Rare Tropical Cyclone Alfred’s impacts in Australia: Flooding claims life while locals "warned"

A rare tropical cyclone has been downgraded but it is still making impact in Australia, where residents in parts of Queensland and New South Wales are warned to stay indoors. Find out what has happened so far.

Tropical Cyclone Alfred is bringing strong winds and rains to Brisbane and the Gold Coast, Australia.
Tropical Cyclone Alfred is bringing strong winds and rains to Brisbane and the Gold Coast, Australia.

Millions of Australian citizens have been warned to prepare for the dangerous storm, particularly for those in Queensland and New South Wales.

Tropical cyclone Alfred was projected to make landfall near Brisbane on Saturday, making high impact Saturday morning. The cyclone has slowed, but damaging winds would not be its only hazard. There could be severe flash flooding and landslides. Winds at speeds of 68 miles per hour were reported at Cape Morton but these may increase.

With Cyclone Alfred, the worst is yet to come, as Australians prepare.

Fallen trees, and more could be expect from this slow-moving but powerful storm. Impacts have been made already. “The worst is yet to come” the Australian prime minister said in a statement.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation stated in recent hours: "Tropical Cyclone Alfred has made landfall on Moreton Island, off Brisbane, as a category one system. Heavy rain and strong winds will continue along the coast as ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred crosses over the mainland and is forecast to move slowly inland."

Impacts so far

Waves over 10 metres in height already lashed the Gold Coast of Queensland. This is even taller than an average UK two-floor house. These waves could become considerably higher.

BBC’s Australian Correspondent Katy Watson showed how strong the winds and heavy rain have been along the Gold Coast. With more coastal erosion to come, "Some beaches could completely disappear,” Watson said.

“The next few days will reveal the damage of the cyclone coming through.”

Alfred claims a life

Sadly, a body had been found in floodwaters. The 61-year-old went missing on Friday after his car became inundated with floodwater in Dorrigo, New South Wales.

There were also 13 military personnel were injured in a vehicle convoy crash in Lismore (around 200 km south of Brisbane) due to wild weather from the storm along the eastern coast of Australia.

Even though Cyclone Alfred was downgraded to a tropical low on Saturday, it was forecast to make landfall near Queensland’s capital Brisbane. Even if it continues to slow, impacts could still be strong, so much so that residents have been warned to stay indoors, since the storm is still ongoing.

The strong winds threw down power lines and trees, flooded some roads and cut hundreds of thousands of homes from power. Around 1000 schools have been closed because of the storm.

Why is Tropical Cyclone Alfred rare?

Meteorologists have commented on how rare it is to see a cyclone in Australia this far south, impacting the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast. A comparable system would have been from about 50 years ago, when Cyclone Zoe arrived.

Cyclone Alfred, Australia, Brisbane, rain map.
Rainfall radar precipitation map showing the extent of heavy rainfall currently affecting Brisbane as a result of Tropical Cyclone Alfred (as of Saturday 8 March 3.45PM GMT)

Now the storm has made landfall today, Saturday 8 March 2025, the world watches what happens next. For now, the winds are said to be too damaging to begin clean up operations on the damage already done in many areas.

Sources of the news:

Body found in floodwaters and troops injured in Australia storm. Katy Watson - BBC. March 2025.

Track former Cyclone Alfred's rain totals in Brisbane, SE Queensland and NSW. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. March 2025.