Millions in QLD and NSW prepare for Tropical Cyclone Alfred landfall

UPDATE
Queensland and NSW continue an anxious wait as landfall predictions for Tropical Cyclone Alfred changed again on Thursday. The cyclone slowed significantly overnight, with landfall now not expected until the early hours of Saturday morning.

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said the system’s four key threats remained waves, wind, rainfall and flooding. Waves of up to 12.3m waves were recorded off the Gold Coast on Thursday morning.

Meteorologists warn the slower speed of Alfred’s advance means east coast communities are in for “extended and more prolonged period of significant and major wave heights and heavy rain”.

Speaking in Lismore in the Northern Rivers region, NSW Premier Chris Minns said: “The window for destruction in our community – heavy rains, winds, powerful surf – is longer than we would have otherwise”.

Mr Crisafulli said the cyclone remained a Category 2 system as it tracked towards the coast.

“Overnight we saw the system spin around on itself and now it has resumed its journey into the coast,” he said.

“The area at the moment is between the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast, it will tighten.

“We have a plan in place and we are asking you to have a plan in place as well.”

All Queensland schools in threatened areas remain closed. NSW school closures are listed below. Please be advised that at the time of writing, schools in impacted zones are expected to remain closed on Monday 10 March.

Mr Crisafulli said the cyclone remained a Category 2 system as it tracked towards the coast.

“Overnight we saw the system spin around on itself and now it has resumed its journey into the coast,” he said.

“The area at the moment is between the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast, it will tighten.

“We have a plan in place and we are asking you to have a plan in place as well.”

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FIRST CYCLONE WATCH FOR NSW IN 35 YEARS
A cyclone watch has been issued for the first time since 1990 in NSW, as residents are warned Tropical Cyclone Alfred could bring “damaging” wind, big waves and the potential for “intense” rainfall.

The category 2* cyclone was about 465km northeast of Brisbane and 410km east northeast of Maroochydore on Monday morning.

Bureau of Meteorology manager hazard preparedness Steven Bernasconi said it was the first time a cyclone watch had been issued for NSW since Cyclone Nancy in 1990, and before that Cyclone Zoe in 1974.

He said NSW was forecast to experience gale-force winds* within 24 and 48 hours as a result of the cyclone.

He said “large and powerful swells* and waves” had already been recorded on NSW’s north east on Monday, with abnormally* high tides expected on Tuesday.

“Winds will start to be noticeable and will be becoming damaging. Waves are likely to be damaging as well, and we would expect a coastal hazard* warning around this time,” Mr Bernasconi said.

“Extreme winds” of 100km/hr are expected towards Thursday and Friday, with waves in the south east having the potential to reach 8m high, while other offshore* waves could reach up to 15m.

Mr Bernasconi said widespread rain between 100-300mm was forecast for Thursday and Friday, with flood watches in place.

The tropical cyclone watch spans from Sandy Cape down to the Coffs Harbour region in NSW.

“That’s the current watch area for the tropical cyclone and its impacts,” Mr Bernasconi said.

“There’ll be rain elsewhere, of course, and there’ll be wind elsewhere, but that’s the focus area.”

SES Commissioner Mike Wassing urged locals to be prepared.

“Do really practical things in terms of cleaning up or removing any loose items from around their homes, acknowledging the significant damage that we will experience, irrespective* of where the tropical cyclone may cross,” Mr Wassing said.

“We will be experiencing those high winds, heavy rainfall and the significant surf, irrespective of that location of crossing — practical things beyond the cleaning up of loose items around your home, if you need to be doing some sandbagging, now’s the time to do that.”

CYCLONE COULD HIT BRISBANE
Queensland was also preparing for “severe” weather. The Bureau of Meteorology said Alfred was expected to slow down and head towards the southern Queensland coast on Tuesday, with the latest modelling* showing the cyclone could hit Brisbane by Thursday.

“Severe coastal hazards are likely for southern Queensland and northern NSW coasts,” a Bureau of Meteorology alert stated.

Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist Jonathon How on Monday said wind gusts of 130km/hr were recorded near the centre of the cyclone, which was moving at “a running pace” of 13km/hr towards the state’s south east.

Marine wind warnings were put in place from Gari down through the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast and northern rivers of NSW.

A coastal hazard warning was also issued for parts of the Queensland coast and northeast NSW. Mr How said swimming, boating and rock fishing could be “dangerous.”

“That is for very powerful waves ….as well as abnormally* high tides,” he said.

The latest landfall predictions for Cyclone Alfred come after Saturday’s earthquake in North Queensland, which measured 4.4 magnitude.

The ground-shaking event occurred at 9.30pm Saturday, 17km away from Townsville, according to Geoscience Australia, with the tremor occurring 10km below the surface.

More than 5,000 people recorded feeling the rumble, including residents as far as Cairns, Mackay and the Sunshine Coast.

“A lot of people felt this earthquake, it was pretty shallow,” Geoscience Australia senior seismologist* Dr Phil Cummins said.

“We’ve been getting reports from both 300km north and 300km south of Townsville, right along the coast, so widely felt.”

With “strong earthquakes” such as these, Dr Cummins recommended residents keep to the ground and evacuate to protect themselves from harm.

“The main advice is duck, cover and hold,” he said.

“Get down, try and get below a solid table or desk and hold on, so you don’t get shaken out from under cover.”

According to Ergon Energy, more than 4200 people lost power after the earthquake struck.

POLL

GLOSSARY

• gale-force winds: wind that is 45-90km/hr
• offshore: a distance from the coast
• irrespective: without considering
• category 2: cyclones are ranked using a five category system based on wind speed. A category 2 cyclone has wind speeds of 126-164km/hr
• modelling: weather forecasting
• coastal hazards: dangerous conditions on the coast caused by the cyclone
• swell: waves
• abnormally: not normally like that
• seismologist: Earth scientists that study seismic waves and earthquakes

EXTRA READING

How do cyclones get their names?

Why experts called for first ‘Cat 6’

Cyclone Jasper causes chaos

QUICK QUIZ

1. What category cyclone is Tropical Cyclone Alfred?
2. When could it hit Brisbane?
3. What are two hazards that could be caused by the cyclone?
4. Which two Australian states are being affected by the cyclone?
5. Where did the magnitude 4.4 earthquake occur?

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CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Cyclone preparedness
Authorities are asking impacted residents to “take steps now” to be prepared for the effects of Cyclone Alfred when it is expected to hit later this week.

What might some of these steps be?

List your ideas below of the Do’s and Don’ts to prepare for and be aware of with Cyclone Alfred fast approaching;

DO’S

DON’TS

Time: allow 15 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Science, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking

2. Extension
Do you think the earthquake near Townsville and the cyclone activity off the coast of Queensland are related or a coincidence of two natural disasters in proximity and time?

What do you know about earthquakes?

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What do you know about cyclones?

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Time: allow 10 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Science, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking

VCOP ACTIVITY
Imaginative dialogue
Imagine you were there during the event being discussed in the article, or for the interview.

Create a conversation between two characters from the article – you may need or want to include yourself as one of the characters. Don’t forget to try to use facts and details from the article to help make your dialogue as realistic as possible.

Go through your writing and highlight any punctuation you have used in green. Make sure you carefully check the punctuation used for the dialogue and ensure you have opened and closed the speaking in the correct places.