 millimetres of rain expected for the Gold Coast.

‘Plan for power outages,’ she said.

‘Very heavy rainfall will continue until late Friday and into the first half of Saturday.’

Mayor Tom Tate is out of the city but is due to return until the weekend in time for the recovery, Ms Gates said.

Ventusky – a forecasting website which uses the ICON model – expects Cyclone Alfred to make landfall about 8am on Friday.

The prediction is in line with the most recent advice from the Bureau, which forecasts the system to touch down Friday morning between the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast.

Weatherzone meteorologist warned Alfred could regain strength it lost at sea as it tracks closer to the coastline.

‘Conditions should become more favourable for Alfred to gain strength as it approaches Queensland’s southeast coast during the next couple of days,’ he said.

‘One of the main reasons forecasters think Alfred will strengthen as it approaches the coast is that the cyclone will be tracking over the warm East Australia Current.

‘Alfred has spent the last couple of days hovering over sea surface temperatures around 25 to 26C. As the system moves further west on Wednesday and Thursday, it will track over a tongue of water where surface temperatures are around 27C.

‘In addition to these warmer waters providing more energy to Alfred, a reduction in vertical wind shear (change of wind speed with height) will also help Alfred become more consolidated as it gets closer to the coast.’

However, Mr Domensino added if the system were to jump a category, it would be on the ‘low end’.

‘Tropical Cyclone Alfred is predicted to make landfall as a high-end category two tropical cyclone, with wind gusts reaching around 155 km/h near its core,’ he said.

‘There is a chance that Alfred could become a low-end category three system before crossing the coast, although this is considered a low risk at this stage.

‘Category three tropical cyclones produce wind gusts of 165 km/h and higher near their core.’

PICTURED: Forecast for Alfred on Friday at 8am

Meterologist turned extreme weather chaser Thomas Hinterdorfer is among four million Aussies bracing for Cyclone Alfred.

While he’s chased more than 100 tornados in the US, he says it’s much different when your own home is in the firing line.

‘This one is definitely a little bit different because I’m at home. My home is now being impacted,’ he told A Current Affair host Ally Langdon on Tuesday night

It’s a little bit surreal. It feels very eerie at the moment,’

‘It feels really ominous’

He expects a very expansive part of the east coast to be impacted from Queensland’s Sunshine Coast right down to the NSW mid north coast.

The biggest fear is the unknown factor.

‘This system has the potential to cause quite a bit of damage, especially when we’re going through very heavily populated areas and very, very heavily impacted zone areas as well,’ Hinterdorfer warned.

You’re going to hear a lot of sounds that you’re just not used to.

‘And they’re going to be relentless. The howling, the squealing of the winds. They’ll be relentless. There’ll be a lot of banging and crashing. Obviously all of that is quite scary. It’s very new for a lot of people in this area.

‘We’re not used to tropical cyclones coming down this way and impacting us in south-east Queensland or north-east NSW.’

The NSW SES has upgraded its cyclone warning for the Northern Rivers to ‘watch and act’ as thousands across the region were ordered to hunker down.

The NSW SES is advising people to STAY INDOORS due to impacts from Tropical Cyclone Alfred UNLESS they have been directed to evacuate due to expected flooding,’ the alert states.

‘Cyclone impacts expected include damaging wind gusts, heavy to locally intense rainfall, and severe coastal hazards such as abnormally high tides and hazardous surf.’

‘You should monitor the situation as it is constantly changing.’

The ‘stay indoors’ warning applies to the following areas.

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli urged Australians to carry out preparations early over fears Cyclone Alfred will pass areas during the night.

‘I want to stress why it is so important to do the preparations now,’ he told reporters.

‘There is the prospect that this cyclone could cross the coast in the middle of the night with a high tide and that is not the time to be making your evacuation plan.’

The Premier warned that there will be no daylight between the response and the recovery, adding that 1000 Energex crew are prepared to assist in the clean-up effort.

This will include focusing on getting power back on as soon as possible.

‘It is essential that we get power connected as quickly as we can after an event like this,’ Mr Crisafulli said.

‘The safest place for you during the event is at home, [as when] a cyclone crosses, very often power is the first thing that goes out.’

The federal and Queensland government has announced that natural disaster assistance has been activated for a number of councils.

This will cover local authorities in the areas of Brisbane, Fraser Coast, Gold Coast, Gympie, Ipswich, Logan, Moreton Bay, Noosa, Redlands, Scenic Rim, Somerset and Sunshine Coast.

Disaster assistance is really significant in providing councils assurance when they respond to disasters, emergency management minister Jenny McAllister said.

‘We also want councils to be confident that as they move quickly to repair essential public infrastructure, they will receive financial support for those repairs.’

The assistance is used to help communities and individuals directly affected by flood, fire, storm damage or any other declared natural disaster.

More insight on the movements of Tropical Cyclone Alfred has been published by the Bureau.

It published an update this afternoon forecasting that the storm will most likely between Maroochydore and Coolangatta in Queensland early Friday morning.

While there is potential that Alfred could develop into a category 3 system, the Bureau said it is currently a category 2 cyclone and is forecast to maintain this intensity.

There are roughly four million residents in Alfred’s path as the cyclone moves at 16 kilometres per hour.

The speed is on the lower end with the typical tropical cyclone usually traveling at about 15 to 20 kilometres per hour, Thomas Hinterdorfer from Higgins Storm Chasing told The Courier Mail.

Woolworths customers are buying up supplies before Cyclone Alfred makes landfall, with more photos of empty shelves emerging on social media.

Australians have shared aisles of the supermarket cleaned out of toilet paper, water, milk and bread.

One user described the empty shelves at Woolworths Brookside as feeling ‘very zombie movie set’.

The fruit and vegetable manager at Sam Coco Trading in Brisbane told Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday that ‘Covid has made us used to panic buying’.

Courthouses in south-east Queensland are closing due to Cyclone Alfred.

This includes the Supreme and Magistrates Courts in Brisbane.

Residents needing to adress urgent matters including domestic and family violence, and applications for protection orders have been told to go to a Queensland Police Station.

Local Court of NSW has warned that, due to the severe weather, there may be disruptions to sittings in the Northern Rivers and the surrounding areas.

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With only a few hours to prepare before Cyclone Alfred reaches the coast, one man decided it was the perfect time to risk a swim in the ocean’s strong currents.

Federal MP Andrew Wallace shared a video to social media on Tuesday of a lone swimmer wading into the water at Kings Beach in Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast branding them ‘selfish’ for endangering their life.

‘Let me be clear: you need to stay out of the water,’ he wrote.

‘It’s dangerous. It’s dirty. You are putting your life at risk. Don’t be selfish, dragging first responders’ attention away from preparation and prevention.’

Murwillumbah and Ballina SES providers have run out of sandbags as locals prepare for Cyclone Alfred to make landfall.

On Tuesday alone, more than 50,000 sandbags were delivered across Northern NSW.

NSW SES has been reminding communities to only take what they need as sand and bags are in high demand.

Fernvale Rural Fire Brigade in Queensland posted on social media on Tuesday that there were reports people are selling sandbags for $15+.

Gold Coast Airport announced it will close from 4pm (AEST) in response to Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

‘The safety of our team, customers and airport is our number one priority,’ it said.

‘Passengers affected will be contacted by their airline regarding their options to reschedule travel.

‘The terminal building will be closed and there will be no public access from this time.

‘For anyone seeking shelter, the closest evacuation centre is at Burleigh Waters Community Centre at 111 Christine Ave, Burleigh Waters.’

A 24-hour public information centre has been established in NSW.

People seeking information about the severe weather event can call 1800 227 228.

Those in need of assistance can call the SES on 132 500.

In emergency situations, call Triple Zero (000).

State Emergency Operations Controller, Deputy Commissioner Peter Thurtell urged people in high-risk areas to relocate.

‘Our message is clear – do not put your life or that of emergency service personnel in danger,’ he said.

As of 12pm, the cyclone was estimated to be 345km east of Brisbane and 315km east of the Gold Coast.

It’s moving west at 16km/h, and is expected to cross the coast early Friday morning, most likely between Maroochydore and Coolangatta.

Locals have been left shaking their heads at a group of beachgoers who left their cars in a flood-prone car park.

Cars parked at the Currumbin Beach Vikings Surf Life Saving Club on the Gold Coast were swept away by high tides, despite multiple warnings about the incoming cyclone.

Footage showed drivers frantically trying to regain control of their vehicles as strong waves hit.

Luckily, one Subaru owner managed to steer their car to safety between the waves.

Anthony Albanese has deployed the Australian Defence Force, including troops and vehicles, to assist as Cyclone Alfred approaches the Queensland coastline.

‘This is a serious weather event, with heavy rain, destructive winds, and major flooding expected,’ Mr Albanese said.

‘To everyone in the warning zone, please stay informed, follow advice from emergency services, and take the necessary precautions to keep yourself and your family safe.’

Mr Albanese says the Australian Government Disaster Response Plan has been activated, and a crisis coordination team and liaison officers have been deployed.

A Sikorsky s61 has been sent to Coffs Harbour, and the US 60 Black Hawk will be diverted to Bundaberg over the coming days.

Meanwhile, Queensland Premier David Crisafulli has warned of widespread disruptions, urging residents to take precautions as the cyclone nears.

Schools, public transport, and elective surgeries impacted in cyclone warning zone

• Schools: Open today but will close on Thursday and Friday in impacted areas
• Public Transport: Final services run tonight, with no trains, buses, or ferries operating on Thursday or Friday
• Elective Surgeries: Cancelled on Thursday and Friday, but emergency medical services remain available

Boating ban and evacuation warnings issued

From midday today, a red alert has been issued for boats, meaning no vessels may leave moorings between Double Island and Coolangatta without permission from the Brisbane Harbour Master.

‘So to be clear, all boats on moorings must not leave position between Double Island and Coolangatta from midday today,’ Mr Crisafulli said.

What you need to know ahead of evacuations and when it will make impact

Residents in storm-tide zones must prepare an evacuation plan now,  Mr Crisafulli said.

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

Those not in these zones should stay at home.

‘The best thing you can do is prepare your home,’ Mr Crisafulli said.

‘If you can fortify your home … the safest place for you will be in your home.’

He said the cyclone may make landfall at high tide overnight on Thursday.

The cyclone’s impact zone, currently stretching from Double Island Point to Grafton, will shrink as it moves closer to the coast.

What to expect from the cyclone

Matthew Collopy from the Bureau of Meteorology said damaging winds could develop late today.

‘A category two system means winds near the centre up to 95km/h, with gusts up to 130km/h,’ he said

‘That is destructive winds, and these will be concentrated around the southern side of the system.’

The cyclone could also cause a big rise in sea levels, especially early Friday morning when the tide is already high.

‘This means that as it crosses, likely near the high tide that happens in the early hours of Friday morning, we will see elevated sea levels between a half to one metre above the normal highest tides that people see,’ he said.

‘There is some modelling that indicates it may even be slightly higher than that for locations around the south bay of Redlands and the Gold Coast.’

Daily rainfall totals between 200mm and 400mm are possible, which means the overall event could result in totals exceeding 800mm.

Government offers shelter to rough sleepers

David Crisafulli has offered accommodation to those without homes ahead of Cyclone Alfred’s arrival.

The Department of Housing and Public Works are visiting rough sleepers and offering short-term shelter.

‘We will continue to go back there and continue to make that offer to those who haven’t accepted it,’ he said.

Towns in north-east NSW are bracing for the incoming Tropical Cyclone Alfred, three years on from the catastrophic floods that devastated the region.

It is predicted to bring winds upwards of 120km/h, with some areas expecting upwards of 700mm of rain.

The Northern Rivers Hotel in North Lismore just recently reopened after sustaining massive damaged in the floods three years ago and now it is preparing for Cyclone Alfred.

‘Obviously there’s a little bit of angst in the area, just unsure what’s going to happen,’ hotel manager Britney Gwynne told the ABC.

‘It’s a little bit nerve-racking for (locals) at the moment.’

Lismore Mayor Steve Krieg said it was a ‘great unknown’ how severely the city would be impacted, with some residents bracing for the worst.

‘That would break many, many people,’ Krieg told Nine. ‘It would be hard to get up and keep going after that.

Byron Shire council, which is in the cyclone impact zone, has provided locals with hardware for satellite internet service Starlink, to keep them connected if communications go down.

Rebecca McNaught from the South Golden Beach Community Resilience Team said they had learned from previous problems.

‘One of the big issues after 2022 was that we had comms down for a very long time,’ she told ABC North Coast Breakfast.

‘Even if people weren’t flood-affected, they may have had emergencies or the need to access people or information outside of our communities.’

Supermarket shelves in the region have been stripped as locals stocked up before Cyclone Alfred hits.

Lismore MP Janelle Saffin urged people to only buy what they need for 72 hours so that everyone can get enough.

‘We’re seeing empty shelves. Get your basic needs … and leave some on the shelves for others.’

SES incident commander Joanna Jones said more than 50,000 sandbags had been ordered as the authorities prepare for the worst.

‘Sandbags and the sand is going to be replaced on a regular basis, so if sand has run out, it will be replaced,’ she said.

Additional SES crews began arriving in the Northern Rivers and Mid North Coast on Tuesday as the state government ramped up preparations for the potential impact of the cyclone.

The SES is leading the response and working with other emergency services and government agencies.

Residents of the Northern Rivers and Mid North Coast have been warned to prepare for damaging winds, large surf and heavy rainfall, with low lying areas at risk of coastal erosion.

From Wednesday onwards intense rain is predicted, which could lead to moderate and major flooding in many areas, with the potential to close roads, inundate properties and lead to evacuations.

‘Now is the time for residents in the affected areas to get ready for damaging winds, large powerful surf, coastal erosion and intense and heavy rainfall,’ the NSW Emergency Services minister Jihad Dib said.

‘We are asking the community to take steps now to ensure that if you are asked to evacuate your home you have a plan for this and know where you will go.’

Thousands of Aussies are facing evacuation as Cyclone Alfred approaches.

Fortunately, the Queensland Government has created a checklist of the essentials every home should have prepared.

Below is the list of what should be included in your family’s emergency kit – ready to go in case disaster strikes.

Tropical Cyclone Alfred is expected to make landfall late on Thursday or early Friday, somewhere between Queensland’s Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast

However the danger stretches far further afield and wild weather is predicted to start from Wednesday, with the warning zone from Double Island Point in Queensland to Yamba in northern NSW, south of Byron Bay.

Alfred is set to bring heavy rain, flash flooding, destructive winds and storm surges at its height, with the region facing its first direct cyclone impact in 50 years.

‘Several hundreds of millimetres of rain is possible within six hours, which could lead to life threatening flash flooding,’ Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Christie Johnson said.

Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Queensland hinterland are most at risk of copping the brunt of the strong winds, while people in NSW’s Northern Rivers have been told to stay inside and secure anything that could blow away.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has promised to urgently deliver a quarter of a million sandbags to the northern state, while the ADF has been placed on standby.

Heavy-lifting helicopters from the nation’s firefighting fleet are also at the ready.

‘I know Queenslanders are tough but these are certainly tough times ahead in the next few days,’ Mr Albanese told ABC radio in Brisbane.

The NSW Education Department has shared a list of 122 schools from Clarence Valley to Kyogle Shire which have closed.

The closures will remain in place from Wednesday to Friday.

‘We request families do not send your children to school for the next three days,’ a department spokesperson told the ABC.

‘Our school staff will be onsite this morning in case the message is not received in time.’

Schools are set to resume operation on Monday, March 10.

‘We don’t want people in a dangerous situation or vulnerable situation in the coming 48 hours,’ NSW Premier Chris Minns said.

Meanwhile, The Queensland Department of Education said schools will stay open on Wednesday, while schools on North Stradbroke and Moreton Bay islands will be open for supervision only.

‘Tropical Cyclone Alfred is expected to cross the South East Queensland coast either late Thursday evening or early Friday morning,’ a spokesperson said.

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli warned there was a ‘very strong’ likelihood they may close when Alfred crosses the coast.

‘This is certainly an event that doesn’t happen a lot for this part of the state, but it isn’t unprecedented and I am asking Queenslanders to be ready for it,’ he said.

Travellers headed to or from Ballina Byron Gateway Airport are set to face trouble as Jetstar, Qantas and Virgin Australia cancel flights from the holiday hotspot.

Jetstar cancelled its two flights from Sydney (JQ459, JQ461) and one from Melbourne (JQ465).

Its three flights departing from Ballina will be cancelled.

Qantas and Virgin Australia each axed their Wednesday service (QF2062/QF2063, VA1139/VA1140) in and out of Ballina.

Virgin also cancelled its service for Thursday too.

The update comes as the Bureau warns Cyclone Alfred could re-develop into a category three system.

‘The possibility of the system reaching a low-end category 3 strength before making landfall cannot be ruled out, but remains a low risk,’ it advised in its latest technical report.

Residents have been warned to leave or prepare for the worst, with a tropical cyclone on track to cross a densely populated part of Australia’s east coast for the first time in 50 years.

Cyclone Alfred is looming off Queensland‘s coast, threatening to bring heavy rainfall, damaging winds and monster waves.

As of 5am on Wednesday, Alfred was tracking as a category two system about 465km east of Brisbane and 430km off the Gold Coast, the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) confirmed.

The cyclone is forecast to cross between Queensland’s K’gari (formerly Fraser Island) and the Gold Coast on Thursday or Friday as a category one or two system.

Alfred is predicted to bring winds upwards of 120km/h, with some areas expecting upwards of 700mm of rain.

On Wednesday morning, BoM issued an official warning zone stretching 650km from Double Island Point in Queensland to Grafton in northern NSW. The zone includes Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Byron Bay and Ballina, but doesn’t include Grafton.

‘People between Double Island Point and Grafton should immediately commence or continue preparations, especially securing boats and property,’ the Bureau said.

In Brisbane alone, 20,000 homes are at risk of flooding, with an additional 6,000 homes at risk on the Gold Coast, local council modelling shows.

The suburbs of Brighton, Windsor, Ashgrove, Morningside, Rocklea, Coopers Plains, Carina, Sandgate, Hemmant, Lota, Tingalpa, Indooroopilly, Albion, Bardon and Wynnum West are most at risk.

On the Gold Coast, the suburbs most at risk from are Surfers Paradise, Paradise Point and Elanora.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner urged residents in these areas to evacuate.

‘These 20,000 properties could experience anything from minor inundation in their yards to significant flooding inside homes,’ he said.

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli urged residents to ‘stay on their guard’ and prepare for the possible destruction of the incoming storm.

The major factors being prepared for by the authorities are wave swell and erosion, damage by destructive winds, and significant rain which could lead to flooding.

Mr Crisafulli said a 7m wave had already been recorded off North Stradbroke Island.

‘That should give you an indication that this is a serious system and those reports will continue,’ he said.

In NSW, additional SES crews began arriving in the Northern Rivers and Mid North Coast on Tuesday as the state government ramped up preparations for the potential impact of the cyclone.

The SES is leading the response and working with other emergency services and government agencies.

Residents of the Northern Rivers and Mid North Coast have been warned to prepare for damaging winds, large surf and heavy rainfall, with low lying areas at risk of coastal erosion.

From Wednesday onwards intense rain is predicted, which could lead to moderate and major flooding in many areas, with the potential to close roads, inundate properties and lead to evacuations.

‘Now is the time for residents in the affected areas to get ready for damaging winds, large powerful surf, coastal erosion and intense and heavy rainfall,’ the NSW Emergency Services minister Jihad Dib said.

‘We are asking the community to take steps now to ensure that if you are asked to evacuate your home you have a plan for this and know where you will go.’

North Coast minister Rose Jackson said ‘The Northern Rivers community is strong and resilient, but we know this weather event is causing a real concern.

We assure the community – emergency services are on the ground and ready to help.’

For emergency assistance call the Queensland or NSW SES on 132 500 (for assistance with storm damage, rising flood water, fallen trees on buildings or roof damage).

The Bureau of Meteorology’s latest advice has warned strong winds and heavy rain will soon hit southeast Queensland and northeastern NSW.

Gales with damaging wind gusts travelling up to 120 kilometres per hour are expected to develop between Double Island Point and Grafton from later today and persist on Thursday.

Gales may extend further north from Double Island Point to Sandy Cape during Thursday if Alfred tracks further to the north.

Destructive wind gusts of up to 155 kilometres per hour may develop about coastal and island locations near and to the south of the track from Thursday afternoon as Alfred’s destructive core approaches and crosses the coast.

A dangerous storm tide may occur along the coastal foreshore, particularly in areas near and south of the cyclone centre, if the time of coastal crossing coincides with the high tide during Thursday night or early Friday morning.

Tides are likely to rise significantly above the highest high tide mark with damaging waves and dangerous inundation of coastal low-lying areas.

Abnormally high tides are likely to continue causing minor flooding of coastal low lying areas between Sandy Cape and Grafton, particularly during the time of high tides early Thursday morning and early Friday morning.

Damaging surf leading to significant beach erosion remains likely for the open beaches between Sandy Cape and Grafton, and further south over NSW coast.

A separate Coastal Hazard and Hazardous Surf Warning is current for southeast Queensland and northeastern NSW coasts.

Heavy rainfall is forecast for southeast Queensland and northeastern NSW from Thursday.

Heavy to locally intense rainfall, which may lead to dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding, could occur near and south of the cyclone centre as Alfred approaches the coast late on Thursday.

A separate Severe Weather Warning and Flood Watch are current for southeast Queensland and northeast NSW.

The Bureau will share more advice in the coming hour.

Several evacuation centres will open on NSW’s north coast at 4pm today.

Those centres include Kingscliff TAFE, Murwillumbah TAFE, the Ocean Shores Country Club, Coraki Public School, Kyogle Memorial Hall, Southern Cross University and Evans Head RSL.

NSW SES Deputy State Duty Commander Brigid Rice called on those in the Northern Rivers impact zone to move from the area.

‘It is recommended you consider relocating your family and your pets out of that zone,’ she told the ABC.

‘That’s particularly for any area that floods on a regular basis but also those that are close to the coast.’

More than 700mm of rain could inundate parts of southeast Queensland and northeast NSW later this week as Tropical Cyclone Alfred makes landfall.

‘Based on current forecasts, heavy rain, damaging to destructive winds, very large waves and a storm surge are all likely to affect parts of southeast Queensland and northeast NSW, most likely between Wednesday and Friday, with flooding and rain also continuing into the weekend,’ Weatherzone said.

‘Rainfall is likely to be the biggest threat from this system, with widespread heavy rain expected across southeast Queensland and northeast NSW. Some forecast models anticipate accumulated totals of more than 500mm of rain from Alfred in parts of southeast Queensland and northern NSW, particularly over elevated ranges and hinterland regions. There is potential for isolated pockets of more than 1000 mm from Alfred.

‘Flood watches have been issued in southeast Queensland and northeast NSW in response to the predicted rainfall, with major flooding likely in both states.’

People have been accused of acting like ‘vultures’ as a heavily populated Australian coastal region braces for a cyclone to hit for the first time in 50 years.

A long wait for sandbags has ended in frustration in a region bracing for a rare cyclone direct hit after people were accused of acting like ‘vultures’.

More sandbagging sites have opened across the region as people attempt to safeguard their homes, but Morningside local Matthew Formosa still couldn’t get his fill.

He tried to get sandbags twice on Monday night but after a 40 minute wait was turned away at the 24-hour depot.

Mr Formosa returned at 5am on Tuesday hoping to beat the rush but still had to wait almost three hours to collect just eight bags.

‘There was no real order in getting the sandbags it is just like, once they have dumped there everyone is like vultures,’ he told AAP.

Mr Formosa was told on Tuesday there was a two-hour wait as sand had run out at the depot.

He criticised the lack of support staff to help the elderly load sandbags into their cars.

‘Seeing older people carrying a bag and struggling, it just has to be an easier way for them to help them out,’ he said.

He was hoping to collect sandbags for his partner in Capalaba, south of Brisbane, who was worried flooding may inundate her home after a few near misses over the years.

‘We’re just trying to prevent it if it does happen, but hopefully it’ll blow away,’ he said of Alfred.

About 100,000 sandbags have been collected in the past three days in Brisbane alone as it hunkers down for Alfred.

Authorities have called for calm before the storm, with panic buying also widespread in southeast Queensland ahead of Tropical Cyclone Alfred’s arrival.

The fruit and vegetable manager at Sam Coco Trading in Brisbane told Daily Mail Australia people are trying to get their hands on two items.

‘They’re taking water and toilet paper,’ Troy said.

‘Since Covid, they just do it and we prepare for it. Covid has made us used to panic buying.

‘It’s clear as a bell at the moment. There’s no sign of the cyclone but they’re all panic buying. It’s pretty much just staples.

‘There’s about to be plenty of water coming from the sky but they’re still buying it.’

Rainfall and strong wind gusts have begun ahead of the cyclone expected to make landfall between the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane on Thursday evening or Friday morning.

It will mark the first time a cyclone has hit the southeast Queensland coast since 1974.

Supermarket shelves have been stripped bare in some stores as locals brace for impact, prompting a call for calm.

Sunshine Coast Police Superintendent Craig Hawkins said there were no supply issues and no need to panic buy ahead of the cyclone’s arrival.

‘Get what you need but be respectful of others who also need supplies to get through this,’ he told reporters on Tuesday.

The worst of Alfred’s impact once it makes landfall will hit the state’s southern flank, including Brisbane, the Gold Coast and NSW’s Northern Rivers.

Beaches and university campuses have closed, ferry services have stopped and Gold Coast theme parks are set to shut down from Wednesday as Alfred looms.

Emergency services, telco providers and Energex crews have bolstered the region.

‘Today’s a really, really key day for everyone … today’s the day that we’ve got to get those logistics right so I’m asking people to take it seriously,’ Queensland Premier David Crisafulli told ABC Radio Brisbane on Tuesday.

Heavy rainfall of up to 400mm is forecast this week leading to widespread flooding in southeast Queensland and NSW’s northeast.

NSW’s Northern Rivers is again in the firing line three years after flooding claimed five lives and destroyed homes.

‘Obviously those communities have already gone through massive amounts of flooding in recent years,’ NSW Premier Chris Minns told ABC.

‘This is the last thing that they want to hear but we are asking them to be prepared … for the worst and hope for the best.’

Queensland schools will remain open today despite the looming threat of Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

The Queensland Department of Education said schools will stay open on Wednesday, while schools on North Stradbroke and Moreton Bay islands will be open for supervision only.

‘Tropical Cyclone Alfred is expected to cross the South East Queensland coast either late Thursday evening or early Friday morning,’ a spokesperson said.

‘We will continue to monitor the weather conditions and take action where necessary to ensure the safety of our students, staff and the wider community.’

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli warned there was a ‘very strong’ likelihood they may close when Alfred crosses the coast.

‘This is certainly an event that doesn’t happen a lot for this part of the state, but it isn’t unprecedented and I am asking Queenslanders to be ready for it,’ he said.

Thousands have already fled their homes as Tropical Cyclone Alfred bears down on Australia’s east coast.

The cyclone intensified to a category two system as it changed course and headed towards the south-east Queensland coast.

Last recorded 510km east of Brisbane late Tuesday, Tropical Cyclone Alfred is set to make landfall north of the city either late Thursday or early Friday, bringing destructive winds of up to 130km/h, torrential rain, dangerous surf conditions and major flooding.

Authorities have urged millions in two states between Noosa Heads on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast and Ballina in northern NSW to prepare to evacuate or hunker down.

Voluntary evacuations began on Stradbroke Island on Tuesday as police door-knocked hundreds of homes in low lying areas between the Gold Coast and Sunshine coasts.

South-east Queensland is hours away from coming to an abrupt standstill with schools, university campuses, Gold Coast theme parks, offices and public transport systems all set to shut down on Thursday.

The Brisbane CBD will become a ghost town for the first time since Covid-19 lockdowns with residents ordered to work from home.

Almost 20,000 homes in the Brisbane Council catchment area will be flooded if Alfred continues on its projected path, according to the latest modelling.