Tropical Cyclone Alfred news and updates, Friday March 7

The PM is in the national emergency command centre and is discussing the impending arrival of Cyclone Alfred.

“These are tough times but Australians are tough people and we’re resilient people. I have been in contact with the Queensland and New South Wales premiers again this morning.”

“I spoke with the mayor of Lismore, Steve Kreig, and he spoke about what a tough night he’s had with himself and his partner. You know, they are still in recovery mode. They’ve had hit after hit after hit.”

“At the worst of times we always see the best of Australian character. I said yesterday that there were no political parties in this process, and there are no borders.”

​Read the full story here.​

“There are three things we are worried about when it comes to this cyclone,” Mr Minns told Sunrise.

“Dangerous seas, particularly surf conditions and their impact on the coast, then the wind and you’re already seeing wind of up to 100km now at Cape Byron and that will move inland as the storm creeps in to the coast, and then finally riverine flooding.

When the storm comes through and starts to pass, (we) still expect parts of flooding in the Northern Rivers.

“We need to send a clear message to people (to) not to drive through flood rivers under any circumstances.

“It is the most common way people lose their lives. You put yourself and your passengers in danger, as well as SES volunteers sent in to try to rescue you.”

NSW Premier Chris Minns says Lismore residents, who endured horrific floods in 2022, are “ready for the next 72 hours”.

“The town of Lismore has been to hell and back over the last few years,” Mr Minns told Sunrise.

“2022 was a devastating natural disaster. One that was not just in Lismore’s history but in Australia’s history.

“But they are resilient people, and they get back on their feet. We are seeing that again.

“The town is ready for the next 72 hours, but you wouldn’t wish this on your worst enemy. Obviously (it’s) very traumatic and brings out some terrible memories for a tough town.”

“The window has been pushed back and (with) these things, there always is a huge degree of variability,” Mr Crisafulli told Sunrise.

“Exactly where it will cross, that window remains between the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast, that will tighten as it gets closer.

“The strength and exactly when that will be will be determined as the speed that it comes in.

“My message to Queenslanders and indeed to those in northern NSW is we are all taking this seriously and we are asking you to do the same.

“We have pre-deployed a lot of asset, everything from people, health workers on islands, to generators, we are prepared.

“There will be no daylight between the response and the recovery, but you’ve got to do a little bit now and I’m assuring you (that) you will get to it.

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli has told residents in the path of Cyclone Alfred they have some extra time to prepare but warned this system “packs a punch”.

“It is a system that certainly packs a punch and the potential for waves, wind, rain fall and then eventually flooding remains real,” Mr Crisafulli told Sunrise.

The premier said landfall has been delayed but “it remains a category two system”.

“To give you an indication of the kind of severity of it, we recorded a wave, I just got briefed a moment ago, 12.3 m off the coast of the Gold Coast at Main Beach.

“We have never seen a wave height recorded like that, so it is a strong system and that delayed run into the coast does give people who may not have finished their preparations that little bit more of a window.”

​

​

Residents at risk from significant storm surges and flooding have been urged to get into a safe space as the time to relocate has now lapsed.

Weather modelling shows almost 20,000 properties could be impacted by storm surges or flooding.

​

​

These 20,000 properties could experience anything from mild inundation in their yards to significant flooding in their homes and property damage.

The Bureau of Meteorology is expecting peak storm surges to occur from Thursday.

Residents are urged to inspect the mapping on council websites and make arrangements if their property is at significant risk.

The Gold Coast airport is now closed along with regional airports at Ballina and Coffs Harbour.

Qantas has cancelled flights to and from Lord Howe Island on Wednesday.

From midnight on Wednesday, Qantas Group flights were suspended to and from Coffs Harbour until further notice.

Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast airports are currently open and are under constant reassessment.

Read the full story.

Cyclone Alfred is currently positioned around 300km west of Brisbane.

Since Wednesday it’s rapid speed, which was measured at around 17km/h, has slowed to 7km/h, promting the Bureau of Meteorology to issue fresh advice on when it is expected to make landfall.

“Tropical Cyclone Alfred will continue its approach toward the southeast Queensland coast, with the far western edge already impacting the coast from about Coolangatta to Ballina,” the Bureau said on Thursday.

“Alfred is a Category 2 cyclone, and is forecast to maintain this intensity as it continues to approach the southeast Queensland coast.

“The centre of Alfred is expected to cross the coast during Friday, most likely between Maroochydore and Coolangatta.”