Cyclone Alfred live updates: What you need to know

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.