Key events
Here’s the latest map of the storm’s forecast track, from the Bom:
Ben Smee
Weather bureau says further 24-hour wait until Alfred makes landfall on cards
Queenslanders in the path of Tropical Cyclone Alfred could face a further 24-hour wait until the system makes landfall, the Bureau of Meteorology says.
Advice to residents is now that Alfred’s track to the coast has slowed and that it will likely cross the southeast Queensland coast at some point on Friday.
But the bureau says it’s also possible that Alfred stalls further as it heads towards Moreton Bay, and might not reach the populated coastline until Saturday.
It would still likely hit the coast as a “high end” category two system, but possibly a category three. The centre should cross somewhere between Maroochydore and Coolangatta.
An updated BOM briefing from just after 5am on Thursday says the models – which had largely been consistent in showing Alfred’s track to the coast – had shown “greater variation in the strength of the steering flow”.
“The consensus is now for slower westward motion and as a result a delayed time of coastal crossing.
“The latest track indicates a coastal crossing is more likely during daylight hours on Friday, however the spread of guidance now includes the possibility of crossing being delayed until Saturday.”
Good morning
Welcome to our live coverage of Tropical Cyclone Alfred today.
Overnight, the cyclone travelled in a little circle out to sea, a manoeuvre which has thrown off yesterday’s predictions of when it would make landfall.
As of 5am, the revised track map has the storm’s eye crossing the coast directly over Brisbane at 4pm on Friday, by which stage it will be a category one storm.
Communities from Double Island Point south to Grafton, including Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Byron Bay and Ballina, are in the warning zone.
Natasha May will be with you shortly, bringing you updates through the day.