Meteorologists are forecasting that the centre of Tropical Cyclone Alfred will reach Australia on Saturday morning, though its effects are already being felt in south-east Queensland and northern New South Wales.
Cyclone Alfred is moving slowly towards the coastline, which means its impact will last longer. This marks the first cyclone to hit the area since Cyclone Zoe in 1974.
Residents in the affected regions have been dealing with heavy rain, strong winds, and large swells. Power outages have left tens of thousands of people in the Gold Coast and New South Wales without electricity.
The category two cyclone is expected to maintain its strength until it interacts with the coast and nearby islands. The most severe weather is anticipated on Saturday morning. Winds are intensifying along the Gold Coast, and the swells are growing larger.
Yet, despite warnings for people to stay indoors, some surfers are taking to the waves.
“This is what we live for,” surfer Jeff Weatherall told the BBC as he waited for a jet ski at Kirra Beach to take him out onto the waves. “I’ve spent the last five days doing nothing but eating, sleeping, and surfing.” Kirra Beach, well-known for its prime surfing conditions, has been bustling with surfers anticipating the cyclone’s effects.
Cyclone Alfred’s Path
Cyclone Alfred is expected to make landfall as a category two system late Friday night or early Saturday morning. Matthew Collopy from the Bureau of Meteorology explained, “A category two cyclone can bring winds near the centre of up to 95 km/h, with gusts reaching 130 km/h.”
Around four million people are in Cyclone Alfred’s path. The storm is projected to make landfall between the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast, a region renowned for its beaches and surfing culture, and it’s likely to impact Brisbane, Australia’s third-largest city.
Kirra Beach regular Donnie Neal, who’s been surfing during the wild conditions, described the past few days as “crazy.”
“It’s serious—some people could lose their homes, but for now, we’re just enjoying the insane surf,” Neal added.
Alongside the strong winds, up to 800 mm of rain is predicted in the coming days, with southern Queensland and northern New South Wales bracing for potential flash and riverine flooding in low-lying areas.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese acknowledged the challenges ahead, stating on Thursday, “These are tough times, but Australians are resilient.” Acting Gold Coast Mayor Donna Gates called the storm a “frightening situation” for the region.
Schools and Businesses Closed
Nearly 1,000 schools have shut their doors, public transport is suspended, and airports are closed, with flights unlikely to resume before Sunday. Elective surgeries have also been postponed. Authorities have been distributing sandbags to vulnerable areas in Queensland to help residents protect their properties.
While cyclones are not uncommon in Queensland, they rarely reach this far south. The last time something similar happened was in 1974 when Cyclone Wanda struck in January, followed by Cyclone Zoe two months later.
Flooding is a more frequent problem, as seen in February 2022, when heavy rain caused widespread damage to homes along the east coast. In preparation for Cyclone Alfred, local councils have set up sandbag collection points for residents.
Anthony Singh, a Brisbane resident, spent four hours on Wednesday collecting sandbags to safeguard his home. “It feels calm now, but we know it’s coming,” he said.
Mark Clayton, who helped coordinate the sandbag efforts, shared, “We loaded over 140 tonnes of sand. People are nervous—wondering if buildings will hold up, if roofs will stay intact. We expect trees to fall and power outages to last.”
With supermarkets closed and people staying indoors, there’s a sense of unease as Australians wait for Cyclone Alfred to make landfall.
