Severe tropical cyclone Alfred to bring high tides, damaging surf along Queensland coast

Cyclone Alfred has been downgraded to category three cyclone as new information is revealed about its approach of Australia’s coast.

Severe tropical cyclone Alfred has weakened to a category three system as it continues to swirl offshore above the Coral Sea and potentially crawl towards the Queensland coast.

As of 10am Saturday, Alfred is sitting about 560 km east northeast of Rockhampton and 495 km northeast of Bundaberg.

Earlier, its outer edge was causing gusts of 150km/h at Fredrick Reef off the Great Barrier Reef. The centre of the cyclone was sustaining winds of 155 kilometres an hour, and wind gusts to 220 kilometres an hour over the open water.

Alfred may move slowly towards the southern Queensland coast mid-next week. Picture: Bureau of Meteorology

On Friday, Queensland State Disaster Coordinator, Deputy Commissioner Shane Chelepy is urging residents to avoid risky behaviour such as swimming at closed beaches or surfing amongst the powerful swells.

“Now is not the time to be complacent, as we starting to feel these powerful impacts from the cyclone tracking closer to the mainland,” he said.

“People should avoid swimming and surfing at beaches along these watch zones, or walking near surf-exposed areas, to avoid being caught in dangerous conditions.”

It is predicted to remain a category three system as it inches towards the Queensland coast on Saturday, before turning southeast as a category two and “expected to be well east of Rockhampton” by Sunday night.

“Although severe tropical cyclone Alfred remains well offshore, it is generating hazardous coastal conditions for areas south of Mackay and down towards the New South Wales border,” Jonathon How said.

“So, this does include the Gold and Sunshine Coast and the Great Barrier Reef.

“People should be aware that if they’re heading to the water or the beach, current conditions can be dangerous for swimming, rock fishing and boating.”

Marine wind warnings for strong to gale-force winds have been issued for all waters south of Mackay and down to the Sunshine Coast, rising to a storm force wind warning for the Great Barrier Reef.

Strong to gale-force winds may develop this weekend across the southern Great Barrier Reef Islands including Heron and Lady Elliot Islands and to K’gari.

The strong wind warning is expected to extend down towards the NSW border over the weekend.

Coastal hazard warnings are current for areas including Gary Fraser Island, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast.

Alfred is still swirling around 600km offshore from the coastline above the Coral Sea. Picture: Windy

“So, we will see in these areas powerful waves in addition to regular high tides, and these were combined to produce abnormally high tides that could cause coastal flooding along the foreshore.

“And with these very powerful waves, severe beach erosion is also possible north of the Sunshine Coast initially, but these could extend further south depending on tropical cyclone Alfred’s movement,” Mr How said.

The cyclone is set to lie “well east” of Gary Fraser Island and the Sunshine Coast by Monday and decelerate into a slow moving system by mid-next week, when it could potentially curve back towards the Queensland Coast.

“From there, there is still a range of possibilities with regards to its exact movement and just how close it will come to the coast, and this will depend on a number of factors, including how the tropical cyclone interacts with other systems in our region.”