Damaging surf and high tides as cyclone spirals closer

Powerful waves could cause floods and coastal erosion as a tropical cyclone narrows on Queensland’s coast, but the category 4 system is unlikely to reach the mainland.

Tropical Cyclone Alfred was roughly 700 kilometres north-east of Mackay on Friday and producing wind gusts of 220km/h at its centre.

“That is exceptionally powerful wind out over these open waters,” Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Angus Hines said in an update.

The cyclone is expected to come within about 400 kilometres of the mainland on Saturday.

So far, gusts of between 70km/h and 80km/h have hit Queensland’s coastal zones.

The bureau has issued a coastal hazards warning for damaging surf and abnormally high tides, likely causing coastal erosion and inundation of low low-lying areas.

“Even if we forgot about Tropical Cyclone Alfred, the tides this weekend would be very high,” Hines said.

“When you throw in the influence of the tropical cyclone, those tides could now be half a metre higher than the highest tides of the year.”

The warning applies from Gladstone down to Coolangatta and includes Bundaberg, Sandy Cape, Fraser Island, Noosa Heads, the Sunshine Coast and outer parts of Brisbane.

Queenslanders have been urged to prepare for outages.

“We’ve started our preparations right along the Queensland coast and urging Queenslanders to do the same,” Ergon and Energex area manager Renee Kath said.

“We can start to see the impacts of a cyclone well before it crosses the coast as winds pick up and bring down trees, branches and other debris into overhead powerlines, so you should be prepared for potential lengthy power interruptions.”

Flooding also has the potential to impact the underground power network, she said.

There was a high likelihood of beach closures, and precautionary sandbagging stations would be open at Burleigh, Bilinga and Pimpama, Brisbane City acting mayor Donna Gates said.

On Friday night, Tropic Cyclone Alfred was a category 4 system travelling south off the Queensland coast.Credit: Bureau of Meteorology

“It’s suggested that anyone with concerns should get their sandbags ready,” she said.

“We just want residents to be prepared.”

The cyclone is expected to be downgraded to category 2 on Saturday, moving south-west towards the Queensland coast before turning south-east on Sunday and tracking parallel to the state’s Capricornia coast, well away from land.

There is a possibility it could make its way back towards the coast at the Queensland-NSW border later next week, the bureau warned.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Alfred, a category 4 system, is moving south through the Coral Sea.Credit: Bureau of Meteorology

“This is why we’re going to continue to keep such a close watch on the system, even once it starts to move away,” Hines said, urging people to keep up to date with forecasts.

Campers have been urged to leave K’gari, Inskip and Cooloola camping areas while it is safe to do so and bookings have been closed for sites in these protected areas.

AAP