Cyclone Alfred as it happened: Category downgrade possible as storm approaches Queensland coast; NSW Northern Rivers evacuation warnings issued for Lismore, surrounding areas

Thank you for following our live coverage as Cyclone Alfred approaches the Queensland coast, and triggers evacuation orders in northern NSW. We will continue our rolling coverage tomorrow morning, so do join us.

Stay safe and follow the emergency advice as we prepare for Alfred to reach our doorstep.

Here are some of today’s key developments:

• The track map released on Thursday night by the Bureau of Meteorology shows the cyclone’s landing time further delayed until 7am Saturday, Queensland time. Cyclone Alfred has dropped in speed to 6 kilometres per hour, and has remained the same distance from land since 5pm.
• On Thursday afternoon, the NSW SES issued a number of emergency warnings for residents to evacuate areas including the Lismore CBD, Tumbulgum and Kyogle by 9pm due to anticipated flooding.
• The SES released a second round of flood evacuation notices for more areas in northern NSW in certain parts of North Macksville, Macksville, Bowraville, Nambucca Heads and Gumma to leave by 8am, Friday March 7.
• Lismore is expected to begin flooding tonight, with more rainfall than initially expected, partly because Cyclone Alfred is slowing down.
• Schools, public transport, major roads and airports are closed today, with elective surgeries also put on hold, but emergency departments remain open.
• Supermarkets have started shutting their doors ahead of Alfred’s arrival.
• NSW Premier Chris Minns urged Northern Rivers residents to prepare, just three years after flooding devastated the region, saying Thursday was the “day to act” and to avoid floodwaters.
• Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said the window for people to prepare was closing “with every hour”.

Good afternoon, and thank you for joining our continued live coverage as South East Queensland and northern NSW await the arrival of Cyclone Alfred.

Here are some of the latest developments:

• Cyclone Alfred has slowed down considerably as it moves towards the Queensland coast and could make landfall much later than previously predicted. The latest Bureau of Meteorology modelling from Thursday suggests Alfred could make landfall early on Saturday morning – more than 24 hours later than first expected.
• The category 2 system is expected to remain of similar intensity until its centre starts to interact with the coast, the bureau said. A tracking map issued on Thursday afternoon indicated it could become a category 1 by the time it passes over Moreton Island in the hours before 5am (Queensland time) on Saturday. Alfred’s centre is most likely expected to cross the mainland between Noosa Heads on the Sunshine Coast and Coolangatta on the Gold Coast.
• On Thursday afternoon, the NSW SES issued a number of emergency warnings, urging residents to evacuate areas including Lismore CBD and Kyogle by 9pm due to anticipated flooding.
• Schools, public transport, major roads and airports are closed today, with elective surgeries also put on hold, but emergency departments remain open.
• Supermarkets have started shutting their doors ahead of Alfred’s arrival.
• NSW Premier Chris Minns urged Northern Rivers residents to prepare, just three years after flooding devastated the region, saying Thursday was the “day to act” and to avoid floodwaters.
• Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said the window for people to prepare was closing “with every hour”.
• Maps show Tropical Cyclone Alfred’s likely path as it heads for the coast. Follow its progress here.
• When Alfred hits and how extensive the damage will be are still unclear. Here is everything NSW and Queensland residents need to know as the situation progresses.

The latest track map released by the Bureau of Meteorology shows the tropical cyclone’s anticipated landing time has been further delayed until 7am Saturday, Queensland time.

Cyclone Alfred has dropped in speed, down to 6 kilometres per hour.

It remains 225 kilometres east of Brisbane and 215 kilometres east-north-east of the Gold Coast – no change from the last update at 5pm Queensland time.

By Saturday morning, the bureau has the system downgraded to a category 1, according to the map.

The downgrade refers to wind speed. The weather bureau expects the same amount of rainfall, but for the cyclone to linger for longer.

The NSW SES has released a second round of evacuation notices for more areas in northern NSW, after telling residents in Lismore earlier to evacuate by tonight.

Residents in certain parts of North Macksville, Macksville, Bowraville, Nambucca Heads and Gumma have been told to evacuate by 8am, Friday March 7.

“You must evacuate before this time because forecasted heavy rainfall will close evacuation routes,” the SES said.

“If you remain in the area, you may become trapped without power, water, and other essential services. It may be too dangerous for NSW SES to rescue you, and buildings may not be able to withstand the impact of flood water.“

Specific roads and streets have been told to evacuate, and can be found here.

As cyclonic surf conditions erode beaches in South East Queensland and northern NSW, local turtle conservation groups are racing to relocate nests before they’re washed away.

Kate Hofmeister, a team leader with the Sunshine Coast Council wildlife conservation program, Turtlecare, said volunteers in her group – from Point Cartwright near Mooloolaba to the northern half of Bribie Island – had spent over 90 hours across three days relocating nests.

In a normal year the group would relocate about 20 per cent of the eggs laid, but this year, it’s closer to three-quarters of the total.

“In some cases, we’re moving them behind the vegetation line on the dunes … towards the erosion line from the mid-70s,” she said.

She said her team had already lost one clutch on Bribie Island where the island was split in two from wild surf. The nests typically belong to the loggerhead turtle, a critically endangered species.

“The majority of them are very close – within a few weeks – of emerging,” Hofmeister said.

Lismore is expected to begin flooding tonight, with more rainfall than initially expected, partly because Cyclone Alfred is slowing down.

The Bureau of Meteorology’s Jonathan How said that northern NSW’s position – south of the cyclone – means it will face the heaviest rainfall, before, during and after the cyclone lands.

Lismore, which has experienced 100mm of rainfall today alone, is prime for flooding, How said.

“We do have a major flood warning already in place for the Wilsons River,” he said.

“We are expecting minor flooding tonight and into tomorrow for Lismore itself, and major flooding is possible tomorrow night into Saturday.”

The slowing down of the cyclone “does mean that you see a heavier rainfall over a longer period of time before making crossing” into land, he added.

There has been confusion about whether residents of low-lying areas of Brisbane could park their cars in shopping centres free to avoid flooding risks.

At his press conference this afternoon, Queensland Premier David Crisafulli had a message for big business.

“Let me answer it this way, if someone takes the initiative to go and put their car into a safe place, I would hope that they are supported in that journey,” Crisafulli said.

“And we want everyone to be good corporate citizens and good community citizens at the moment.”

A Scentre Group spokeswoman said parking was free at Westfield shopping centres in the cyclone warning zone on Thursday, but they could not guarantee safe access or storage of cars during or after cyclone.

One of the major population centres in the City of Moreton Bay, the next council area north of Brisbane, is Caboolture – and people there were heeding the advice to stay indoors this afternoon.

With schools and most non-essential businesses closed from today, and public transport across South East Queensland stopping services, residents are staying home and avoiding travel.

In the deserted streets of the Moreton Bay town, about 20 kilometres inland, some shop owners taped their windows in preparation for the strong winds of Cyclone Alfred.