Cyclone Alfred LIVE updates: Storm set to lash Brisbane for 12 hours despite slowing in first direct impact in 50 years; NSW Northern Rivers’ schools, supermarkets close amid flood preparations

Good afternoon, and thank you for joining our continued live coverage as South East Queensland and northern NSW await the arrival of Cyclone Alfred.

Here are some of the latest developments:

• Cyclone Alfred has slowed down considerably as it moves towards the Queensland coast and could make landfall much later than previously predicted. The latest Bureau of Meteorology modelling from Thursday morning suggests Alfred could make landfall early on Saturday morning – about 24 hours later than first expected.
• The category 2 system is expected to remain of similar intensity until its centre starts to interact with the coast, the bureau said. Alfred’s centre is most likely expected to cross between Noosa Heads on the Sunshine Coast and Coolangatta on the Gold Coast.
• Queensland’s south-east and northern NSW have begun to shut down as authorities bolster the region.
• The NSW SES issued flood evacuation warnings for Tweed Heads, Ballina, South Golden Beach, Pottsville, Hastings Point, Woodburn, Doonbah, Richmond Terrace and Coraki, among other parts of the region.
• Schools, public transport, major roads and airports are closed today, with elective surgeries also put on hold, but emergency departments remain open.
• Supermarkets have started shutting their doors ahead of Alfred’s arrival.
• NSW Premier Chris Minns urged Northern Rivers residents to prepare, just three years after flooding devastated the region, saying Thursday was the “day to act” and to avoid floodwaters.
• Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said the window for people to prepare was closing “with every hour”.
• Maps show Tropical Cyclone Alfred’s likely path as it heads for the coast. Follow its progress here.
• When Alfred hits and how extensive the damage will be are still unclear. Here is everything NSW and Queensland residents need to know as the situation progresses.

The Bureau of Meteorology has released the latest map tracking Cyclone Alfred’s path.

The system is estimated to be 245 kilometres east of Brisbane, moving west at seven kilometres per hour, with “impacts expected to increase this evening”.

“Alfred is currently category 2 and is expected to remain of similar intensity until the centre starts to interact with the coast and islands,” the bureau said in its latest advice issued this afternoon. “The centre of Alfred is expected to cross the coast very early Saturday morning, most likely between Noosa and Coolangatta.”

The map indicates Alfred could become a category 1 by the time it passes over Moreton Island at 1am (Queensland time) on Saturday.

Sunshine Coast residents have ramped up preparation efforts, with many returning to sandbagging collection points after the depots were resupplied overnight.

At Maroochydore Cricket Club, local couple Julie and Christopher grabbed 15 sandbags – the maximum number available per visit – to barricade their home on the northern end of the region, in Pacific Paradise.

“Even with a couple of days rain, we get flooded,” Julie said.

Sunshine Coast resident Julie said her house in Pacific Paradise was prone to flooding.Credit: Catherine Strohfeldt

She added the couple were concerned about large trees around their home, but said she had seen more intense cyclones in her time living in northern Queensland, including a category 5 cyclone.

“The worst one I was in, I remember Dad put us in the bathtub and put all the mattresses and blankets around us,” she said.

“When we got out, everything was gone ... and a big tree – a gum tree – came down on our house.”

Sandbagging at Maroochydore Cricket Club on Thursday.Credit: Catherine Strohfeldt

When Saxon McCorquodale heard a cyclone was barrelling down the coast, his first instinct was to grab his board and head to the beach.

“I knew the cyclone was upon us and knew the swell would be pumping, so got some food in me and went straight down the coast,” he said.

Footage of him surfing an epic wave at Kirra Beach on the Gold Coast has gone viral among Aussie surfing legends, especially because McCorquodale was using a vintage, slightly broken seven-foot surfboard he had picked up in a second-hand store for less than $20.

He had snapped his regular board the day before, spending eight hours in the wild waves, and was hesitant to use his op-shop find. But after seeing the hundreds of spectators, surfers and jet-skiers cheering, he decided to risk it.

The Gold Coast-based artist has been surfing since he was four.

Waves were up to 15 feet high, he said. He’d been surfing for a few hours when he saw the wave captured in the footage with an “incredible shape” barrelling toward him. As he came through the deepest part of the wave, he started screaming as fellow surfers cheered him on.

Surfing legend Mick Fanning was among his fans, congratulating him on his catch.

“I just started crying and screaming – the mongrel came out of me,” McCorquodale said. “It was the wave of my life.”

His vintage board, however, didn’t survive. The footage was captured by Charlie Cullen.

Surfers and beachgoers all along the coast are embracing the wild weather. Reporter Angus Dalton said the Byron Bay surf is nearly as busy as on Christmas as daredevil surfers draw massive crowds.

Meanwhile, the Herald’s chief photographer Nick Moir has snapped some epic photos of wave spectators almost getting washed off the Brunswick Heads rock wall.

Spectators are battered by waves at Brunswick Heads.Credit: Nick Moir

The massive swell at Brunswick Heads.Credit: Nick Moir

Good afternoon, and thank you for joining our continued live coverage as South East Queensland and northern NSW await the arrival of Cyclone Alfred.

Here are some of the latest developments:

• Cyclone Alfred has slowed down considerably as it moves towards the Queensland coast and could make landfall much later than previously predicted. The latest Bureau of Meteorology modelling from Thursday morning suggests Alfred could make landfall early on Saturday morning – about 24 hours later than first expected.
• The category 2 system is expected to remain of similar intensity until its centre starts to interact with the coast, the bureau said. Alfred’s centre is most likely expected to cross between Noosa Heads on the Sunshine Coast and Coolangatta on the Gold Coast.
• Queensland’s south-east and northern NSW have begun to shut down as authorities bolster the region.
• The NSW SES issued flood evacuation warnings for Tweed Heads, Ballina, South Golden Beach, Pottsville, Hastings Point, Woodburn, Doonbah, Richmond Terrace and Coraki, among other parts of the region.
• Schools, public transport, major roads and airports are closed today, with elective surgeries also put on hold, but emergency departments remain open.
• Supermarkets have started shutting their doors ahead of Alfred’s arrival.
• NSW Premier Chris Minns urged Northern Rivers residents to prepare, just three years after flooding devastated the region, saying Thursday was the “day to act” and to avoid floodwaters.
• Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said the window for people to prepare was closing “with every hour”.
• Maps show Tropical Cyclone Alfred’s likely path as it heads for the coast. Follow its progress here.
• When Alfred hits and how extensive the damage will be are still unclear. Here is everything NSW and Queensland residents need to know as the situation progresses.

Flights in and out of Brisbane Airport are expected to stop about 4pm (Queensland time) today as coastal conditions worsen.

“Travellers should speak directly to their airlines and not travel to the airport for cancelled flights,” an airport spokesperson said.

“Brisbane Airport will continue to keep its terminals open while passengers and essential airport workers need shelter, for emergency and aeromedical services, for Defence operations, and while it is safe to do so.”

Brisbane Airport is situated right next to Moreton Bay, which is already feeling the effects of Cyclone Alfred. Further south, Gold Coast Airport closed yesterday.

Brisbane is preparing for the arrival of Cyclone Alfred.Credit: Getty Images

A YouTube livestream of Brisbane Airport – attracting more than 2000 viewers – shows flights still taking off as of 1.25pm (Queensland time).

Virgin Australia is operating a limited schedule to and from Brisbane airport before 4pm today (Queensland time). Virgin flights through the Gold Coast are suspended from this afternoon to noon on Friday, and flights to and from Ballina are suspended until Friday.

Qantas and Jetstar flights will be suspended in Brisbane from mid-afternoon, an airline spokesperson said. Operations are currently suspended from the Gold Coast and Ballina airports, but continuing to and from Sunshine Coast and Hervey Bay airports as of 2pm (AEDT).

Storm surges as big as a metre and a half could hit parts of the Gold Coast if Tropical Cyclone Alfred makes landfall at high tide.

The Bureau of Meteorology’s Matthew Collopy said the surges could occur around Redlands Bay, near North Stradbroke Island and on the Gold Coast.

Collopy said daily rainfall totals of 200 to 400 millimetres were forecast for the cyclone’s warning area, with as much as 800 millimetres of rainfall possible.

“What we’ve seen overnight in terms of the erratic movement of the system reiterates the fact that this is an evolving situation,” he said.

Exposed areas along the coast have already recorded gusts reaching up to 90km/h, and large swells were continuing.

Acting Queensland Police Commissioner Shane Chelepy said the SES already had 300,000 sandbags, with another 300,000 arriving this morning to help people prepare their homes.

Supermarkets have started shutting their doors ahead of Tropical Cyclone Alfred’s arrival.

Coles stores in South East Queensland – including in Petrie Terrace in Brisbane, Loganholme, Runaway Bay, Benowa Village, Arundel, Pacific Fair, The Pines and Robina – have closed.

Coles Cannon Hill store in Brisbane closed at 11am, leaving people who hoped to stock up on last-minute supplies dismayed.

Supermarkets across northern NSW and South East Queensland have started closing ahead of Tropical Cyclone Alfred.Credit: Oscar Colman

In northern NSW, the Coles stores in Ballina, Tweed City, Casuarina, Tweed Heads, Murwillumbah, Goonellabah, Banora Point and Ocean Shores will close today.

The Lismore, Casino and Alstonville stores remain open.

A Coles spokesperson said customers should check the company’s website, with some stores changing their trading hours.

A Woolworths spokesperson said stores in the cyclone warning zone could close early today.

“We aim to keep our stores open as long as possible, however our store teams will adjust their hours according to safety, advice from local authorities and team member availability,” they said.

Brisbane Woolworths stores – including in West End, Toowong, Ashgrove, Calamvale and Cannon Hill – are listed online as being open until 2pm today and closed tomorrow.

Nearly 300 schools have closed in north-east NSW as Tropical Cyclone Alfred approaches.

The NSW Education Department said 248 public schools and 33 independent schools will remain closed today and tomorrow. More than 120 schools were closed yesterday because of an increased risk of flooding.

Schools are expected to reopen on Monday, but could remain closed longer if Alfred’s landfall is further delayed.

A full list of closed schools can be found below.

Locals say the car park at Main Beach in Byron Bay is only busier on Christmas Day as hundreds of people flock to watch daredevil surfers take on the stormy swell.

So what’s it like to surf a cyclone-powered wave?

“It’s pretty good, hectic swell, pretty fun,” said Finn, who’s down with two friends for the second day in a row to surf the normally tame waves at Main Beach.

Surfers enjoy the swell at Byron Bay’s Main Beach as Tropical Cyclone Alfred approaches.Credit: Danielle Smith

He said it’s “not really” dangerous but a little challenging to get past the chaotic breakers.

However, another surfer dashing past to stay warm in the increasing wind begged to differ: “It’s shit out there!”

The swell is at 1.8 to 2.4 metres as the Bureau of Meteorology has reissued a coastal hazard warning for abnormally high tides and damaging surf for NSW’s North Coast.

Offshore buoys at Tweed Heads picked up waves reaching heights of 7.7 metres and a monster wave off the Gold Coast overnight hit 12.3 metres.

Severe coastal erosion is expected as Tropical Cyclone Alfred inches closer.

As new modelling shows Cyclone Alfred is set to cross the coast on Saturday morning, Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said the window for people to prepare was closing “with every hour”.

“The area [where it is predicted to cross] is still between the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast,” he said.

“Queensland is a resilient state and I have every faith that people can handle this event.

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli says Queensland is a “resilient state”.Credit: Dan Peled

“We have done the preparation and we want Queenslanders to know that there’ll be no daylight between the response and the recovery.”

There are 1030 schools and 324 early childhood centres closed in Queensland today and tomorrow, elective surgery is cancelled for the next two days, and public transport is cancelled.

Crisafulli said authorities would try to keep roads and bridges open as long as possible, while 34 water treatment plants had been fortified, with back-up generators in place.

He said the first power outages had begun as trees fell over powerlines, and Energex, South East Queensland’s energy provider, was working to reconnect properties as quickly as possible.

Crisafulli said he had received messages and phone calls from almost every state and territory premier and chief minister, and a message from the New Zealand prime minister “wishing us well”.