Ex-tropical Cyclone Alfred recap: Take a look at all the latest information as the extreme weather continues

The NSW SES has issued urgent “prepare to isolate” warnings for multiple areas as heavy rains bring flood risk.

The new areas include: Mulquinneys Road, Fiddlers Creek, Lower Kangaroo Creek and Middle Creek.

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The latest updates from energy providers across Queensland and New South Wales say 286,000 homes and businesses are without power.

Powerlines across the states have been brought down by Alfred’s destructive forces, with condtions still too dangerous for crews to be sent out for repairs.

“The current weather conditions are preventing Essential Energy crews from making repairs at this time, however teams have undertaken significant preparation work including moving vehicles to assist access, arranging for fuel pods, logistics and communication tools for crews, readying extra resources from across the state to support when safe to do so and ensuring extra electrical equipment is available and ready to deploy into the area,” Essential Energy said in a statement.

Gold Coast acting Mayor Donna Gates has told locals to “stay home” and to not go near beaches.

“There’s plenty more yet to come,” Ms Gates warned.

“Unfortunately, we’ve been warned constantly that the southern impacts from Cyclone Alfred will be felt for 24 to 36 hours, so there’s likely to be really heavy rain over the next two days.

“I’d like to tell people please still stay at home.

“We had major riverine flooding last night at Currumbin and Tallebudgera.

“We had no rescues and we believe that was because people were at home.

“So please, stay at home today and don’t go near the beachside.

“Don’t go on the infrastructure. A lot of it has been undermined and whilst it might look safe, it’s potentially not.”

“This ex-tropical cyclone, this tropical low is still dragging in significant moisture, and we are expecting to see those heavy rainfall totals,” Ms Bradbury said.

“Six hourly rainfall totals well in excess of 100mm. 24 hour rainfall totals in excess of 200, possibly 300mm in some areas across much of northeast NSW and southeast Queensland.

“Areas to be impacted include Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

“Later today, we’re likely to see that rain ramping up, so flash flooding remains a huge risk.

“As well as that riverine flooding, our rivers are rising in response to this rain.”

Senior meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology Miriam Bradbury has explained ex-Cyclone Alfred’s change.

“We saw it reach those offshore islands as a category two tropical cyclone,” she told Sunrise.

“After interacting with that landmass mass, it did weaken back to a category one system.

“Over the last hour or so, those wind gusts have really dropped back, no longer reaches tropical cyclone strength.

“As a reminder, the category of a tropical cyclone or tropical low is only dependent on those wind speeds.

“We are continuing to see the heavy rainfall and flooding impacts associated with that system.

“We’ve already seen a lot of rain in the overnight period, upwards of 250mm in some locations through northeast NSW, and we’re already seeing the flooding impacts.”

Cyclone Alfred has officially been downgraded to an ex-tropical cyclone, however, damaging winds, rains and flooding is still set to continue.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued updated advice as now ex-tropical Cyclone Alfred arrives, with flooding now one of the biggest concerns.

“Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred lies off Bribie Island and is moving slowly north.” the Bureau said in an update at 6am AEST (7am AEDT).

“Gales are no longer occurring over coastal or island locations.

“It is expected to move towards and cross the mainland coast this morning, with winds weakening further as it moves inland.

“Despite its weakening, heavy rainfall is likely to continue over southeast Queensland and northeast New South Wales during the weekend.”

Read the full update.

“We’ve had almost 8500 calls into our operations centre here,” Ms Platz said.

“Just in the last 24 hours, though, we’ve had about 1600 calls for assistance.

“We have had 36 flood rescue activations in the last 24 hours, which is really extremely disappointing because we’re asking people not to go into flooded waters, to stay indoors unless they’re asked to evacuate.

“The roads should be free. There should be no one playing in water. But unfortunately that’s not what we’re seeing in some areas.”

NSW SES Deputy Commissioner Debbie Platz says the NSW agency has received 8500 calls for assistance.

“This system is extremely widespread, it’s very dynamic and is always changing,” she told Sunrise.

“It’s a huge area of north-east and northern and now spreading into north-west NSW that is impacted.

“Even just as recently as half an hour ago, we’ve issued another evacuation order for the Woodburnarea. So please keep an eye on allthe warnings.

“There’s 40 evacuation orders in place right now right across NSW.”

“You can’t sugarcoat some this stuff,” Mr Krieg said.

“If our levee overtops especially, our town is in a lot of trouble.

“Emotionally, financially people are really struggling even before this cyclone, having rebuilt after 2022.

“There’s a lot of concern. The reality is, you know, there’s tension in every household as to not only what the future, short to long term looks like.

“We’ve we’ve put everything we have into rebuilding our lives.

“We can pay our staff this weekand, we don’t know what’s going to happen after that.

“It is that stressful. And on top of the weather event, it’s just one of those things that it is literally a day by day prospect for the 4000 businesses registered in our LGA.

“Most of them are feeling so stressed. It’s hard. It’s very hard.”