Cyclone Alfred: Storm front intensifies as Queensland prepares for more extreme weather
A tropical cyclone off the coast of one flood-stricken state may intensify to a category three system, but whether it will near the state remains uncertain.
Tropical Cyclone Alfred is sitting around 970km northeast of Mackay in Queensland and is slowly moving southeast while also intensifying.
It is expected to become a category three system on Wednesday as it tracks farther away from the Queensland coast.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.The Bureau of Meteorology is still watching several scenarios for where Alfred could track later in the week.
Some bring it closer to the coast, others have it moving farther south, well away from Queensland and some even weaken it below cyclone strength.
“There’s a range of scenarios that could come towards the coast as we move into the late week and into the weekend,” meteorologist Dean Narramore said on Tuesday.
“But at least in the short term, for the rest of the week, we’re likely to see tropical cyclone Alfred continue to move slowly south, well off the Queensland coast.”
Alfred is having almost no impact to Queensland in the meantime other than some gust winds for coastal communities from K’Gari (formerly Fraser Island) to Townsville.
“That weather is going to continue for much of the week,” Mr Narramore said.
There may be some isolated coastal showers and gusty winds but the weather will remain fairly dry, cool to mild and sunny for the remainder of the week.
It comes as a welcome reprieve for flood-stricken communities from Mackay to Cairns that were battered by a weeks long downpour, claiming two lives and causing hundreds of evacuations when water inundated homes.
February 2025 is officially the wettest month on record for some north Queensland towns with Paluma near Townsville recording more than two metres of rain - double what Sydney receives in a year.
Meanwhile, Tropical Cyclone Bianca remains 1180km west of Exmouth in Western Australia and has intensified to a category three system.
It is forecast to weaken and decrease below a cyclone strength on Wednesday and will not directly impact the state.
