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Briefs

Weather Impact Briefing – Cyclone Alfred, Queensland and NSW

Weather Impact Briefing – Cyclone Alfred, Queensland and NSW

5 March 2025

This brief provides information shared at the National Coordination Mechanism Meeting where the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), the Queensland Government and industry stakeholders provided updates on the situation in preparation for cyclone Alfred in southeast Queensland and northeast New South Wales.  

Situation update 

  • Cyclone Alfred is tracking toward the southeast Queensland coast and is expected to make landfall as a Category 2 tropical cyclone between the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast early Friday (1 AM – 7 AM). 
  • Storm tide risk is increasing, particularly south of the system. If Alfred makes landfall at high tide (Thursday night/early Friday), coastal flooding may occur. 
  • Severe coastal erosion and flooding in low-lying areas are likely, with maximum recorded wave heights exceeding 7 meters off North Stradbroke Island and the Gold Coast. 
  • Damaging winds up to 120 km/h are expected today, strengthening to 155 km/h along the coast as Alfred approaches. 
  • Heavy rainfall and flash flooding are expected across southeast Queensland and northern NSW from Thursday to Saturday, even as the system moves inland. 
  • Widespread riverine flooding and rapid creek rises are likely later this week. A flood watch is in place. 
  • Modelling for evacuation is currently under development; Federal government advised to follow local emergency warning services as they will be giving advice and relevant trigger points for evacuation as required.  
  • Government advised to consult local government area’s for disaster management as they have released flood risk exposure data dashboards  

Infrastructure and Transport update 

  • For real-time information on affected roads, road and bridge closures and for identifying alternative routes, refer to QLD Traffic and Live Traffic NSW website.  
  • All ports in the affected areas up to Port Macquarie will pause operations.  
  • Airfields will remain open, but are likely to face limited operations due to safety concerns.  
  • Some airlines advised that they would be pausing operations in the region temporarily.  

Energy update 

  • Stakeholders have indicated they are doing everything possible to prepare, but power outages remain a possibility. 
  • Businesses and essential service providers have been advised to have emergency power generation in place. 
  • Some energy companies can assist with emergency generation, but their priority is supporting vulnerable communities. 

Telecommunications update 

  • Major providers have warned that due to the scale of the weather event, network disruptions are possible. 
  • They have paused non-essential work and are focusing on deploying technicians to affected areas to maintain core services and support emergency response efforts. 

Supermarket Retailers update 

  • Major supermarkets have been stockpiling essential products since last week in anticipation of increased demand. 
  • While some product categories are experiencing higher demand, supermarkets are working closely with suppliers to boost inbound deliveries to distribution centres and ensure store replenishment. 
  • The Queensland government has granted curfew exemptions, allowing 24-hour deliveries to the stores to help manage increased demand. 
  • Retailers have requested an expansion of these exemptions to all potentially affected areas, particularly in New South Wales, to support continued operations. 
  • Retailers have flagged shortages in some categories, particularly bottled water and personal hygiene products. 
  • Some bottled water suppliers within the impact zone have announced temporary production pauses, prompting retailers to source from alternative suppliers to maintain availability. 
  • All major retailers aim to keep stores open where possible but will adhere to local guidance on closures, evacuations, and safety protocols. 

Member Action

We encourage businesses to review continuity plans, with particular focus on staff mobility, as it could be impacted over the next few days. 

Members are encouraged to monitor weather warnings and updated forecasts from the Bureau of Meteorology and on the Bureau app. 

Members are also encouraged to consult government disaster dashboards for accessing flood risk maps and modelling such as the Brisbane City Council Dashboard and the City of Gold Coast Dashboard.  

We recommend accessing  QLD Traffic and Live Traffic NSW portal for live updates on road closures to ensure the safety and viability of alternative routes.  

Contact 

The AFGC will keep a watching brief for any additional information released by the Government. Member companies are encouraged to contact Samuel Garcia (Manager of Industry Affairs | Supply Chain and Economics) for more information. 

Samuel Garcia – Samuel.Garcia@afgc.org.au   
For more information on the NEMA, contact contact@nema.gov.au