Millions of residents along Australia’s eastern coast are bracing for Tropical Cyclone Alfred, the most southerly cyclone to threaten the region in more than five decades.
Qantas, Virgin, and Jetstar suspend flights to Gold Coast Airport as terminal closes ahead of Cyclone Alfred.
The storm, equivalent in strength to a Category 1 Atlantic hurricane, is expected to make landfall south of Brisbane in the early hours of Friday, potentially coinciding with high tide, raising concerns for emergency services.
Unusual Cyclone for the Region
Speaking in Brisbane on Wednesday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the event as rare, given that southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales (NSW) are not typically classified as tropical regions.
"We haven’t seen anything quite like this for a good 50 years," said Darrell Strauss, a coastal management researcher at Griffith University.
The last cyclone of similar strength to impact Brisbane was Cyclone Zoe in 1974, which triggered major flooding in the city and NSW’s Northern Rivers region. With Brisbane’s population now more than double what it was then, experts warn that the most severe impacts of Cyclone Alfred could be felt along the Gold Coast and northern NSW beaches, popular with tourists.
Warnings Issued as Storm Approaches
As of Wednesday, Cyclone Alfred was 400 kilometers offshore, moving west with destructive winds of up to 120 kilometers per hour , according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM).
Authorities have warned of flooding in northern NSW, raising fears of a repeat of 2022, when record rainfall caused several rivers to overflow. In the Northern Rivers region, many homes remain uninhabitable, and residents are still living in temporary housing and tents three years after the disaster.
"The Northern Rivers has gone through hell over the last few years. We’re particularly concerned about some of those communities," said NSW Premier Chris Minns on Tuesday.
Emergency Preparations Underway
In Brisbane, residents sandbagged homes and cleared supermarket shelves of food and bottled water as authorities warned of potential storm surge and flash flooding.
Modeling from the Lord Mayor’s office suggests that 20,000 properties across Brisbane could be affected. Along the Queensland and NSW coasts, authorities closed beaches, warning of hazardous surf with waves exceeding 5 meters and possible storm surges up to 10 meters, according to the NSW State Emergency Services.
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli urged residents in vulnerable coastal areas to evacuate immediately if advised.
"If this system strengthens and makes landfall at high tide in the middle of the night, the last place you want to be is in your home," Crisafulli said.
Widespread Disruptions Expected
In anticipation of the cyclone’s impact, authorities have canceled major sporting events and announced school closures in affected areas on Thursday and Friday.
Residents in storm-prone areas were also advised to secure loose objects to prevent them from becoming airborne due to strong winds, which could pose a danger even in regions unaccustomed to cyclone-strength gales.
Authorities continue to monitor Cyclone Alfred’s trajectory, with further updates expected as the storm nears the coast.
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