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Southeast Queensland surf photos from Tropical Cyclone Alfred wild weather

Southeast Queensland surfers are making the most of the big swells from Tropical Cyclone Alfred before it is set to cross the southern coast line later this week. SEE THE PICS

Surf from the cyclone swell at Agnes Waters. Picture: Facebook/Surfs Up Eastern Suburbs
Surf from the cyclone swell at Agnes Waters. Picture: Facebook/Surfs Up Eastern Suburbs

Southeast Queensland surfers are making the most of the massive swells from Tropical Cyclone Alfred before it is set to cross the state’s southern coast line later this week.

Millions of Queenslanders are being told to prepare amid warnings of the first cyclone to cross the state’s southern coast in half a century.

Tropical Cyclone Alfred could make landfall in South East Queensland by Thursday as a category 2 system – packing gale-force winds and up to 600mm of rain.

In its latest report, at 4am on Monday, the Bureau of Meteorology said Alfred was a category 2 system about 465km northeast of Brisbane and 401km east northeast of Maroochydore, heading south.

It is forecast to slow down and turn westward from Tuesday, moving towards the southern Queensland coast.

It is expected to make landfall somewhere along the coast from Bundaberg to the Gold Coast on Thursday as a possible category 2 system.

If it does make landfall here it will be the first cyclone in 50 years to do so.

Residents have been urged to take warnings seriously and prepare now for a crossing anywhere between Bundaberg and the NSW border.

Beaches from Agnes Waters, to the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and even northern NSW have felt the impacts of the cyclone.

Lifeguards have been were pleading with swimmers to stay at waist depth only with flash rips and powerful wave surges.

Beaches are expected to be closed as the danger increases.

On the weekend, even a very experienced lifesaver was flipped by a wave with ironman legend Grant Kenny coming to his aid.

Grant Kenny goes to aid of flipped  surfski rider

Advanced surfers were not phased by the dumpers, throwing themselves at the mercy of the ocean as beachgoers watched on.

There have also been some surfers being towed out with jetskis onto the waves, while others on hydrofoils float above them.

The weather bureau has warned of large and powerful easterly swell and abnormally high tides.

Originally published as Southeast Queensland surf photos from Tropical Cyclone Alfred wild weather

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Original URL: https://www.thechronicle.com.au/news/queensland/sunshine-coast/southeast-queensland-surf-photos-from-tropical-cyclone-alfred-wild-weather/news-story/3bbb7c13494b45321c866f5b34ed2ef0